No Challenge from Left on Race Coalition

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Callaghan with Tribunite MP Brian Sedgemore £4 bn. PIPE DREAN Tribunite MPs who have campaigned for years for the nationalist policy of import controls -claiming that it repres ents a 'left' alternative to Callaghan's policies-have had a hard time of it in recent weeks.

The government has actually imposed a ban on imported Russian steel and is busily engaged in forcing other importers to impose "voluntary" quotas restricting their sales in Britain.

And last Wednesday in Parliament Prime Minister Callaghan spelled out the connection between such protectionist moves, his own capitalist policies and moves to head off working class opposition.

Extremism Warning that a rise in world unemployment would "encourage extremism" Callaghan political spelled out a series of pro-capitalist measures to run the crisis-ridden • system more efficiently.

He then went on to urge British firms to buy components made in Britain in order to cut imports and "reduce unemployment"

But, like the Tribunites who share this view, Callaghan avoided any attempt to explain how A new depth of class collaboration was struck last week when Lib-Lab Prime Minister Callaghan asked for joint talks on immigration controls with racist Tory leader Margaret Thatcher.

Thatcher, revelling news that her call for an end "world unempk "ment"

would benefit from simply transferring work at present done overseas to British factories.

Prospect

Nor did he investigate the prospects of other capitalist classes undertaking similar measures elsewhere.

Callaghan of course makes no secret of his solidarity with British employers. The Tribunites tend generally to be rather more guarded in their attitude.

But the import controls argument always forces them into a bloc with British bosses.

Deplored

This was demot strated when 'lefts' Joan Les or and Oonagh McDonald joined with left wing' junior minister Bob Cryer to deplore discounts offered on sales of imported cars.

Purchasers of Fiats were to coloured immigration had helped the Tories take an 11% lead in opinion polls, rejected Callaghan's appeal.

Split Meanwhile the Tory press was desperately trying to create the impression of a "split" between Thatcher and Heath on the race issue. being offered hire purchase at 5% interest, announced a scandalised Ms McDonald.

Yet even while this indignation was being voiced by the lefts', British Leylnad and Ford were doing their best to compete in the home market-by determined efforts to impose speed up on their workers at Speke and Halewood.

Foreign

Not a whisper of protest was raised against 'our' bosses: the whole fury of the 'lefts' remains directed at those sneaky "foreign" bosses -and, implicitly, "foreign"

equally sneaky workforce. followed the Callaghan affair in delight. must have Latest gimmick in the concerted campaign by coalition minister Tony Benn to reupholster his threadbare "left' reputation is a utopian plan for a £4 billion budgetdouble the amount likely to be allocated.

Benn, as chairman of the Labour Party's largely ignored Home Policy Committee, has put his name to a call on Chancellor Healey to raise child benefits, pensions and health service spending. Scorned He does so in the firm knowledge that while such policies will be lapped up by the Tribune Group of 'lefts', they will be completely scorned by the Callaghan-Healey cabinet-of which The only "division" in Tory ranks is on whether or not the viciously reactionary 1971 Immigration Act passed by the Heath government and energetically implemented by both Wilson and Callaghan governments, is adequate to the task of barring the entry of further sections of black workers and their families.

No call Thatcher herself has made no call for new legislation on the issue. Indeed it is very doubtful whether or not she is the slightest bit interested in the issue of immigration as anything other than a means of gathering a base of reactionary support for the attacks a Tory government will need to wage on the. unions.

Home Secretary Merlyn Rees pointed out that existing legislation now being enforced by the Lib-Lab government represents, (in Thatcher's words):

"a policy which is clearly designed to work towards the end of immigration as we have seen it in this country in post-war years"

Healey Benn is a member.

But one other aspect of Benn's plan may well appeal to Healey. He seeks an extra £810 that the government intended "play it soft" on to immigration.

Steady Current legislation is producing a steady drop in immigration, he boasted.

Yet aside from their ritual denunciation of the Tories, Labour 'lefts' have remained almost silent on this issue.

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report Rees It means nothing to attack Thatcher for "going for the Alf Garnett vote" if at the same time 'left' MPs are endorsing the Lib-Lab coalition government's racist policy on immigration.

For the Labour leaders as with the Tories, such reactionary policies are part and parcel of all-round attacks on the jobs and living standards of the working class as a whole.

For socialists it is a matter of principle to oppose all of immigration controls enforced by the forms capitalist state, and to insist live and to work in the country of his or her choice. PHOTO: Chris Davies, Report demand a clear statemen Labour Parties mus from their MPs and prospec tive candidates on this ke question. that claim oppose immigration law Those must be called upon to follo this policy through practice by campaigning fr workers to break the Lib-L:

coalition, by voting against in Parliament and by taki!

up the fight to remove t Callaghan-Healey leadership Those that-however ta fully-declare. support such legislation must hounded out of the labc movement within which tr as agents of the Tr act racists.

million to be allocated to National Enterprise Boa the body that is at pre carving up British Ley and British Shipbuilders, troying thousands of jobs Rationalise The NEB-set up origi by Wilson in 1974 to out and rationalise banl sections of capitalist ind -has always been love Labour's "lefts" who cl see it as a means of avc the fight for nationalisat The views of wr privileged to be or growing redundancy lis not likely to be so entt tic.

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PHOTO: Mark Rusher PHOTO: Chtis Davies, Report