THE CRISIS in the stover meryer with the Tiberals raises twn basic questions. First, why has the division between the Ownites and the so pro-erger faction taken place, and are there any beal policy differences? And socond, will the impending split in the sor lead simply to an enlarged Liberal Party plus aD sDe rump — and hence a define in the third force in Baltish politics?
The opposition to merger with the Taberals comes not from a ficritivas grassrools uprising as alleged by David Owen: har first and forcenest from the opposicion ofa cahal olSDP leaders — David Owen't own cateric 1o be precise. Doubtless Owen's apposition to merger includes an element of sellaggrandisement and sclfpromotion, nately that the continued exisrence ol' an SDP rump is his Hole hope el romaming a party leader, Bur there ure real differences in policy orientation, albeir of a secondary nature, and it 1s likely that the split in the sol will exacerbare dillerences between the Owenites and The new party-
What ate these differences? Owen is charting a rightist course which he lears will be incompatible with some ofthi more radion inclanions of Libera rank and hir activists. In fact this is nothing new; many Tiberal mak and filers have been profoundiv embarrassed by Owen's refusal to expicitly denounce the vastly expensive Trident nuclear submarine project, and his ambiguous but righr wing plirases about the soniat market
Leading Owchice Sue Sliptnan gave the game away at the SDe assombly by talking: about the task of humanising Thatcherism*, That very frank and revealing phrase caused someding of a shock wave in the conference, but of course highlighted a conflict berween Owen and Steel during the general election campaign — Owen had said that the
Alliance would be prepared to do a cnalirion deal with Tharcher, while Stent said the opposite!
Libi
ALLIA
you ain't seen
nothing yet!
Of course: it would be premature w draw a leftright line of divain down the split in the soi, things are more complicated that that: 1 lused Liberal-sDP majonity party will have some very right wing types in it, not least veterans of the far right inside the Labour Party. people who have always been! pro nuclear, pro-American and proscapitalist.
Bill Rogers, a biller opponent of David Owen in Lhe present dispute is a case in pout. He was one of the maun organisers of the campaign for democrati socialism? which rampaigned againsr unilateralism in the Labour Party in the early 1960s. Both a new luscd party and an told sop party would be capiraliss parrics, ar first separated mainle by differences of tactics and personality, rather than major diflerences ol ideology, let done class allegance.
still it Owen wants ro Carve cut a distinct policy prodile for the see rump, it is hardly likels. cirher from the Point of veew of tax own
SI
Libi
ALLI instincts, or that of luc political space, that he rould move leftwands. Much more likely, Ower wouk seek to deline a political profile:
sumewlicic in between
Thatcherism and the Libetal dommated new' party. There would be dittacialties 1D carrying our this operation, because it people want a very hard beaded right-wing party włuch is pro-American and pro-nuclear, then why not simply support Thatcher and the Tories? Most likely, the
Owen led soP rump will undergo a rapid political odyssy, how far right Owen will end up wanyhody's guess. Ir is certainly nat inevitable that Owen will always choose to oppose
Thatcher Irone the Jell.
The future of lie Owcalite rump is a matter of speculation, however. What is certain is that in ruling class ideological circles there will be strong pressure nor to allow the third furce in Britch polities to disappear. For the ruling class the Alliance server a very precir and useful political tuncoon → it helpers ensure a split in the anti-Tory vote, thus kreping Tatinor out of power: Tr also maimains a constant right wing pressure on Lie Labour leadership. So. long as the bourgratsir regard Labour as an unsale governmental option — which it will unless or unril the left is utterly crushed -thcy will want to keep their reserve Leam in орегано.
But the Finchion of the Allance as inc permanent obstruction to a labour autority is beginniny to look a little rickery In Ocrober 1974 the Liberals got 1i per cent of the vote, bar Labour were still elected. In 19871h Alliance pot only 20 per cent of the sote, hefore the crits ui!! the sol. Therefore, despite the bourgeue s wishes, thic Alhance project is becoming destabsilised through the str split. The real question is whether moview cf the political infighting that wi!! continue to happen, the new Liberal-sDe majoris party will be ahic to mainrain thr vote in local and national elections, whel the Allance did previously. Ilit coes not. if its vote goes down to that of the old Eiberal Party and the Owenire rump conses Nr nothing, then we shall be in a Position tu saty that, for thc rime being at deant, the breaking the mouk!" period of Batish polities is oor anci we are back to what was simplistically called the two party system" Of course. even if this does happen we will nor be back to the 1950g and 1960s because the есолоти alsocial contest 3R so different, and because as a consequeher we havi a very different Tory parly, and as yet, a very dillerent Labour party
Whatever die exact citrome of thie Alliance infightins, in the months to come, one Ling can be said with absolute certainty socialets it will be bignly entertuning and welcome to see these very thce men and wetnen tear cach other to stirede You thought left wing faction fighting was vicious well you ain't seen nothing PHIL HEARSE