unilateralism' argued that Chartist and other 'soft commitment to Chartist strongly denies this charge and nowhere in the editorial that she quotes rather selectively from (Chartist Jan/Feb), was there any evidence that this view. Indeed the editorial was quite that are lined up against us.
Contrary to your asser- nuclear power can give u tion, our editorial did ques- its nuclear weaponry, will tion the overtly militarist be no mean feat. Indeed it's tone of the recent party a programme which we can broadcast that be proud of, but which has launched Labour's defence the added advantage of becampaign. And indeed the ing achievable. vast majority of Chartist supporters would support Britain leaving NATO and Chartist Editorial cuts in defence budget. Board However we argued that the overriding priority if we It is surprising that a were avoid electoral politica tendenc suicide, was to reassure or- claims to model itself on the dinary people that 'they will ideas of Trotsky shows feel safer without nuclear little understanding of the weapons and US nuclear necessity of transitional bases. At this late stage this programmes in the struggle can only be done by stress- to obtain political power. It ing a commitment to main- is also interesting that Carol taining our conventional Turner chose attack capacity at least until after Chartist and Tribune rather the Clearly for than John Lloyd, the editor your reporter, like some of the New Statesman who others on the left, this kind has openly challenged the Dally sio-luckar accid treachery - five more years policy questioned of Thatcherism appears to whether it will lose us the be their preference. next election. Of course it is In a breathtakingly il- still possible that our argument Carol acience poncy will lose us Turner totally confused millions of votes if becomes the arena tor tur. (which she appeared to ther in-fighting in the party think was party policy) with as Socialist Action appears non-nuclear defence to want. policy which is party policy and which Chartist is quite Clear as committed to as she is.
Ironically of course this is Poll after poll has the same confusion which shown dogged the party throughout the campaign in 1983 a wil probabiy lost us the election.
The stark reality is that there are only two options for those of us on the left who still care about disar- when - about removing cruise and Trident eume or a labour ment that continued ministration and breaking membership down the cold war posture British of the superpowers Europe. We can either try to engage with the real world and listen to the worries and the US insecurities that still fluence the vast majority of voters lal we will nave lo appeal to in a general elecwhich could be Socialist than four months away. Or LUIl LOSS But this we can consign ourselves to more years OI ideological purity and will insignificance Thatcherite LOve CRE build a campaign to get In the best of all possi- We ble WULU have time before an elecworld that Socialist Action mac such a lidamental change in peomajority of our supporters ple's perceptions. would be only too willing to Socialist Action's consbuild the first barricades to tant carping confirms challenge the vast array of them as a group prepared Electoral victory ch order to chance of incoming Labour government committed to its pre- strike their favourite pose sent defence policy. In the removing US stance is exhibited rather as politically Pure This ucicar bases ana issiles and cancelling Tri- well in the article by the constant use of such ent, and more importantly patronising. doggerel emonstrating for the first 'the objective interest of mistory that the population of this The popularity article to Europe.
however with against Lne right wing massive majorities.
tional but popular defence militarism tion for skyist WITH ventional questions all.
policy of down the nuclear war direction, nuclear have been time our they policy of Indeed massively Inal any account Trothas ever questions Illa Socialist Vicios of nonfirst superpower If insists on ideology that mitment to Luc the left are carry just tive alc Third rendering attempts to WiLl structle those lota have to demands achievable burner.
or Ine nature Lenin administration, pushing This apmilitarism eventually ensuring that Canne face the difall we down their to Socialists by Carol finally surterrain policies by support Conideologically support of lt. This the back That politics as themdisarmament policy. Winning support for it is no mean task, and the national campaign launched by the party leadership at the end of last year occupies many cuts in budget'.
they that the campaign mining it, play into hands of pOse disarma- Either ment.
The ties believe there militarist not. If do, they shouldn't disasimportant , not a lie to That way the heart of the go ahead In fact tior general weapons conventional mitment maintaining LUCI tion.
that? the to get of nuclear come the United tists such States Western Europe. of British electoral begin to arsena because is the of pursuing an foreign policy. The defence has nuclear the will season on do with inof nuclear disarmament its Those like many powerful which want pendent' forces, we conclude the dy USA. West Euro port the like West Germany, do not does favour of ROUSSEN but the wolfel becaus Gregg's is that the SOTE committed nuclear them with 'the perialism.
Not only does the defence campaign cut across sup port for unilateral nuclear disarmament per se, it also makes a nonsense of the party's claim to suppor those in Central America Africa liberation defending 'ordinary people'. nuclear they •LOO does defence spection.
article is would out: toi like some treachery five more pears preference be The disparaging attacks this debate the concerns . unilaterprising side with disarmathen today that demand.
That is growing that the dinating Committee, posed electoral ting the defend The of campaion Such allies. explain all nuclear fighting support of those struggling would that the I CoULLE by abandoning nuclea tionally.
mament. a policy all WICE
Socialist Action 19 March 1987
----- pull-quotes -----
IN THE Socialist Action issue of 9 January (no 156), Carol Turner in an article called "The soft left and
left' groups had already begun to betray Labour's unilateral nuclear disarmament.
specifically talking about how Labour's non-nuclear defence policy might be achieved given all the forces
STARTING FROM the real world is high on the Chartist's list of priorties when it comes to discuss- ing the Labour Party defence campaign. And so it should be. As Andy Gregg accepts, there are a 'vast array of forces' lined up against Labour's nuclear