THE Campaign Against the Asylum and Immigration Bill's first demonstration in February was a lively affair of around 12,000 people. Butthe latest event attracted less than 5,000.
CALAB has deliberately been built as a broad-based campaign which draws in as many people as possible. sively the preserve of the far left and black organisations.
CALAB's campaign has been directed at making sure that the Bill does not get through Parlament, This now looks like a forior hope. Labour's door. Labour's formal opposition never mobilised anyone.
At the demo Jack Straw refused to say Labour would repeal the Bill if it becomes law. He said Labour would look very closely at the legislation— implying that Labour would be implementing rather than repealing.
When he was heckled by the crowd, Diane Abbott stepped into to defuse the siuadon cralming that we were ah opi posed to this Bill.
The Asylum Bill is itself in line with the Maastricht agenda. Labour's slav. ish devotion to a bosses' Europe means that it has to implement this sort of legislation. prise if Labour tried to abstain on the Commons vote, or fudge the issuc, proONE JUS PE Demonstration to protest police murder of Ibrahima Sey posing amendments. Already the Lords mas passco an ankoomcar corerins victims of torture from violent regimes.
But these changes do not go far enough. Socialists should now seck to strengthen opposition in the labour WHO , EY POUCE ARE THE MURDERERS? • No justice POLICE No peace ARE THE Tondon the Wile pol MURDERERS!
movement We should fight to commit unions to refuse to implement the policy, as well as forcing Labour to make & commit ment to repeal the whole bill once it comes to power.
No p No p pea • Conference to fight the Immigra. tion and Asylum Bill. Organised by UNISON CFDU. Saturday II May. Natfhe Conference Centre, 27 Britannia St, Kings Cross. WCI. supporting activity on the ground, with two successful lobbies of parliament, several conferences and mobilisations