These demands can become the It will take more than a single Clear disarmament. the Tory government in its tracks.
COMPROMISE On the contrary, they must be springboard for an ongoing campaign against the Tories' unemploymusn't be allowed to battle alone. must be given the full backing of that the battle for jobs can be won.
Labour Party must not be allowcall for work-sharing with no loss * Open the books! Where tirms CHALLENGE * Nationalise under workers control! If firms are incapable of electoral stakes.
bankrupt - they should be taken * Stop the Cuts! Instead of cutting social services, they should useful work for the two million Her 'left' ticket.
WOOING George Hold (Peckham CLP) end"As workers look more and Michael Foot's election as leader last month was greeted jubilantly by many Labour Party members. It was seen as a clear slap-in-the-face for the Labour 'right' - organised around Healy - and its Tory backers. Correctly so. Foot's victory reflects the radical mood sweeping the party which led, at Blackpool, recently, to some resounding setbacks for the 'right' on issues as diverse as party democracy to nucWhile a clear rebuff to the 'right', however, Foot's 10-vote victory should not be exagerated. Many MPs voted for him not simply because they felt this grass-roots pressure at their backs.
They also supported him - and not Healy - because they saw Foot as the best person to control and defuse this groundswell of opposition building up against Callaghan's pro-capitalist policies.
GM COOKSON (Socialist Challenge)
In their eyes, Foot represents a 'compromise' figure, one whoby trading off his 'left image • would be able to direct this growing discontent into channels acceptable to the PLP. As the Observer pointed out, his job is that of a 'conciliator'.
Callaghan's decision to resign -shortly after the last conference -was clearly a manoeuvre aimed at boosting Healy's chances in the Many MPs saw, however, that a Healy victory would inflame the party ranks, who would view it as an attempt to bypass the wider electoral franchise agreed by the conference, and alienate sections of the trade unions still smarting from the 5% norm.
They feared this would lead to a strong challenge from the 'left' when Healy submitted himself -in the New Year - to the electoral college. Above all, they feared Healy might be replaced with a figure such as Benn - strongly backed by the CLPs - on a firmIt was largely to scotch this threat from the grass-roots that Foot was pressed so urgently to stand. It was felt that his leftwing image - particularly his old association with CND - would gain him wide credibility among union and party ranks.
This would ensure that when he submitted himselt to the electoral college - as he had pledged to -the 'left' vote would be split and the forces around Benn marginalised.
LEFT-WING?
Foot's left-wing image on issues such as nuclear disarmament were clearly a problem but - compared with the prospect of a Benn win - a small price to pay.
Moreover, as Hattersley pointed out: "Michael's not so left-wing in his loyal defence of the former Callaghan government - 5% pay freeze and all - in which he acted as deputy leader.
These were sufficient guarantees that Foot, while credible to the party, would not bow too tar to its pressure. His defence of the PLP - since his election - and his back-tracking on withdrawal from the EEC and unilateral disarmament, show how correct they were.
CRACKS Foot's attempts to paper over the cracks in the party, however, are doomed to failure These divisions have not arisen by chance.
They have arisen because the rank and file - sick and tired at overturned by a few unrepresentative MPs - are demanding more democratic control. This is at the root of the differences that have flared up They will not disappear by Foot waving a 'unity' wand. On the contrary, as the Tory attacks escalate, they will grow sharper. The party ranks will push even harder for it to implement conference decis ions - in the interests of all working people - and this will bring them into head-on conflict with the Hattersleys and Rodgers of this world.
Carol Rees (Peckham CLP)
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as he used to be". Only too true. Foot's real position can be seen