'Left pressure' and the Labour government

thing 'up his sleeve', only wanting to get into a stronger position in order to act in a more socialist way, how do you explain his conduct after the Hull by-election?

He went immediately to a meeting of employers in Birmingham and guaranteed an attack on the workers through the anti-trade union legislation. In the week following, he sent a message of support, even congratulations, to Johnson on the resumed bombing of North Vietnam. Consequences?

Wilson is looking for that kind of pressure and support which enables his government to serve the bosses more enthusiastically.

If we were to accept the idea of 'pressure' to bring Wilson round to socialist ways of acting, what would the consequences be?— the fight for an alternative leadership, the most vital fight, would be stopped.

The spearhead of this fight, the campaign against trade union laws, which is growing among large sections of workers, would be pushed aside. We would make a protest and wait for Wilson to show his response. Meanwhile he and his backers prepare more decisive blows to silence any opposition.

This is in faci what the 'Communist Party leaders have done and are doing They used their personnel and their influence in the trade unions to weaken the lobby of January 26.

They urge Wilson to fight for peace in Vietnam. They issue appeals for left 'unity', but make riot a single mention of the working class. Their turn to the middle class is the best example of this reactionary policy.

The middle-class voter turns to Wilson because Wilson attacks the working class. The Communist Party tones down criticism of Wilson, and drops any mention of the working class, in order to attract these same middle classes!

In other words, this kind of 'pressure' and 'unity' plays an important . part in strengthening Wilson in his turn to the right.

This has always been the logic of the 'pressure' argument.

Inside the Labour Party from 1961-1964, a running battle was fought between the right-wing leadership preparing for today's betrayals, and the Young Socialists, organised for socialist policies behind the paper 'Keep Left' and supporters of the Socialist Labour League.

In an article 'The Labour Party's Youth', the Communist Party weekly 'Comment' writes about the Malvern conference:

'The impression was that there had been some re-thinking amongst Young Socialists and an awareness that pressure on the Labour government is the way to change its policy, and further: 'There were no signs of ultra-leftist and purely negative "Wilson Must Go," or "Down with the Labour government" slogans.' Lies about YS In general then, says 'Comment', 'there emerged healthy signs from the Young Socialists themselves'.

In the whole article, the active Young Socialists' organisation, which came out of the Labour Party and has campaigned in the leadership of every vital working-class issue, is not even mentioned.

Their fight against the bureaucracy is referred to simply as the activity of 'small ultra-leftist groups with policies as unsatisfactory as those of the right wing'.

These. are lies! 'Keep Left' supporters won majorities for their socialist policies of nationalization at three successive conferences, against Transport House. They were twice elected into the majority of the National Committee of the Young Socialists, now abolished inside the Labour Party.

This is the real meaning of the so-called *pressure on the government', Behind it the main attack of the Communist Party, the Labour 'left' MPs, and the small groups around 'Militant' and 'The Week', is against the left, against any development of a revolutionary leadership for the working class.

Sidney Silverman, writing this week's "Tribune', speaks all these people when he says:

'In this country socialism will be achieved through the Labour Party, or not at all. If it is to be achieved, a Labour government must remain in continuous power for at least 15 to 20 years' It follows that this 'can be done only by maintaining the faith of ordinary people in the purposes of the Labour government, and in its power and competance to achieve them'.

In other words, 'Don't rock the boat'-and keep the deception that the anti-trade union legislation and the Vietnam war are not the real 'purposes of the Labour government.

Careful pressure' Somehow careful and not too noisy 'pressure' is supposed to swing the Wilson government round to its real 'purposes' The Socialist Labour League and The Newsletter begin instead from the class interests served by Wilson. He acts for the employers, in Britain, in Rhodesia, in Vietnam. The urgent task is to mobilise the working class against the government, against the plans of the employers, and in the first place against the anti-trade union laws.

New SLL pamphlet on union law HOLLOWING the january 26 lobby of parliament, many union branches, building sites and factories will be discussing the next steps in the campaign.

The new Socialist Labour League pamphlet. 'No Laws Against Trade Unions', , by G. Healy, is an important contribution to their discussions.

In a direct and straightforward way, the pamphlet states the dangers in store for trade unionists if the Labour government's proposals go through. It quotes from the Labour Party document of 1963, which already advocated legal restrictions on wages.

The most important point made in the pamphlet is that, while it is a Labour government that brings in the Bill, it could be a Tory government which uses it. The present situation prepares the way for a split in the movement, perhaps on the lines of 1931.

The pamphlet discusses the kind of campaign needed to defeat legislation and the polithis. It takes un the questions of loyalty to the Labour government, the role of the Labour 'lefts' and the attitude of the Communist Party.

Finally it calls for readers to support the building of the Socialist Labour League and to consider joining it.

The pamphlet should be sold wilely throughout the unions and read by all workers who want to fight back against the employers' attacks.

No Laws Against Trade Unions by G. Healy Price 3d This should be read with:

Socialist Policy the Crisis Price 3d They can for la ordered together for 8d (including postage) from: The Socialist Labour League, 186a Clapham High Street, London,