Foot's parliamentary demagogy in last Monday's House of Common's debate served two purposes.
Although warned by the more sober spokesman of the ruling class, the Tories insisted on serving notice that they intended to vote down Labour's proposals. As the Sunday Times editorial said: "The Tories ae mobilising against a Government which has not yet, as a matter of It described the Tories intentions as a 'crude mistake". Heath's tactical error was of course realised too late. A scrambled and desperate attempt to withdraw the amendment played into Foot's hands. He naturally grabbed this gift to boost Labour's electoral credibility and sharpen the divisions inside the Tory Party.
BACK DOOR Mote important, it enabled Foot, as the Guardian said, to 'demolish the hated Stage Three with a contemptuous sweep of his right fist...? Seconds later, the adroit Mr Foot was bolding "it aloft in his left hand... Stage Three was not going yet.
A week before the Minister of Employment had met secretly with the leaders of the TUC. A bargain had been made, Warning the TUC-with tongue in check-he ratsed the spectre of a Lahour defeat. He then got their agreement to keep Phase Three for AMALGAMATED UNI K O LONDON (MORTAI DISTRIT another six months. in return he offered the baits of higher pensions, repeal of the Industrial Relations Act and a freeze on reants all measures where Labour is guarantted Liberal and Nationalist support.
This reversal of last year's TUC Conference decisions was conducted in absolute secrecy. A weck later the Department of Employment still refused to confirm that such a meeling had taken place. The deal means fact, dismantled the Heath pay pollcy.: that Foot is now in a stronger posita formal pact with the Labour Government over wage restraint. The repcal of Stage 3 will be made conditional upon the acceptance of Labour Pay Laws.
No doubt the already discreditRelations Act will also be the subject of "delicate" and highly 'secret' negotiations with the threat of Labour's defeat again being waved at the spineless leadership of the TUC.
TIME AND ISSUE
The Sunday Timer with its own inimitable blend of ruling class real-ISn un cym nua tola toc Eore: that they should only overthrow the Government at "the right time" and on the right issue', The bourgeoisie understands that to force an election right now would mean a labour victory. Labour would capitalise on Its reforms, mild as they are, to mobilise working class support. They would be able to claim that they had A large contingent from Scotland were among the thou and trade unionistswho marched to the House of Commonson Wedne day to demand the relea se of the Shrewsbury six. been given no opportunity to utplement their programme, Furthermore, they would be able to use, with devastating effect, the cracks and divisions which are appearing inside the Tory Party.
Labour Government with a working "the right issue'. Such an issue is ubsuitable for a capitalist class faced with a growing economic crisis and ion to pressure the TUC into entering an undeteated working class With a chronic balance of payments deficit, estimated to reach between £34 to E5 billion during 1974, and a forccasted inflation of 15 per cent, the ruling class will have to attack the well organised ed, and largely unworkable, Industrial sections of the working class, To do that it needs a strong government which will centralise its struggles and which will introduce legislation to serve its interests against the unions. The Tories pursued pollicies which did just thut. As the Annuai Report of the National Couneil of Civil Liberties states: The misuse and abuse by the police of thoir powers of search continue unabated, hindered by no one, ignored by our legislators, encouraped by an over zealous executive and by an equivocal judiciary... isolate any single piece of legislation or change in official policy and practice in 1973 which bad a EFER:
The ruling class would then face a majority instead of a government chat un actual cut in its living standards can be removed at 'the right time' on it is impossible to commendable effect on civil liberties"
Rising unemployment-forecast •4% 18 monchs. mark over the next year, coupled with an annual inflation approaching 15-20 per cent, will detonate big struggles, The working class will not passively accept mass redundancies and factory closures. This year, for the first time since 1945, it faces of 4-6 per cent. The ruling class, to compensate for their material weakness, shown in their inability to inflict a defeat on any of the powerfully organised sections of the workers in open confrontation, must pondent of the Guardiar remarke: more and more rely on anti-trude union legislation, anti-picketing laws, statutory pay laws and the open use of the police and the army UNRELIABLE A Labour Gosernment is too unreliable an instrument to serve its ends. A declining economic base rales out the integrutionist policy favoured by sections of the ruling. class in 1964. The bourgeoisie still remember what happened to Barbara Castle's In Place of Strife: Even the limited measures of nationalisation proposed by Labour at its last Conference are unacceptable. To talk about nationalisation in a period of mass redundancies and factory closures has a dangerous dynamic of its own-it con encourage occupations and expropriations.
What the ruling class neads at the moment is a weak Labour Government that they can bring 'to heel". TYNESIDE BUS WORKERS Tyneside bus workers have been taking ae poo ngainse a tuy board cong wk has canoelled back-wages of up to C100. When workers entered depots in Newcastle and South Shields on Satunday 16 March, they were confronted by s T&GWU notice which inforned them the employers, the Tyneside Passenger Transport Executive, roald not pay THC THOUI H OI Au BEELEA of the Tory pay freeze operative berween November 1972 aptl the Tollowing Aptil.
The union, together with thie Transport Exocative, announced that it had WELLU LUTAUUWEL C'OOL EILEICY Employment Minister, asking for a full payment to be made, Hat this did not satisly the workers, sinec negotlations on thir marter have boen dragging on lur sbortls.
Labour. teforms will quickly meit in the white heat of this summer's inflation, Labour's manoeuvres, dictated by pressures from the ruling class and the international bankers, will, they hope, frustrate Labour voters They hope this situation will help them to dictate the terms of the next election and prepare for the return of a Tory Governent, Meanwhile, they have to re-cement the Conservative Party.
As lan Aitken, political corres'Heath for the chop-but no axe to hand.' Thrown into disarray by thei electoral defeat the Tories reflect the crisis of leadership which also exists within the ruling class For the working class movement the situation can be turned to advantage, The weaknesses and divisions within the ruling class must be exploited to the full. An offensive must he opened up aguinst the Pay Laws. Closures must be met by occupations and demands for expropri ation. The campaign for the releuse of the Shrewsbury Six must be intensified. To rely on the Pardiamentary manoeuvres and back-door dealings of Foot and company would be fatal. Such policies weaken the ability of the workung clans to struagle and prepare the way T&GWU officials refused to sanction mass roceting for the tollawing Monday.
However by 1 poi all the buses from Neweestle's SlacyFord depot had gone off the road, and the buses at Bylar, the other depot rapidly followel, This pressurised de anion officials to bring the monss meet ing forward to the Sunday morning At tbo meeting the bus workers decided to continue their strike until they had received Foot's reply, and bus services over the rest af the weekend wetu stopped, Howerar, at snoter mass meeting the next day they decided to go back, but to carry, out a setics of guerilla strikes if the TOUTEE VOS DEE SLEINHC OEL SLUCU TOLS those who wished to place demands on