F.REU.. "! under pressure.
cold feet.
cuts. dropped.
who had fought to organise FIGHT-BACK Council's stance.
In the coming period, it is these need to organise own support.
more stringent?
cuts?
Last year, when the Tories announced their swingeing cuts in the rate support grant, the reaction of Lambeth Labour Party was sharn ..: elected to improve and not cut såtvices, they forced Council leader Ted Knight into launching a mass campaign against the government.
It was clear, however, that the Council only launched the action As the time approached for them to draw up their 1980-81 budget, they began to get Worried that they might become isolated and a number one target for Hesaltine, the y issued a document arguing that rate increases were the only way to uffset ands.
In the event, a massive 49.9% rate increase was accepted together with rent increases of £1.50 a week for council tenants and a cut in 'uncommitted growth items'. All semblance of a campaign was The Council's retreat, however, has not been accepted without opposition. Last month, at a public meeting in Lambeth, many local supporters of a no cuts/no rate increases position met together to work out a fight-back against the However the Council poses it, Lambeth Labour Left agreed, these increases will only pass onto Labour supporters the burden of the present crisis and undermine their Moreover, it was argued, if Lambeth is already prepared to back down. what will it do in future years when the Tory cuts become Will it be forced to escalate rents and rates still further - at the same time as imposing Lambeth Labour leader Tri mighr. STAND Far better, it was agreed, for Lambeth to make a stand now while it still had the support of local residents than in a few years time when its politics of retreat have alienated and demoralised thous.
At the same time as projecting a fighting alternative, however, the meeting recognised that it was vital not to begin the struggle in isolation That is why it was decided that one of its central thrusts should be org. anising an all-London meeting in June to bring together all the forces standing on a no cuts/no rate increase position.
CAMPAIGN Such a campaign can only be built, however, by concentrating not on persuading local councillors of the 'error' of their ways but by turn turning outwards and bulding sup. port in the public sector unions and tenants associations for fighting policies.
It is by involving wide layers in a clear no cuts/no rate increases campaign - in the local areas and on an all-London basis - that the forces can be mobilised to give Labour Councils the backing needed to defy the Tory government and its savage cuts.
The next meeting of Lambeth Labour Left is in the Lambeth Town Hall at 8.00pm on Friday June 27th.
Bob Swart (Streatham CLP)
June 80 Dear Comrade,