Poll tax: Scottish
Labour
bottles out THE SCOTTISH Labour Party has failed to back a campaign for non-puyment of the poll tax. So the campaign in Scotland moves into a new phase - while the Labour party has abdicated its responsibility to lead the movement.
In his address to the Scottish Recall Conference on September 17. Donald Dewar, Shadow Scottish Secretary, argued that a party which believes it will soon be in power and responsible for legislation cannot repudiate obligations under the law"
It was clear however to the vast majority of participants that precisely by tuming its back on a strategy which included non-payment the Labour party would undermine its own clectoral support - not least in the forthcoming Govan by-clection. where the Scotlish National Party, standing cut a non payment ticket, are likely to win significant support.
Speaker after speaker arguing for non-payment demolished the arguments put forward by Dewar and the Exocutive. It was not a case of urging those already in financial hardship not to pay the Tax, since many would not he able to do so anyway. The question was rather whether this would be a campaign of collective action lod by the Labour and trade union movement. and therefore with a much strunger chance of success: or one which involved individual decisions - and individual penalties.
It isnol a question that non-payment - or non collection - of thc poll tax will result in local services being cut and local people suffering: ratecapping and other financial penalties imposed by the Tories have already led to the devastation of local government. Indeed the whole aim of the poll tax is to force local authoritics into a cleft stick where they cut hack services rather than allow the tax
O THE
POLL
TAX
to reach a level which no one will he ahle to afford to pay.
Dennis Canavan. MP for Falkirk: West, puinted out at an eve of conference milly that it was becoming mcreasingly cicar that the Exccutive had no ulternative to non payment The obstruction in Parliament hail heen tried to no avail The Stop I Campaign had not succeeded in its objective. All that was being proposed now was to wait until the unpopularity of the tax ensured.. yes you've gurssed!... the return of a Labour goremment:
Neither the fact that such passivity would result in a loss of support, nor the fact that millions were sullenne was taken on board by the Labour leadership.
But while the speakers arguing for non-payment - and in some cases different fomns of non-collection as well - won the arguments, they did not win the votes. Although TOWU, NCU and a uber of smuller unions supported a form of non-payment, the bulk of the block vote lined up with the Executive. Byra two to one margin the Executive statement was carried and the demand for a non-payment campaign thrown out.
The mood amongst activists following the conference however was one of'anger, not despair. Following the conference, the Com mittee of 100* individuals pledged
Pole axed on the poll tax? Demonstrations are not enough!
not to pay the tax was launched.
involving MPs Maria Fyfe. Dick
Douglas and Jim Mcallion and a whole swathe of local councillors.
trade unionists and others.
It is clear that there is mass base of support, with hundreds of registration, non-collection and non-payment.
strengthened the hand of the witch hunters.
which alienated so many allies.
throughour Scotland, in Walcs and in England.
Kar
houscholds in Giovan displaying anti-poil tax posters. The campaign in Scotland still has a strong possibility of success -but it is a tragedy that the Labour party 15 choosing not to lead it. Theresa Conway Fight the poll tax -
Fight the witch hunt! Militant supporters in Scotland have been instrumental in building the fight against the poll lax, arguing correctly for non-
But while these demands have gained resonance amongst many activists, the sectarian manoeuvres of Militant supporters in taking over the newly formed Strathclyde Federation of Anti-Poll Tax groups has croded the possibility of united campaigning against the poll tax, and
James Dunachie, Labour MP for Pollock has called in The NEC to investigate Miltan supporter Tommy Sheridan. In Giovan, Miliranz supporters have been removed from the by-clection panel to make sure that a candidate who supports the leadership will he selected. Meanwhile Militant supporters refuse to takc any initiative t0 oppose these attacks, confining themselves to chanting You can"texpel usall".
Sadly it looks as though Militant has learned little from mine years of Thatcherism All the mustakes of the fight against rate-capping in Liverpool look set to he tepeated. There, 100. Militant supporters were in essence arguing around the right slogans, and had a mass base of support - but threw away potential for victory through their sectarianism
The left in Pollock, through the embryonic Campaign Group are pressing the CLP to renounce the investigation and concentrate on huilding opposition to the poll tax. This must be supported by socialists