It was an excellent opportunity for ment to launch the unceasing war against capitalism promised in the manitesto Instead the reverse occurDavid Owen, author of social democratic credo, public works was inaugurated 'Face the Futuré' Socialist Challenge 5 February 1981 the Labour governmodest programme of brings to mind the more recent oec aaon that the Labour Government elected in 1974 would 'squeeze the rich until the pips squeak'.
was deliverance there was later from The budget of 1931 offered Denis Healer from Snowden as Healey.
A 20 cent cluded Publication of the report saw finance chestrating a run on the pound The financial crisis worsened speculators position.
If this wasn' It wanld b that Mr MacDonalc main Prime Ministe National Governme Daiuwin, talCi To
coalition spiralling million.
than intrigue. the socialism. huge they stances, policies previous two years, the Labour Partv when it came to tieht the 1931 election was powerless to contest the idea of a national government' A landslide victory for the dominated by the Tories but led by MacDonald followed, and this was in spite unemployment figures towarus LICC There was much more to the Lavour rarty debacie or 193.
the parliamentary manoeuvres DOLLICa For one thing the class had still 1920 general strike Never general strike. Never theless what happened in the years 1929-31 is relevant.
Excuse Just as in the years 1929-31, Labour government 1974-79 had a precarious posiwunl barnate a and used this as a reason for not being able to adopt the socialisi measures which had been prowas a mere excuse.
MacDonald, Snowden, Wilson and Callaghan had never tended in the direction of radical For without a majority in parliament would have steered similar course. Because the majority of the PLP, in both insupported such rising unemployEVERY time a Labour MP is elected to parlia ment s/ he becomes a potential Ramsay MacDonald This is not because of CharaCe defeat common to all because of the nature or une poacal game they are involved in they step once through the doors of the Palace of Westminster.
This point is made in anusine sentence dedication in a new pamphlet written by Chris Mullin and produced by the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy and the Institute of Workers Control.
Line •amoniel dedicated to 'Mr Reg Prentice and the 18Č Labour MPs who sent a written appeal on his behalf to Newham North-east CLP.' their MPs say in parliament, to watch how they vote on crucial issues, and to demand consultation them before important decisions are taken in In his introduction, Chris traces the sorry history Labour governments an argues that it is a repetion of this history which re-selection designed to challenge 'The truth is, he 'that plans to increase pubiic spend Persecuter of social security claimants, elected to Westmin. ster should have some some say in what the does that place.
The point worth that the sovereignty or parila ment is in any case a MP has less say what the government does than treasury of. ficials, the newspaper chief or a TV pundit. eattors securit Minimal
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How to spot a potential MacDonald
E Labour MP turned Tory, Reg Prentice