Benn Backs Healey's Bulge

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Whatever the aftermath of Labour Chancellor Healey's deflationary package to be announced today, one outcome can be ruled out in advance. There will be NO split in the Labour Cabinet over the terms of the IMF loan. 'Left' Energy Secretary Wedgewood Benn has already participated in a unanimous Cabinet endorsement of Healey's measures.

Benn's position, of course, in no way reflects the feelings of the working class. The workers' movement clearly does not accept either the necessity for the savage spending cuts to come, or the right of a Labour government to carry them out.

FIGHT

The 80,000-strong November 17th demonstration, last weekend's huge demonstration in Dundee, numerous one-day strikes and the occupation of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital in London all show the Willingness of workers to fight the Healey-Callaghan policies.

Indeed workers are responding eagerly even to the most inadequate lead if given the prospect of any kind of action against the cuts.

DEFENCE

But left' talkers like Benn jump into line at the crack of Callaghan's whip precisely because they have no intention of leading any independent action of the working class in defence of jobs and wages or for alternative socialist policies, Indeed Benn himself is so far from fighting for socialist policies that he is even prepared to see a part of his own department - a chunk of the state holding in British Petroleum shares - sold off by Healey in a bid to raise £500 million cash to satisfy the profits lust of the IMF!

Combine this probable attack by Healey on state-owned industry with the certainty of spending cuts throwing thousands of public sector workers onto the growing dole queues, additional taxation cutting the purchasing power of wages and a continuation of the 4½% wage freeze policy, and you have the measure of the package Benn has put his name to in the Budget.

But if Benn represents the clearest case of betrayal by supposedly left' Labour leaders the "Tribune' group of MPs are lining up their own brand of sellout.

They have already begun to mouth phrases of verbal opposition to further public spending cuts.

But at the same time it is abundantly clear none of them will take the fight even as far as to vote against the cuts in Parliament - let alone leading any campaign against them in the Labour and trade union movement.

In limiting their activity to talk IMF HOSPITAL THE THINGS WE DO TO "KEEP THE TORIES OUT" TUE TADICE N/IT99