Over the past month, the press has indulged in an almost unparalleled witch-hunt against immigrant workers. Hardly a day has gone by without cases such as the Asians from Malawi hitting the headlines in a deliberate attempt to whip up racist feeling.
Enoch Powell, sensing the new mood. has not been slow to take advantage ot it. in nis most recent outburst, he once again accused the government of covering the fact that they have wildly ceeded immigration quotas. He followed this up, at a meeting ou the police federation, by ing that mugging' was a direct result of the numbers of Blacks being allowed into the country.
Sheltering behind this racist offensive, the National Front beaun to translate the verbal alacks into more physical ones. Last month, they organised two deliberately provocative marches Bradford and Birmingham calling for an lend' to immigration. demonstrations were arranged to pass through high immigrant areas. Labour The response of the Labour government to this campaign has been spineless. Instead of challenging they meekly admitted that mistake had been made in ration quotas and leading Labour figures (such as Bob Mellish) pointed out the need to take firmer action by 'tightening' up on the present law.
The back - down of the Labour government before this offensive can also be measured from the fact that Callaghan only recently sacked Alex Lyons (Minister for State at the Home Office) who, radical, has been calling for more fair treatment for Blacks. response-that Callaghan has never had 'much time for the Blacks! - is indicative of Labour's intention of introducing severer laws soon.
Diversion The fact that a racist offensive is being mounted at present is not, of accidental. Even though courst. the labour movement has, up to now, acquiesced in the government wage freeze and record jobless! total, is a growing opposition deLnere veloping as shown recently in the May 26th demonstration. In to head off! this development, the RIA demonstratio Photo: Andrew Wiar right! are quite consciously beginning to wield the racist card to confuse and divide the labour movenchile The fact that the Labour leaders have not responded to this challenge is highly dangerous. By backing down before the racists, they are only helping create a in which the demagogy of like Powell finds a growing response. They are, in a very up! sense, helping to pave the way for eX- a racist backlash as blacks are blamed for the high unemployment, worsening social services & lon suggestThe concrete results of the Labour leaders! spineless attitude has already been seen in the local election results, Whereas the labour vote plummeted, racist groups like nas the National Front received record figures (as high as 30% in an area like Bradtord). while inis vote s in large measure a protest vote! it does indicate racist moods devel oping among layers of the workers! movement and is a clear sicnai.
Responsibility
The fact that such an attitude is beainning to spread in the labour movement means that socialists are faced with a heavy responsib immig- ility. Unless it can meet such challenge, unless it can turn its verbally anti-racist stance into a much concrete and effective campaign to root out racism, built up over centuries ot imper -ialist rule will become ever- more intiamed.
It is this which makes the campaign launched by to Repeal the 1971 Immigration Act) while no so vital. A serious struggle to re peal that Act around waitre right-wing are mobilising -Lyon's provide a powerful focal for struggling inside the movement against racist attitudes in general.
The 1971 Act not only excludes Blacks entering the country on the basis of colour but ensures the few who do manage to get in! are treated as cheap labour in men ial jobs and denied basic Building mass action to. the labour leaders repeal the Act is the most effective way, of challenging head-on the stage. racist demagogy of figures order as Powell Continued on back page.
greporthe 1971 Immigration Act, April 11th. policies of the government itself which are alienating thousands o