The first test for Arthur Scargill's Socialist Labour Party will be the Hemsworth by-election on February 1.
Hemsworth is one of Labour's safest seats. nity, It should be a hot-bed for what the media like to call old Labour'.
Such an image is not lost on Arthur Scargill and that is why a SLP candidate is standing— three months before the SLP Is even launched.
Brenda Nixon, formerly inClosures, is seen by some as providing a socialist alternative to the Labour Party candidate.
She left the Labour Party six months ago because of Clause Four. And she supports the NUM, whose candidate was banned from standing for Labour.
Also she is standing against Labour's Jon Trickett, a former left-winger turned Leeds Coun cil leader.
Yet despite all this, it is a mistake for Brenda Nixon to stand.
scarpill's break trom Labour is premature at best.
Despite the defeats over Clause Four and internal democracy, Blair has not won a deci. sive victory in the Labour Party. It is important to keep up the fight in the party.
And more Importantly, a fu. cure Labour government will come under real pressure, espeSLP candidate Brenda Noon: "Seen by some as providing a socialist alternative" cially from the unions. This gives socialists real possibilities.
Whatever Scarglil decides to do, the majority of the working class will vote for a Labour government. Their motive will be a he one ones Scargill's project cuts himself off from these people and their potential influence on Labour. This Is one reason that the SLP project is tactically flawed.
This is not to say that the SLP may not get a respectable vote because this is a by-elec. tion and due to the nature of the constituency.
A 22,000 Labour majority means that people can vote for the SLP without fear of letting the Tories in. The General Elec. tion will be a different matter alLike Scargill and his support. ers we too want to fight New Labour. But we belleve that this battle must be waged inside the Labour PartyIt Is vital that socialists take account of the real tensions that will emerge onice Labour gets elected.
To prepare for this, socialists Inside the Labour Party need to start putting forward their own demands.
Socialists should fight for common ownership and public serv. Ices.
We should battle for full employment and a decent minimum wage. Socialists in the Labour Party need to demand the repeal of the anti-union laws and the Criminal Justice Act.
And we should launch a real fight against the Immigration and Asylum Bill.
We disagree with the SLP being formed and call for a vote But we should work together with all socialists including those supporting the SLP for those goals, and against both Major and Blair. (