so-called The widespread LTL- bickering is the product of popularity of the Tories' the leadership's refusal to policics in the accept conference decimiddle class found its exsions, and their insistence pression in the swing to the middle class SDP. Labour and socialist ideas. resisting, democratic found itself in third party squeeze, as the minority of working class a classic resisted at a local level by cannot be voters swung behind the SDP to unseat the Tories. Labour matter how candidates. left wing.
One voter told BBC They are bound to reap the whirlwind of betrayal by television: would VEER the national leaders. Labour, but I don't think they have a chance. there is a striking process Beyond that, however, The SDP had the fur- of differentiation going on ther advantage of their lost popular and media eted Icader as their can among porters, Labour and this sup- was didate: and to clinch it all, demonstrated at Crosby. the one candidate with Truth strong Christian credentiais, a Catholic to boot!
Still, this admittedly It is a process of the unique cumstances were a product SCI cir- hardening out of a com mitted minority SUOUSEL of massive trends at a na- ing the left and Bep firmiy tional level which reveal porting the that the politicisation of the Dism, British cconomic crisis is disorientation and scep indeed establishing the ticism among the mass of SDP as the third party. Labour voters.
In Crosby, the largest United election meeting was that of Tony Benn, which 1800 people attended. The se Since the SDP's crea- cond largest was that of ton eight months ago, the Heffer and Foot which Non 50 percent or all the Democrats 1300 people attended. The SDP and Tories never COUTCLE by-elections managed more than 1100. which they have stood. But Labour got just.over The months have over the 5,000 votes! past COLE sistently received around The conclusion which 40 percent of the vote in Labour's right wing will these by-elections. And in that period their rating in draw is that it is necessary • re-occup the "middle ine opinion polis has con- round' of British politic tinually been over 40 cent, as opposed to 25 30 The truth is the opposite. Without uniting per cent each around a coherent anti-Socialist Chatlengu 3 December 1981 page 2 For example AUEW branches have now signed the appeal for the union leadership to support Laurenc 7C01 This support is the most significant blow the Duffy-Boyd leadership for ycars.
The second task for the Labour left is to organise itself more coherently to impose an anti-capitalist 3111 Caldwell alternative the parliamentary leadership Without the masses feeling that Labour can start to solve their basic problems, the fight against the SDP is lost.
To carry through these tasks, the proposed new Organisation of the Labour left, uniting the lett in the consituencies, unions and parliament can pias a wilal role. But it must base itself on mass SELLELL manoeuvre; and it must open itself up to a debate about what precisely con stitutes a programme 0. anti-capitalist policies -to solve the crisis in this period Risks The transformation taking place METHICS politics is a fundamental one. Such a political crisis inevitably opens up both massive opportunities and huge risks for the working class. Socialists must raise their horizons to meet the possibilities inherent in the present situation, and if necessary it means raising their horizons above vic tory or defeat in the next The SDP will not survive its first period in office: its policies are those appropnate to capitalism in boom, not in crisis. In office. cither alone coalition, it cannot but be forced to apply austerity policies.
Resolute The SDP's attempt to policie, which 'break the mould by ransacking the last 30 years of British political history is singularly unconvincing.
Shirley Williams in her clection-night speech quoted Dryden "nothing can stop an idea whose time has come* Dryden was of cours talking about the return o Charles Il to the throne But the Restoration failed to alter the fact that the monarchy was ides whose time had past!
The political polarisation between radical left and right-wing solutions to the crisis will continue next decade must taken with the king resolute socialist policie: which can initiate the tran. sition to socialism
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