Lambeth Rally
Socialist Press1981 1981-02-11Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 7 →
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ked in what can only be seen as an election-rigging exercise, three candidates for officers of the Inner London Teachers Association have been suspended by national officials of the NUT.
The three-Dick North, Bernard Regan and Dave Picton -have been suspended, along Lambeth's week of action against the Tories attacks on local government spending drew a demonstration of around 1,000 on February 4, mainly. . from striking workers from the Direct Labour Organisation and the borough's white collar Town Hall staff.
Speaking after Tony Benn, council leader Ted Knight told the post march rally that a general strike should be organised by the TUC against the attack on Labour councillors.
Correct though this was, it had more than a hollow ring coming from one who had ducked a similar confrontation in Lambeth by drastic rate increases.
This point was strongly taken up by Vanessa Wiseman, speaking from the local Trades Council and Lambeth Labour Left.
In a fighting speech, which brought the meeting's best response, she used her own victimisation for going on the march and defying the NUT national leaders as the kind of sacrifice which has got to be made if a lead is to be given.
The failure, she said, of the Lambeth: council to stand against rate rises had opened the door to reactionaries and fascists allowing them to whip up support among tenants faced with rate demands they could not meet.