Councillors - not without the rank and file!

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GARTH Frankland's Forum piece in Socialist Organiser (February 9) is a road to hell paved with good intentions. He says, "If Martin Thomas follows his reason through he would not support the Labour Party at all. In fact he would really join Islington's left wing Labour council in joint session with the Labour Local Government Committee the Socialist Workers Party"

I can't see that implied in any way at all in Martin's articles which argue for looking at the question of SO councillors tactically in each particular area and set of political circumstances. But if Garth Frankland followed his own reasoning, as outlined in his article through to its logical end then he would have no time left from coun cil work to do the other work of revolutionary socialists. He would stand on a political strategy quite feasible for any decent left reformist.

Union officers

I urge comrades to read Garth's article again imagining that he is referring to an industrial struggle. Imagine that he is urging us all to consider becoming union District Officers rather than councillors.

Now, obviously there are differences, but it's not an unreasonable parallel. It suggests and it brings out starkly just how much Garth's eyes are on the day-to-day measures (all good and valuable) which left Labour councillors and councils can implement rather than seeing councillors as one arm of the labour movement.

Substitute

Councillors can of course provide information, organisation and a tactical option inside the council chamber to back up the struggles of working class people who are employed by councils and/or are the consumers of council services. But even the best councillors and their activities in the council chamber are not themselves that struggle. In no way can they be a substitute for it.

Garth's article is pervaded by hints of linear conceptions on the achievement of socialetc. None of these are wrong in themselves but are unusual choices of words.

William Gallagher's 'Revolt On the Clyde contrasted with Harry MoShane's 'No Mean Fighter' brings out, from the history of the British workers movement, the difference I am getting at.

Monday Tuesday Wednesd Thursday Friday rrudy IU 1/ 24 Saturday 11 18 25 Saturday Sunday Sunday 12 19 26 Saturday February 18/ Sunday 19th: Youth CND conference, at Kingsway Princeton College. London. Deleates onl!.

Satarday February 25. Health ightback 84 conference at radford University, 10.30 to S. Delegates' credentials from 12 Shiplake House, Calvert Ate. London E2. bruary 6 13 7 14 8 15 9 16 10 17 11 18 12 19 Basingstoke councillor Alasdair Jamison respond to Garth Frankland's contribution to our discussion on socialists and local government For Gallagher, though he never says it and may never even have thought it, the workers of Glasgow in the Red Clyde period after the First World War were the stage extras, doing the backup work for their 'politically knowledgeable' and 'uncorrupted' leaders.

Gallagher's political degeneration into a hard-line Stalinist can be clearly foreseen (with the benefit of hindsight) in these attitudes.

For McShane, by contrast, he workers are the life and blood of Red Clydeside.

Their creativity, courage and organisation is a base for leaders of varying political quality.

Honeypots

Garth Frankland's article makes no more than a few passing references to direct action and these references, like it or not, read as merely a way of rendering councillors activities more profound.

Council chambers are a valid area for furthering the struggle for socialism. But it's essential that SO supporters don't try to flock blindly into them. A strong SO group as a political anchor must be built up in an area beforewe even consider putting comrades into an area of work which is so full of honey pots, wasted time, posturing and pretentiousness that it often makes trade union bureaucrats look quite principled by comparison.

Rank and file

We must not be pessimistic about councils, but we must be cautious about taking council positions. There is no Chinese Wall of "political knowledge' which can be a talisman against political degeneration among our comrades. The primary way in which we 'take responsibility for the fight' must always be by politicising and organising the rank and file of the working class. in Nottingham. Credentials for up to 4 delegates per CLP from Tony Simpson, 26 Rockingham Grove, Bingham, Notts NG13 8RY.

Saturday April 14. Next Socialist Organiser delegate meetins. in Nottingham. PHOTO: JOHN HARRIS

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ism - 'exhausting' capitalism, 'getting' a socialist society,

Saterday March 24. National anfarence of CLP delegates,