Letter: Don't get us wrong!

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wear comrade cartor, As authors of the document on the rebuilding of the Fourth International referred to in the report on the WSL conference in SP 194, we feel that a number of false impressions could be created by the brevity of the report and its consequently misleading presentation of our positions. • In the first place, we should point out that since the document was not voted on, nor was it the intention of the authors that it should be. then there was no test as to whether it only had the support of 'a small minority of comrades'.

Our purpose was to direct the movement towards a consideration of the difficulties in our past positions, many of which we have ourselves been directly responsible for formulating.

The second false impression which could be taken from the SP summary is that our purpose was to precipitate an immediate ana Ill conceived process …OT fusion with the forces of the Parity Commission: We trust that those outside our ranks will not be deceived into the notion Inat inere is a section or ine WSL which completely ignores the weaknesses and errors of the positions of the OCRFI, the LTT and the Bolshevik Faction! What we were aiming at was to provoke a long hard look at the attitude we in the WSL must develop towards the world Trotskyist movement and its We consider that we must look at the consequences of the overt degeneration of many of the fragments of the former International Committee. It is necessary for us to draw some conclusions from the evident way in which the WRP is now manipulated by the forces of the state and/or the extreme right in its attacks on the revolutionary movement, and from 7ow the Spartacists have transferred to workers picket lines their dangerous activities as provocateurs.

It is no longer possible for us in the WSL, in our view, to take any kind of linear view of the development of the world Trotskyist when Pabloite • positions today are taken by those LIUSE the past opposed them, in the WRP, the Spartacists and the SWP.

Our attitude towards the world Trotskyist movement must begin not with the attitude of carping criticism so beloved by the sectarian ranters, but with an acknowledgement of the strengths of organisations with which we may nevertheless retain important differences.

Thus we must frankly assert the great achievement of the USFI, and nobody else, in building an international Trotskyist movement. We must accept the main questions of the development of . the Fourth International, including the fight against Pabloism, takes place at this time in and between the Parity Commission and the USFI.

Only by discussing the implications of these incontrovertible facts can we in the WSL begin to understand, for example, the entirely principled benaviour of comrade Pat Hickey and other IMG members in the current Leyland struggle and the conscious wrecking antics of the Spartacists.

Only by beginning a discussion in our movement of the wider implications of the facts of the development of world Trotskyism will it be possible for the WSL to avoid the sectarian pitfalls to which we have to some extent succumbed in the past.

We remain entirely convinced that the enormous strengths of the WSL and its unparalleled and proven ability to fight for leadership in the working 'class will best be further developed in such a discussion. Only in this way can the great gains flowing from the setting up of the Trotskyist International Liaison Committee be developed into a major step in the resolution of the crisis of the world Trotskyist movement.

Yours fraternally, William Booth John Mahon

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Page 4 SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 7 May 1980 Widespread Labour gains in last week's local authority elections amount to clear evidence of the anti-Tory mood in the working class, and the widespread opposition to the Thatcher government's cuts in public spending.

The swing to Labour compared with last May's General Election was some 5% on a 40% poll-but even this would be enough to return a Labour government in a general election with a 10-20 seat majority in Parliament.

Major setbacks for the Tories included loss to Labour of control in Leeds-a showpiece city of swingeing Tory cutsBirmingham, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Worcester council went Labour for the first time ever: and even the gerrymandered Bradford council saw Labour take control.

In many instances the vote amounted to an explicit rejection of the Tory policy pressed Heseltine-of cutting spending in order to hold down rates.

In Preston the Tory council had actually cut the rates-only to be thrown out of office. In Newcastle, and other areas even huge Labour rate increases announced during the campaign failed to deter solid Labour But it is quite clear that the predominant vote was for social services and education and against the Tory cuts rather than an endorsement of Labour's policy of jacking up the rates and rents paid by the working class.

The next few will be On what basis are you campaigning in the local elections in Leeds?

I seconded the resolution moved by Neil Taggart calling upon the a test of the willingness of the newly elected Labour councillors to put their anti-cuts words into practice in conflict with a Tory government hellbent on carrying through a demolition of social services.

Battle plans

Despite Tory press reports of Labour "drawing up battle plans", the basic line of resistance to cuts "within the law" will remain unchanged-and it is a line which avoids the necessary full-scale confrontation with the Thatcher government.

Trade unionists and Labour Party members must not ease up on the fight. The demands "No cuts!" "No rate and rent increases" "Bring down the Tories" must be struggled for as hard as ever against Labour Socialist Press supporter GARTH FRANKLAND has Thatcher 1 111 councils which, if lef t to their own devices, will und Joubtedly seek a quiet life b y simply placing the bill for m: aintaining even existing inadequal te services squarely on the back is of the working class.

What is the position the Tories in Leeds?

They have gone wild because they are due to lose power. They have issued a leaflet accusing the Labour Party of