People's march Never mind the quality...!

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defended conscienscious objectors during the First World War and became the first Labour Prime Minister in 1924:

When his short-lived government was driven out of office after less than a year, the main weapon used by the Tories to attack MacDonald and Labour at the polls' was the claim that they were Communist agents. The fake "Zinoviev letter" ensured there would be no reelection for MacDonald.

JH Thomas, the second of the trio, also had a long pedigree in the labour movement. Leader of the railwaymen's union in the 1920s, he had been a Labour MP since 1912. Thomas personified the links between the trade unions and the Labour Party they had created.

Finally, there was Phillip Snowden. Like MacDonald, he was a left'. '. In the First World War I he had, together with MacDonald, repudiated the Labour Party's majority support for the war policy of the Conservatives. He joined the first Labour cabinet in 1924.

"Continuation'

Yet, these were the men who in 1931 were to abandon their past to join hands with the Tories.

. Or did they? In many respects there is much to be learned from MacDonald's own speech to his constituents in Seaham on October 12 1931, ten days after his expulsion from the Labour Party, where he explained his decision.

In this speech he denied that he had changed his politics, argued that his decision to form the National Government was a continuation of his Labour politics and concluded by saying:

The forthcoming useful focus around which to campaign for a working class solution to the crisis.

But it will also offer almost unprecedented opportunities for i woolly rhetoric from do-nothing The basis of the march is a cross class alliance of those "concerned' with the problem of unemployment.

At last month's Coventry Trades Council meeting almost an hour was given over to a speech from Regional TUC official and CP member Pete Carter outlining the sort of support that is being generated.

• 'Broad colour' "The broad nature of the march means that it must have a 'broad' colour as its symbol.

Red (bemused delegates were informed) is apparenuy :. .. 1% -.11.. a 'narrow' colour; so green has been adopted:

Up and down the country support for the march is gaining ground-especially (so it seems) from sections of the clergy:

In Coventry, for example, the church bells will ring and a special service will be held when the march arrives in the city.

Another significant area of support mentioned by Carter was 'sections of the Territorial Army'. Twenty-one gun salutes may yet be in order.

With such a broad base of support it is not surprising that the march has no programme of demands to fight unemployment. Nor that it will apparently end up outside Buckingham Palace!

Carter was able to report that the growing support and hopes of a royal wave, perhaps?) had so excited down-in-themouth TUC officials that "you could see the gleam in their eyes"!

Despite its 'narrow' quality 571 " allowed on the rea ww De auowea on ine march at specific stages. Apparently Coventry Trades Council's banner can be carried-within the city boundaries!

How the march organisers would respond to the emerald green banners of Irish Republicans we can hazard a more than educated guess.

Competition.

To show our feelings on the march, Socialist Press is running a "breadth" competition. All you have to do:

1) Place the following colours in order of breadth: -Pink; Blue; Yellow; Orange; Brown.

2) Place the following leaders in order of breadth: -Roy Hattersley; Michael Foot; Gordon McLennan; Shirley Williams rvril : Smith: Alhert Spanswick.

'In each area along the route local trades councils, union branches and Labour Parties must organise working class contingents behind red banners, with slogans pointing to the need for independent organisation of the unemployed and a socialist solution to the crisis.

How Broad is the Broad Left?

a) Leftish; b) Centre Left: c) Broadly right wing.

In the event of a tie the winner will be the entrant with the best original title for a People's March hymn.

The prize is a handsomely bound (in green leather) copy of the CP's forthcoming book, Praying for Jobs: the Marxist Approach.

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People's March' against unemployment can offer a