Liberals 'troops out' fraud exposed

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All-out strike by Camden workers set the pace in low pay struggle. Labour councillors refused to mobilise this streng All sides were united on one thing in last week's Liberal Party conference: whether or not they favoured the eventual withdrawal of liberation being waged by the republican movement.

The "debate" on the issue of troops in Ireland was purely a haggle over which tactic offered the best means of preserving capitalist stability in Ireland UuNu Young Liberals on August 12 Dear Socialist Press, As a member of Holborn and St. Pancras South Labour Party and a supporter of Socialist Press, I would like to relay some of my recent experiences in Camden Council's fight against the proposed Tory cuts in local government expenditure.

Camden Labour Group, who contral the council, are formally pledged to fight any cuts in existing public services or staffing.

in a recent statement to Holborn and St, Pancras South GMC, Councillor John Mills declared that the Labour Group had decided to "avoid cutting back if possible" • But such a stand would have to be backed up by an immense rate increase of at least 35%.

It is useful to remember that Camden Council tenants already pay the highest rates in the country.

In practice the rate increase would mean that Camden tenants would be paying a minimum of a f2 rate increase on top of existing rates of between £5 and £8 a week.

In April 1980 rents will alsc be increased by approximately It is of interest that the chairman of the Housing Committee in Camden is that well known left' and some-time champion of the under-privileged Ken Livingstone.

He backs these proposals 100%.

In his capacity as Chairman of the Housing (Development)

sub-committee Councillor Livingstone has already quickly capitulated to Tory pressure to revise Camden's housing pro grammo.

This decision to revise the housing policy was taken by the Labour Group without any conand burden middle Minimising the tax British class.

Set date

The "troops out" amendment sought simply for a "date to be set" for a British withdrawal, and proposed that the British army of occupation should be replaced by a "peacekitchen-the United Nations.

The task of such a UN force would of course be the same as that undertaken O SHIL sultation within the local party let alone any public debate.

In practice it means: a) Camden's building proposals will be cut by 50%.

Mb) Council-owned sites will be sold off to Housing Associations.

in fight against the cuts by the British troops-the repression of the national liberation struggle and the preservation of capitalist stability North and South of the imperialist-drawn border.

The fundamentally reactionary politics of the Liberal "troops out" contingent was demonstrated by the fact that their most influential spokesman, Cyril Smith, later went out on a limb to support the Tories' anti-picketing proposals in defiance of conference policy.

Smith's main gripe was that Enoch Powell and "people like him" are "clinging to power and privilege under the protection of the gun and at the expense of the taxpayer."

"Murderers"

And Liverpool Edge Hill MP David Alton, another "troops out" speaker, went out of his way both in the conference and in subsequent TV interviews to attack what he called the "murderers" in the IRAwho are currently waging the struggle to force British troops out of Ireland.

Other Liberals of course stuck to the more orthdox imperialist rhetoric-with talk of "bloodbaths", "cataGc) The municipalisation programme will be drastically cut.

These are just the first steps to be taken by Camden's Labour Group 'left' and right in the face of an all-out attack by Thatcher's government on the working class.

Camden's local government strophic consequences" and "encouraging the Provisionals" if the motion were carried and troops withdrawn.

Liberty

One luckless speaker who took the Liberals talk of "individual liberty" seriously and moved a call for the repeal of emergency powers in Ulster, was answered by the argument that the "alleged brutalities" of the army and the RUC had nothing to do with emergency powers!

Last week's Daily Telegraph described the Liberal Party as a party for people who don't like politics.

The debate on Ireland proved beyond doubt that the much-vaunted "troops out" position argued by Smith and the Young Liberals is a troops out position for people who do like British imperialism.

Respectable

Any elements in the workers movement who had hoped that the Liberals would provide a "respectable" platform behind which they could voice mild disapproval of British army tactics while opposing the national struggle in Ireland committee has set up a subcommittee against Tory cuts.

But at its first meeting it was made clear what this body's role is to be.

The majority of delegates present thought it could be used to defend the proposed rate increases, publicising the argument that if the Tories had not got in to office this would never have happened.

A Socialist Press supporter on this sub-committee made it clear that she opposed both cuts and rate increases. Camden Councillors should follow the example of Clay Cross and defy the Tory government, she said.

But it was made quite clear that at the present time Camden's 'left' and right alike NOW!

DEMONSTRATE

in support of OLITICAL STATI FOR IRISH REPUBLICAN PRISONERS!

Saturday October 2l Assemble 2pm Chapel St, off Cowley must have been rudely disappointed.

The task remains the hard, unavoidable one of fighting to mobilise the British working class in the struggle to force the immediate withdrawal of British troops from the six counties of Ireland, and create are unwilling to mobilise the working class behind them in a fight against the Tories.

The argument goes that rate increases are made to defend existing public services.

Unfortunately this will mean further financial hardship for the working class.

Removed

Labour councillors who refuse to mobilise and resist Tory cuts directly or indirectly by massive rate increases must be removed by their local ward parties.

It is not enough for Labour councillors to formally oppose the Tory cuts, but their duty to challenge the Tories' right to Oxford Irish Delegation Organising Committee presents a showing of THE PATRIOT GAME 7.30pm, Friday Oct 12 Coop Hall, Cowley Rd plus speakers from Provisional Sinn Fein and Oxford trade unior movement Tickets 50p.

conditions for the Irish people as a whole to determine their own future.

Crucial to this is the fight for labour movement support to the Sinn Fein national demonstration in support of the 'H' Block blanket men, to be held in Oxford on Saturday 20 October. govern.

Camden Trades Council are shortly holding a conference on how to fight the Tory cuts in public spending. Delegates at this conference must demand:

a). Camden Labour Group must refuse to raise rates in order to subsidise the Tory cuts.

b) Tenants; Associations should mount a campaign to boycott proposed rate, rent and heating increases.

c) A council of action must be elected from the conference to co-ordinate mobilisations against this Tory government and monitor the actions of Camden council.

Yours, SP

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British troops, they all opposed the war of

keeping force" from that age-old imperialist thieves

PAMDEN NUPE says: