Yes the mythical middle-ground in politics.
The Campaign Group is trying to explain to people that in order for Labour to win power lnrougn a rulure general election, then means the lessons of the miners' dispute, the lessons of the health workers' dispute, the lessons about rate-capping, have to be very firmly put across to the public as a whole.
Control The government is trying to shift power firmly to the right, we are trying to win power in order that we can carry out the policies of full employment and of public control of major industries ano tinance institutions. That's what the argument's about.
And you can only do that through action and through long-term campaign work. It can't be done merely by slick advertising methods or SuStall ARCHCRS. The Campaign Group is ohoto: GM COOKSON absolutely determined to work flat-out for the election of a Labour government. We believe this can only be done if the party becomes a senous calllpaigning force on all the issues at all times.
The miners' dispute has seen the growth of miners' support committees, of women's support committees, support from a lot of disposessed and very poor people in the urban areas. In my own area, Islington, we have collected in excess of £70,000 for the mining communities. There's been some wonderful links created WIld South Wales, with Yorkshire, and with Nottingham. And now we're discussing how the mining communities can help us against rate-capping — it's that kind of solidarity that's growing up.
The Campaign Group tries to keep abreast of most of the major issues at its weekly meetings, but quite honestly which ever way you look and which ever issue you care to take, at the moment the miners' strike dominates head, shoulders, and body above all those others. Because if we don't supOULL the miners if we wish miners' strike away and ignore it as some people in the party seem to want to do - then what possibility is there of winning on rate-capping, on health Culs. on local cuvercics. U11 transport policy, on nuclear energy, on tuc earweaools — a whole range of Issuesd All stand beside the miners' issue: that is the key, that is the crucial The lessons personally draw from the miners' strike for the Campaign Group is the importance and the power of a group O1 MPs sticking working seriously as a team. We've all consistently demanded the samue bim' and trom being lenigrated by all and sundry, now vir tually everyone seems to be saying it's time the miners' strike was debated. That, to us, is a small victory.
We want a platform in parliament to explain mancu money the government has spent on the dispute, the implications of a national police force, of DHSS regulations, implications (which | believe are very, very serious) for nuclear power in this country and the consequent problem of núc e r v ve c o e vvv v cc NUM at the moment fighting against the decision of the Nationa Coal Board to close pits and lose 20,000 jobs.
I believe this strike is the turning point in the whole strategy of the government against coal which will eventually lead to the loss of over 100,000 jobs, the closure of most pits in this country and the development of a small number of superpits in the East Midlands which will be potentials for privatisation. That's what the government's long term intention is. To carry it out they need to defeat the NUM. We must stop them.
continue and intensify the support for the miners. intensity the struggle outside parliament. As a union negotiator I know that a negotiator is only as good as the strength of the people outside the door, on the picket lines. In this critical week we must have an intensification of picketing, particularly at the power staconstituency parties and affiliates, asking people to intensity support for the tend to see the miners right through to the Labour Party's history. If we are to win power in a future general election. it cannot be achieved if there is a shift to the right in the party, a shift to what I woma call opimon pol pontics. Il car only be achieved if we campaign on the basic socialist issues, the issues of what a Labour government can and should achieve, and educate people on that.
If we don't do that, if we don't stand up against the Thatcher doctrine of 'Competition is the God', then the ment it shoud be nutting over.
socialism is about control for benefit of Thatcher government is attacking If we retreat in front of Thatcher's OIS AUCHL won't look to us as an alternative they that doesn't bother to fight when the DURING THE LAST 10 months support for the miners' strike has sorted many a sheep from a goat throughout the whole movement. While the vast majority of rank and file Labour Party activists have wholeheartedly thrown committees and the picket lines, Bu the claro strugle is evo dis ding Westminster. More and more divisions are opening up between Neil Kinnock and the 'legalists' on the one hand — all those whose mealy-mouthed support for the miners' 'just cause' does not ext end to practical action in support of their strike, and who condemn evenhandedly the use of violence without ever fingering the police and the Tory Violente and vi's CSICI as lon Benn, Dennis Skinner, Eric Heffer and Group, who have found themselves increasingly at odds with the party leadercent years of the treacherous and antithan the role played by Neil Kinnock and his front bench during the miners' strike. History has set this leadership a test - they have resoundingly failed it. party activists will be foregathering in the composition of the PLP and the policies of Labour one of the first questions on everyone's mind will be how to swop these scab leaders for those who together all currents on the left of the party to discuss the policies and the personnel that will take Labour into the next general election. And that means fighting for a Labour government com mitted to defending the interests of the working class and oppressed in society. There is one simple way that TLG can demonstrate from the start which side it ONESOIR given pride of place on the conference Enemy within the whole movement who 'the enemy within' really is: the Kinnocks and the Willises who are not prepared to make any fight to defend the interests of the class they purport to represent, but instead bow down before the Tory Party at every twist and turn. Target Labour Government conference is the first opportunity this year to begin to organise a fightback within the Labour Party to ensure such misleaders are never again allowed to claim the name of Labour.
TLG so far has been better representaof women and black people in par lamentary representatives who truly reflect the instand committed to fight for socialist Changing the complexion of the PLP will help ensure that there are no Neil Kinnocks pitting themselves against the many struggles that are to come and claiming to speak Halc within Labour's ranks about how to win the next election. The question posed is with Kinnock or against him? Many begin to argue that the Labour Party will only come to power by a commitment to staying within the law, Wy framework of Tory anti-working class laws which are piling up on every issue from local government to controi of the Few delegates to TLG TLG conference will be taking up ensuring an election fought on policies that represent the real interests of the campaigning to change public opinion, not passively to pander to it. Since the beginning of the miners' strike Labour has taken a nose dive in the opinion polls. TLG delegates will recognise that popularity is from Mr Kinnock: his refusal to support Liverpool, his refusal to take a firm stand on most of all his refusal to support the the helm. Labour is seen as no alter the ference is a first opportunity for all sections of the Labour leit to get together groups — like Women's Action ComLabour CND, like those forces fighting Tory attacks on local government — to come together to discuss united action to take Labour into the next election on a programme that represents the best Manifesto policy, on international policy, and on democratic rights and the law. There is statements, but to start the discussion now of Labour's future policies. The active participation of all the groups within the party who are committed to defending the struggles of all sections of the working class against the Tory government is the best way to ensure that Labour's next manifesto and can.
portunity to spread TLG's base, which London. A successful fightback means a national fightback, across the constituencies and affiliated organisations up fensive against the NUM is not her onlj one. In the mónths immediately beforı us she will take on the railworkers and 1985 will continue to be a year of struggles against this vicious government, Target Labour Government is an opportunity for the left to gird its loins for the struggles which are to come.
GOVERNMENT
Conterenoverament & Labour rierie Labou *What Type of Labour Government?
SATURDAY 16th FEBRUARY DIGBETH CIVIC HALL DIGBETH. BIRMINGHAM Socialist Action : 1 February 1985
A EARLY December the well Town Marxist ERNEST MANDEL Nicaragua at the invitation of the Nicaraguan Reform Research and Study Centre, under the Ministry for Development and Agrarian Zeform. He had many sons with officials responsible for sectors of the economy, for Socialist Action 1 February 1985 economist visited discusLiberation SOCIALIST tion ing, transport tricity, blems). Can you specify what is involved in the economic burden imperialist ag gresion is imposing on the Nicaraguan The costs of the war involve a reducthe quantity of goods distributed by the public network The latter in fact is more and more being restricted to rationed goods (food staples) and essential services (hous-