In this election, the priority of all socialists is the return of a Labour government. However, nobody can have any illusion that a Labour government will provide anything other than ruthiess pro-capitalistpolicies.
Buta Labour government wil create a new political situation, opening up the soss billy of a renewal of struggles. By the Tories will be deeply demoralising for the left and the labour movement.
Returning a Labour government means voting for Labour candidates. no matter how hideously right-wing. Milions of workers will vote Labour with rew musions in sinnock to by so keep out the hated Tory regime.
Socialist Outlook however is calling for a vote against the official Labour candidates in Coventry South East and Liverpool Broad Green, where the stting Labour MPs, Dave Nolist and leury roos nave coon experied trom the Labour Party.
The expulsion of Nolist and Fields. the first time for decades that sitting MPs have been expeiled by Labour. nas provoked wie opposion and 1e vulsion in the labour moverment. it is how guarantee to the ruine cass that a Labour government will have no truck wih socialem. or inched anying vaguely left-wine le are backing Fields and Nellis because their candidacies provide a focus for the campaign against the Labour witch hunt. and for class strugale. as opposed to class collaboration. Vemocracy and the wishes of she tal abour movement have been crushed under foot in their expulsion.
When socialists call for a Labour vote they are not expressing loyaty to the structures and policies of Kinnock's Labour Party, but loyalty to the working class in its anti-Tory struggle. Suppor ting Labour candidates is not a fetish or a timeioss imporative; it is merely a question of tactics. So long as there is no mass socialist alternative, we call Tor the excion of a Labour goverl mont.
But where democracy has been trampled, and where the possibilty of a fightback with a real echo in the working clase and labour movement exists, backing socialist candidates is To maximise the effect of their candidacies Fields and Nellst should use their campaigns as a platorm for all those standing for class struggle, all those who reject Kinnock's new realIsm. All socialists prepared to lend support must be able to participate in the campaigns.
In backing Fields and Nelist we are not sanctioning a generalised policy of standing against Labour, In every other constituency we call for a Labour vote. But a campaign for alternative socialist candidates in two constituencies is hardly going to split the Labour vote nationwide. And if, by a fluke of electoral arithmetic, votes for Nollist and Fields oo alow a tie tory or upere Democrat candidates. the responsi. hity fos entren wih Kinnock and the ght wing and not with the expelled The next issue of Socialst Outlook wil carry news of the Fields and Nellist campaigns.
*Y you want to hal with Dave Noi. ist's campaign phone Dave Holfman on 0203 228884; to contact Terry rious campain contact riona winders 051 2541298.
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