AS THE general election approaches, question of what nuclear disarmers should do i the electron campaign is increasingty being Simultaneously. alliance is making its bid to get a section of the anti-nuclear vote, by 'serious multilateralists', position to Trident and the urgent need for the success of international negotiations to 'avoid the necessity for In fact only one of the main parties is committed through conterence unilateral nuclear disarmament - the Labour Party. from united around the Labour government through its anti-nuclear commitment.
The CND apparatus, as explained in a recent interview by Bruce Kent, will support all parties or candidates who stand for nuclear proposed 'General Campaign' which unilateralist candidates of whatever party the aim would be to encourage disarmers of, for example, the SP 'even if the rest of the party is lukewarm.
In addition to this, Helen Johns of the Greenham nounced that they will be standing 'Women for candidates weapons candidates of all parties.
Socialist Challenge, thinks all these points of view are in danger of seriously disorientating the anti-nuclear movement.
Among the "support all unilateralist parties' line is course the Communist Party. This allows the Communist scandalous diversionary campaign, standing 150 candidates against Labour coming election.
The Communist Party is evolving to the right, with many of their members talking about a new broad alliance with the 'centre other words the SDP this, however, with the most absurd sectarian posturing as an alternative to Labour in the general election.
Only government unilateralist MPs' dent, American bases and the 'British deterrent'. The only party which can conceivably be pushed into such a stance is the Labour Party.
The SDP is a pro-American party absolute. ly committed to the Atlantic nuclear alliance The 'serious multilateralist' stance of David Owen is a manoeuvre to capitalise on thei anti-nuc ear The against unilateral nuclear disarmament.
The space for the SDP's manoeuvres has been created by the failure of Michael Foot and the Labour leadership to unequivocally give a commitment that all nuclear weapons will be abolished by a Labour government. When Foot says multilateral disarmament are 'not counterposed' he creates an opportunity for every mutilaterlist trickster to argue that he or she is equally serious about disarmament.
A clear commitment to unilateral nuclear disarmament in the Labour manifesto would put all the other parties on the spot. Even so, of the major parties only Labour has given a clear commitment against cruise and Trident.
The Labour leadership should take stock of important findings in the opinions polls: 61 percent think rigar misin percent NUCIECE crucial election issue. That needs to be turned around.
If 61 percent thought it was a crucial election issue, it would be a massive blow against the Tories, the one party not committed at all to any pretence of being disarmament. That's why the struggle inside the Labour Party unilateralist commitment manifesto is so crucial.
Meanwhile, the case that only Labour can carry through unilateral nuclear disarmament needs to be rammed home. There is a job to be done here by Labour CND. They should be creating holy murder about reports that unilateralism has been left out of the draft manifesto. A serious fight inside the party creates the best conditions for winning the anti-nuclear movement to support for its natural and most powerful ally Socialist Challenge the the SDP-Libera posing as the stressing their op.
cruise missiles.
decision But the anti-nuclear movement is far need to return a and force it to Garr Daniel Plesch and Gus Scott Peace proposes backingCommon peace camp has anagainst pro-nuclear keenest proponents of the Party to get away with their during the They combine 'more - will get rid of cruise, Triour is to percent that unilateral and but only 8 concerned with ensure clear the inside the peace movement 2 February 1983. page 2 worth about 5 percent.
the offer means £10 a week most of e he workers it the workers HUSU would mean between £5.50 and £6 a week.
Undoubtedly this is the opening shot in a media campaign isolating the strikers and nion against theras The nion against them. Tories and their suD porters in Fleet Street se his as an important test o strength in the run-up to the General Election, and will stop at nothing in their efforts to defeat the strike. Votes The water workers however are determined. anne vernes delecares voted 40 to 1 to continue the strike; West they voted 50 to 1. Similar votes were laker throughout the country, the lie to Norman Tebbit's claim that the strike was unconstitu tional under the unions own rules, and did have the support members.
tac caesaon now to water workers, and for the whole labour movement, is how to defeat the Tories On this point it is clear that the members are more determined than their leaders.
Linked So far, they have refused to call out the Scottish water workers whose pay English and they have given every indication that they are he £13.50 parity claim to bring the water workers in line with Gas and Electricity workers, in favour of a percentage increase over 12 months.
WE COLOR. the water workers have Len Murray, who SCCEECE glorious victory for the British Rail Board against the traindrivers, for Norman Fowler dhallisi the health workers waiting OND 'VICTIM of the water bullies!' screamed the Daily Express headlines on the Monday after the water workers had decisively rejected the 7.5 percent offer. In reality of course the offer was spread over 16 months, and was actually in the wings to offer help.
To counter this the strikers should now LUTE out. the rest labour movement for sup port, while stepping up the sanctions against industry.
supcan call the Tory's bluff , and the CBI will not be so keen for a fight when their members, profits are being hit. Army If industry is hit then the Tories will bring in the The most effective way to hit back at this is to sor owner groups to reruse to cooperate the tro This will apply particularly DOWCI workers, who are also pursuing their claim, and are likely to get the same response as the water WOTACTS. aine water workers succeed the situation for WOL CHOOL oups will look very di ICE CHIL.
Boost All sections of the labour movement have a stake in winning this dispute, and not least the Labour defeat for the Tories wil Party, knock hole through Thatcher's 'Iron Lady' im age, and weaken the Tories standing polls. For Labour it would oc allia Or UoUsL We should step up the demand that the Labour leaders stop witch hunting their own members - and insist they fight the witch against the water worker Every Labour should ensure that MPs and Councillors ILS are down at the picket lines ULICLE SUUDULE should be the first to help the strikers by organising tours to raise and get the case againswhis Tone sane for Now joint action against the Tories.
7-13 February CND week of action against Trident and Local actions around jobs centres and YOPS schemes.
Student CND National demonstration and human chain from the Ministry of Defence to the Department of Education and Science. Starts Jubilee Gardens, County Hall.
Picket of Newbury Crown Court where the trial of women arrested at Greenham Common SELES 12 hour blockade of Greenham Common (women only) and Burfield Royal Ordinance Factory (mixed).
at 328 Upper St London N1 Hours - Mon, Tues, Sat 10-6: Wed 12-7; Thurs, Fri 11-7 and 137 Digbeth Birmingham B5 Hours - Mon-Sat 10-6 Closed Wed Friday 1 April Saturday 2 April Saturday 7 May Saturday 6 August 14 mile human chain from Greenham Common to Aldermaston via Burfield. Starts 1.30pm followed by festival at Aldermaston.
Scottish CND demonstration in Glasgow Youth CND Festival for Peace. Starts at 1lam from the Embankment, London to Brockwell Park. Bands, speakers and festival village. Hiroshima Day Date agreed for Labour Party/TUC day of action against the missiles Also marches from all over Britain to Greenham Common.
SOUTH WALES water workers have shown themselves to be amongst the most militant in the whole of Britain. Nationally, the decision for strike action was four to one in favour. In the whole of South Wales during this week JIM WALSH is at the up and pickets set up at the nearby works as well as the Birch Grove house ment shows how st that man is. Ours democratic union. l Jim everything back
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