Workers Socialist League

Socialist Press, Trotskyism Today and the Trotskyist International Liaison Committee, 1975–1984

Phase 4 Silence

Socialist Press no. 79, 14 December 1977 · scan p. 5 · Press Gang · about 469 words

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faces favorite 'Left' Labour MPs are exceeding even their own record of spinelessness in the face of now public wage controls.

Any dreams these characters may have had that wage controls would fade • away without a fight were dispelled by Chancellor Healey's statements over the last ten days and a speech to the Parliamentary Labour Party last Wednesday.

But while Merlyn Rees unfurled the latest Lib-Lab attempt to con the firemen back to work, and himself unintentionally blurted out that a Phase 4 is on the horison, scarcely a murmur was heard from the 'lefts' Norman Atkinson announced 'misgivings' about the situation that might arise if the firemen were given exemption from Phase 4.

But fellow Tribunites Hefter and Kinnock never dared mention the new pay limits in their meaningless contributions.

Hence the tears for the soldiers killed in last week's 'green goddess' crash.

Hence the campaign on living quarters for soldiers in Belfast. The Press barons are assuring the most backward elements of the working class who are drawn into the state forces-'You're on our side!' The Tory motion was proposed by Graham Page who condemned Fred Mulley for not acting to stamp out suggestions of a trade union for soldiers.

The Daily Mail ('Heroes on the Cheap') quoted Churchill's attack on the Government at length, representing Grunwick strikers as overpaid compared to soldiers.

you can find any employer so hard-faced, so mean (as the Government) | will willingly be the first to stand on that picket line The Daily Telegraph reported that Senice Chiefs PHOTO: Chris Davies. Report Atkinson The only way to stop a Phase 4 is to destroy the existing Phase 3 10% limit. And to do this means to break the Lib-Lab coalition that spawned it.

By claiming to support the firemen but relusing to confront this issue, the 'Left MPs' actions only head off the working class from confrontation with the government.

Those that will not fight wage controls must be removed.

"They have made it clear that they do not regard limitations in Queen's Regulations on their involvement in political issues as applying in these cases. ...

'Troop involvement in the firemen's strike, and the Government's Common's defeat last week on defence and service pay have, according to Ministers, put the issues firmly in the category of political controversy 'Reports that a Minister was booed and heckled by Senior Army officers during the conference were said to be 'exaggerated' by some civil servants.

The Press has now turned against the firemen after some indecision in the early days of the strike. The reason is simple.

In sharp contrast to the thugs of the police and the army. the firemen have shown that a uniform does no: make them capitalist

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Government plans to introduce a Phase 4 of

← Contents of Socialist Press no. 79, 14 December 1977