Workers Socialist League

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

Left MPs lap up budget dregs

Socialist Press no. 96, 19 April 1978 · scan p. 5 · about 548 words

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According Weekly's reporter:

"As she Healey's faci turn surprise While for workers up and down the country the budget was an occasion for no more than a yawn, a shrug, or at best a sigh of relief at the static price of drinks, Labour's 'left' MPs seem to have been much more enthusiastic.

Coventry MP Audrey Wise, for instance, who joined with fellow 'left' Jeff Rooker to vote against a provision in last year's budget, apparently declared herself completely converted to Healeyism in the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting following the Budget.

Overjoyed Healey had "listened to the voice of the Labour movement", crooned an ecstatic Wise, who confessed that until this Budget she had regarded him with some pessimism.

Hearing that he had won the Wise seal of approvaland recognising that in this she spoke for every one of the Tribune Group of grovellers-Healey was apparently overjoyed.

Astonishment

to Labour sycophantic spoke, Mr : egistered in stonishment, "And when she said that she had regarded him with some pessimism until this Budget, Mr Healey was said to have removed his spectacles and looked as if he was about to burst into tears..• Tears of laughter, no doubt, since Healey realised that, without so much as a shot fired he had just foisted yet another Tory Budget onto an endlessly spineless Parliamentary Labour Party.

"Achievement"

Indeed only 30 Labourites even bothered to turn up to the meeting and. according to Labour Week/r "none of the speakers failed to commend Mr. Healey's general achievement"

This "achievement" consists in having attained post-war record levels of unemployment on top of an all-time record cut in the living standards of the working class in the course of three years of rigid wage Incapable The fact that Wise and the Tribune Group now sing the praises of these policies in unison with Labour's extreme right wing Manifesto Group is clear proof to those that still need proof that Labour's 'left' MPs are incapable of offering an independent lead or an alternative programme to the workino race Those 'lefts' that refuse to fight for the interests of the working class and bloc with the Labour leaders in support of the Lib-Lab coalition and the politics of class collaboration must be removed, along with their right wing masters.

A revoluționary leadership must be built within the working class movement, on a programme to defend jobs, working conditions and workers' living standards.

Labour Weekly is up in arms over a new witch-hunting Tory booklet entitled "The Hidden Face of the Labour Party' Articles apparently centre on the allegation that an "unchecked Trotskyist and Communist Conspiracy" is underway inside the Party. Among those attacked as Marxists in sheep's clothing are Tony Benn, Joan Maynard, and, believe it or not, Tory ally Syd SNP candidate Bovey control and the cuts is the way • to defeat the reductions in the standard of living that we have seen in the last few years.

The time has come for a fight against coalitionism and against the cuts. If elected we *Buy out the private lan lords. This is the only way maintain and impro housing standards. Council should campai against having to pi compensation to landlor who are not in need.

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PHOTO: Chris Davies, Report Unund

← Contents of Socialist Press no. 96, 19 April 1978