Photo: JOHN STURROCK (Report! • Crosland and other leading figures in the Government have called for big cuts in social expenditure. Will you oppose such cuts?• Undoubtedly I wil not support cuts - although I would not of course oppose cuts in defence But all cuts that lead to unemployment or a decrease in living standards have to be opposed.
The Tribune group will meet to discuss its attitude but there is not much doubt that we would vote against. As sometimes you are not given the chance of a vote on these questions. we would if necessary have to force a debate in the House of Commons on this issue. If the Group so decides, I for one will be involved and will be in the division lobbies against the cuts, if the opportunity arises.
• What is your attitude to any Government imposition of incomes policy?
We are completely against any statutory in comes policy. It is against the decisions of the Party. We would obviously vote against it.
•What is your attitude to the Industry Bill?
We will oppose any trimming down of the In dustry Bill and any concessions to the Confederation of British Industry. If there are concessions to the CBI then we will have to organise the biggest opposition that we can. If need be we will have to take our forces into the voting lobbies.
But we should be clear that the Industry Bill is merely an instrument that can be used to extend public ownership provided that the Government shows a willingness for this. To suggest that the Industry Bill will ever be the means of effecting the socialist transtormation of British society is going too far. It can be used to advance socialism, but it is not in itself adequate and it has already been weakened from what was envisaged in the Labour Programme. I personally am a believer in the good old fashioned policies of the nationalis ation of basic industries and that does not necessarily need a National Enterprise Board •Wilson denounced demands for the nationalisation of Chrysler during the recent strike. Do you not think that it is necessary to nationalise all firms introducing redundancies?
I am only sorry that the workers at Chrysler were not demanding nationalisation. I would have been much happier if the workers had been calling for public ownership.
Although in the past nationalised industries have not always been the best protectors of workers' jobs, obviously in a planned economy jobs would only be cut when alternative employment was available. Here the National Enteprise Board could be useful in building up publicly owned industry in areas where there is a shortage of jobs, such as Merseyside, Glasgow, the North East, etc.
•Wnat measures are needed to combat unemployment - which is clearly going to rise massively even without cuts?
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ERIC HEFFER, SACKED BY WILSON FOR OPPOSING THE EEC, ON HIS VIEWS ON THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE LABOUR MOVEMENI