Vauxhall Party evicted by millionaire baron

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'honours' list.

The new baron had been 'Father' of the House of Commons in its last session. Elected to parliament in the 1930s, he had served the electors of Lambeth (Vauxhall) in his own way for forty years.

Increasingly, the electors and the local Labour Party doubted if Strauss's way was the way they wanted their MP to behave.

Marginal

It even began to look as if what should have been a solidly safe Labour seat might become a marginal as increasing numbers of Labour voters failed to turn out to put Strauss in. : As a metals millionaire (and Minister of Supply 1947-51), owner of several desirable residences (and landlord of the constituency party headquarters), Strauss was not unduly concerned, and did not even bother to appear more frequently before local voters (he did not of course live in the constituency).

Taking all this into consideration, and noting his advanced age (Strauss was born in 1901), the local GC did not re adopt their former MP as candidate for • the General Election.

Scarcely able to believe his senses, Strauss fought against these moves and was defeated.

But, with typical generosity, Callaghan has given his old ally the opportunity to continue a monotonous record of rightwing reformism in the House of Lords.

While the baron. idles out the rest of an active, if totally unproductive life at Mediterranean villa, the Lambeth (Vauxhall) LP is less well off.

As a parting shot, Strauss ended their lease on his Georgian terraced house in Kennington. While the party is homeless for the moment, their old headquarters are up for auction.

Profitable

There is no suggestion that the proceeds might be used to aid the local party and its new MP (Stuart Holland) or any other section of the labour movement. No doubt Strauss has more profitable ventures in mind.

A surprisingly militant resolution has been tabled for the 1979 Labour Party Conference by the Oxford CLP.

This called for the next Labour government, in its first session, to re-nationalise without compensation any sectors of industry denationalised by the Tories-a policy specifically attacked by Callaghan only a few weeks ago.

The Oxford resolution had come from the right-wing led TGWU 5/60 branch (Body Plant, British Leyland, Cowley) and obviously reflected the resistance of workers to the plans of the Thatcher government.

No such fight will be takt up by Labour's left'.

They, like the right wing, si Parliamentary manoeuvres ar piecemeal reforms as the wi forward to socialism.

And the lefts' themselv dread being called to accou for their own betrayals at capitulations to Callaghar which at present take pla behind the closed doors of t PLP.

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PHOTO: Andrew W Shadow left' Ormt