By Rebecca Flemming CHOICE, KEYWORD in the Tories' election campaign. Choice has also been a central theme in demands raised by the liberation i cun -ALLE SIGN OU PETITION HEIR the crushing of militant trade unionism; under the twin weights of a government offensive and the Capitulation of new realism. Women's cheapness and flexibility has recommended itself to the bosses - and they intend to keep it that way. Exceptions There are, of course, exceptions.
women, like some men, have done well under the Tories. Pay differentials attnetopertneschienave decreased, and women arefinding promotion casier at managerial levels. These women have directly benefitted from the impact of feminism, however much they might deny it. But the choices offered to the few cannot outweigh the choices de nied to everybody else. Changing childcare provision illustrates this. Overall, the number of nursery and creche places has fallen over the last decade. But the decline has seen in the public sector, while he Midland Bank, for example has been leading the way in the SE provision of private, workplace nurseries.
Choices have dwindled in other areas too. While the Tories remain deeply divided over the abortion, reproduc live rights have been further re stricted.
Savage cuts
Savage cuts and structural changes in the NHS have exacerbated problems of re the nuclear family rests, have particularly suffered under this offensive. Responsibilty for caring has increasingly been shifted even further to the family - and this, essentially, means Specific groups of women have also been singled out for more explicit attack - lesbians, young women and disabled Division A major exception to the general rule has been provided by the tightening of immigration laws. These divide black families, and further undermine the position of black communities.
The one victory - the decision of the European Court of Human Rights that Britain discriminated against women in its rules concerning bringing in quickly turned to de cat. The Tory government sim ply applied the regulations to husbands as well.
The war in Ireland has also provided imperatives that over. ride concerns for the integrity of particular target state terrorism - strip-searching being the most publicised example.
But all exceptions are double-edged. The racism fuelled by the Tories is one of the pressures on black communities that encourages fundamentalism and reinorces family structures - • both to the detriment of black
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