Blair will not launch a campaign to force the Tories out. within the contines of pariamentary manoeuvres. His concapitalism, not the conditions And the vast majority of unIon leaders will not rock the good ship future Labour government.
The working class wants rid of the Tories. In the absence of a lead from the movement. the only way they see of doing it is by voting Labour, albeit with a healthy cynicism.
This seems unpalatable to much of the left.
It is clear that a Blair-led govemment will be little improvement on the Tories. But from this eminently reasonable observation a false conclusion is drawn-that the Labour Party is dead.
Political tactics are being founded on frustration. Rather than knuckle down to the task the unions and Labour Party some want to take short cuts to building a new left.
Three hundred people launched the Socialist Labour Party on May Day weekend. Its prospects are not good.
There may be sympathy with the message, but the working class will flock to the polls to vote Labour come election time.
Many of those joining the SLP either never thought it was pos. sible to support Labour, however critically, or—in Scargill's case—-had illusions that it was some kind of socialist party.
In its programme and in gov. ernment the Labour Party has never challenged capitalism.
What makes it different to the Tories and Liberals is its links to the organised working COADE If Blair wins the election he will have to contend with the foct that the unions wield large votes within the Porty If Blair wins the election he will have to contend with the fact that the unions wield large votes within the Party.
Resistance to his government by union and social struggles will find reflection in the Party, with or without the reluctant support of the union bureaucrats.
The left therefore has to build struggles now, taking them into the heart of the labour movement, and prepare for the bat. tles ahead.
During the course of a Blair government mass disgust with Labour may well lead to a break and the setting up of a new party. It is a course of events not ruled out.
But the SLP has excluded itself from that process in advance by its impatience.
Better news for the Left is the progress being made by the co-ordination of trade union left organisations.
For too long militants have had to build organisations within unions without coming together to support each others struggles and to co-ordinate the fight.
The cross union alliance of the left initiated by socialists in the NUT has the opportunity to few years in mobilising union members to fight back against the bosses and their backers in government, be they Tory or La.
It is important that union activists in every union open this process out so as to learn from each orners experiences ano or Manse aan common or emy more effectively.
lefts Duncan Chapel LEFTWING alliances in 15 of Britain's strongest unions are linking together. Their conference in No.
vember will be a major development in working class politics.
The co-ordination is led by the Socialist Teachers Alliance, which is National Union of Teachers in two years time. The planned network will allow co-ordinated campaigning and solidarity between workers in the pub.
turing, civil service. education and other industries.
The left in the unions was well rep.
resented at a recent meeting of sponsoring organisations, National Executive members of some unions attended.
important conference to co-ordinate ber 16 assembly will plan the defence of pay and conditions and the need for unions to fight for renationalisation. against privatisation. for the repeal of fight against a Labour government.
Fred Leplar, a leader of the Campaign for a Fighting, Democratic UNI. SON, said: "It brings together people from varied political traditions on the left. The leaderships of the different Broad Lefts are breaking down their parochialism so they can fight the Tol ries and the rightwing in the labour movement. I burtos unsted action despite our different traditions. That's the most important result."
The Broad Lefts are currently discussing a programme. It will be a political framework for discussions over the next six months, The prostamme's pro posals on the minimum wage, work for all and inc repcar of ant-union laws will help politically focus struggles against different employers. • Write to STA, 116, Rosslyn Avenue, Coventry, CV6 IGN.