ON 28 OCTOBER two crucial by-elections take place - in Peckham and Birmingham Northfield. But for the by-election SocialstS, some problems. The Labour candidate, John Spellar, is a notorious right-winger who opposes all socialist advances of recent yaars in the Labour Party. And he is being challenged by a Communist Party candidate. Birmingham pard.
That Spellar is indeed a sort is not in the sl sort is not in doubt. once boasted to Tribune journalist Nigel Williamson that he was "well to the right of his union boss Found Chapple. He was a founder Democratic At SP precursor of the evnel ed from the Labour Party for its inLEULEOH didates against Labour.
Author of the witch-hunting document, *The Mutation of Labour', he is on the steering committee the wing Campaign for a Labour VicHe was censured by LILY his local Bour Party constiLabour in 980 for statements to th press calculated to pro-Labour Parties: and Bromler The DEEMISCHE mccumg for Bill Rodgers in his local club HUSL davs before Rodgers left the рагу Recently he has been Democratic editor of Socialist Bulletin which bemoans the exit of the SDP irom Rogers Such credentials as these leave no doubt about Spellar's political views He wants a Labour Part which is pro-capitalist with the bureaucracy firmly in from someone who is head of rescarch in Frank Chapple's EETPU.
Spellar makes no secret that he opposed to unilateral nuclear disarmament and opposed to used to have big TOCA in Northfield presents the secretary Pete Shepwithdrawal from the Common Marker. Ranged against Spellar, the Communıst Party candidate Pete Sheppard ha: paigned for unilatera and withdrawal the EEC, and has championed the struggle of the lealth workers.
In the by-election the CP has presented itself a the pro-working class, internationalist, unilateralist Bans The tactics of socialists in judged LECTUES concretely have The be two by-elections on 28 October will be a crucial test of the popularity of the Tory government, and will have a signilicant political Birmingham Nor chfield is a marginal constituency Labour MP Ray Carter was ousted by a few hundred votes in the last election.
Whereas it is odds-on that Labour candidates Harriet Harman will win Peckham (she has a big lead in the opinion polls) a Labour victory is not at all certain in Northfield.
Win a rory government in power, and very confident, the question 1 ог whether wins by-elections can become an estabrishing the morale of important factory the contending political forces.
A vote for Labour in Northfield will be a vote against Tory monetarism and Thatcher's plans dismantic the welfare state. It will be a class vote To be a rock star against the Tory govern. ment, quite irrespective of the right wing politics of Spellar.
In this situation, the intervention of the Communist Party has the effect of disrupting class unity against the Tories. Its only conceivable result will be to win away a few hundred Labour votes, making a Tory victory more likely. his divisive ractic is utter.
irresponsible; a cheap party building the expense of working class interests.
There is to doubt, of that the CP have been able to politicall capitalise right wing line. "he Ci support the health workers unequivocally, whereas introduce BUPA private health scheme for some of its members.
The local CND have called a meeting of all the candidates unilateralism, the will be able, if the for Youth - Kick out the Tories demonstration other candidates turn up, to present themselves as the 'only unilatcralist parStrong hacking ve the strong backing Longbridge convenor Jack Adams the Longbridge plant is in the constituency.
Spellar himself even more unpopular with his refusal to let supporters of Militan canvass on his behalf, ensuring that all potential canvassers are 'vetted" wingers le themselves be drawn behind the campaign the Communist Party they will fall trap preparco jointly by Spellar's right wing policies and the CP's sec LE DESE Socialists should judge attitude to take towards this election by its overall national effects. Workers who vote Labour to defcat the Tories show a correct class instinct.
The Tories will be overjoyed by saving Northfield at this stage.
SOUR FI 6000 people marched through Liverpool last Saturday on the LPYS Jobs Fbu But the Cory government did provide the tax haven. John Spellar - well to the right of Frank Chapple Vindication or Thatvindication Thatcher's anti-inflation policies and her 'Falklands spine nanonal unity we.
If Labour win the election it will be their first by-election victory in a Toryheld seat since 1971. While not of course in any way decisive, two by-election victories will be a step on the road to a victory in th general election Challenge That's Socialist supporters will fight for: thield, victe at the same Nortime continuing to argue the case for the Fighting for a Labour victory puts us in a bette position to fight against the right wing, not a worse one. And if by any misfor tune the CP were to actual ly lose the by-election for Labour it would be a who the politica views of John Spellar up and down the land. It's called dire poverty
Stop the Hanging of Kuttimani and Jegan - timani and Jegan - who were tried under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act is yet another in a long series of attacks on the Tamil nation by successive Sri Lankan governments.
separate of homelands unleashed on the ment which recognised the need defence against state sponsored violence.
Kuttimani and Jegan have been singled out for execution in order to inrelease all political prisoners.
The oppression of Tamil speaking people over many decades resulted in the emergence of a movement calling for the establishment of a Eelam in their traditional The continual harassment and virtual oc cupation of the Tamil areas by the state security forces as weil as frequent racial pogroms Tamil speaking people resulted in the growth of a resistance movefor selftimidate and terrorise right of self-defence and U10SC who support the advocate the right of self determination by the Tamil nation in Sri Lanka.
The trial itself was an obvious frame up. They were denied the jury trial which is officially opened to every person charged with Lanka. serious crime in Sri Moreover their convictions were, entirely based on 'confessions exacted while they were being held in an army camp and by means of torture.
At their trial witnesses gave detailed evidence of he manner they were tor tured by the army and the police. They were repeatedly beaten, hung by their feet, metal rods inserted in their anus and forced to inhale choking powder etc Even the trial judge, however, admitted that *access to relations and 'amongst lawyeis armed and soldiers, without knowing how long they would be held in custody"
He went on to whether those facts would statements of the accused make alleged inadmissible in evidence But he concluded that the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act does not permit him to make that ruling.
Tamils in Sri Lanka have been subjected to a long series of repressive measures. began the disenfranchisement 1.2 million workers prantanon 1948, and the imposition of Sinhala, the language of the majority, as the official language. In recent past the frequency and the intensity of anti-Tamil pogroms have increased.
Twice within the last five years August and June to August 1981 Tamil people have been brutally attacked and their property looted by racist mobs organised and couraged by the ruling United National Party leaders.
The Revolutionary prisoners in Sri Lanka.
Marxist Party, Sri Lankan ternational, policies successive capitalist governments in Sri Lanka and stands for the self-determination of the Tamil nation up to and including secession. Furthermore defends the right of oppressed Tamil GOT LOTENC steps necessary to defend themselves against racial The United Secretaria Fourth International condemns the death sentence imposed on Kutupon the government to stop the hanging immediately. to Socialist Challenge publishes below a sta ment from the United Secretariat of the Four International calling for the release of politi all politi Prevention of Terrori:
Act The Tamil bourge parties and politicial such as the Tamil Unit Libration Front, been proved to bankrupt t in the face of t continued repression Tamil speaking people a also to have sacrified interest of Tamil masses their narrow parliam tary ends.
People in Britain : urged to get their lab movement organisatic Lanka Embassy dem: ding that these two you people shall not be ha ed.
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Photo JOHN HARRIS CiMA
THE death sentence imposed by a Sri Lankan court on two young Tamil nationalists - Kut-
these youths had been held in a secluded and lonely place, without