majority in the mass campaigning activity of the union explaining to them that union policy depends on Involvement enrouga aucnaing meetings and conferences.
In the NUS the only groups arguing this position are the Socialist Students Alliance and the Socialist Worker Student Organisation, and some sections of the National Organisation of Labour Students.
The Broad Left should come out in the open and make it clear whether they stand with the Tories or with the left.
The Broad Left's constitutional proposals will weaken the student movement's ability defend members' interests.
Particularly if the Tories are returned at the general election, it is vital that NUS is prepared to defend the interests overseas students, help students fight college closures and generally to unite with the labour and trade movement against attacks on their right independent organisation and against public spending cuts.
A student union leadership which makes good relations with government its priority will be in no position to do this.
The Socialist Student hance candidates for executive elections will arguing that now more than ever - with the likelihood of a Tory victory socialist campaigning alternative to the Broad Left policies is needed in Socialist Challenge 19 April 1979 page 4 real Today's Tory leaders are not so trank about tneir aims. Iney cannot afford to be. For the Empire has disappeared. The sun today hardly rises on the areas still dominated by British imperialism.
Britain is today a second-rate power, country industry is in decline and whose world status has been virtually eclipsed. The British Foreign ecretary is regarded through ut the world as a monkey: people prefer to deal directly with the organ grinact The Tory manifesto in this election is accordingly a modest document. It lacks the inherited self-confidence of a Salisbury, of the overweening arrogance of a FE Churchill, the quiet complacency of a Macmillan, or even the brashness of a Heath. The fact of British political life today, however, is that the Labour government has moved so far to the right that it has forced the Tories even further right.
So how far will Thatcher be prepared to break consensus if elected? It should Al- be remembered that the LOO. embarked on be Tory policies in 1970:
attacked the unions, tried to institutionalise laws, confronted the miners, and was defeated as a resuit. Tory thinking today is that Heath embarked on COnTrOnTaTIOn ideological preparation. some believe that the Labour government's inability to stem the tide of social and economic since crisis has now laid the basis for La renewed assault on the labour movement's HOSL IHSULUHONS What is needed, however, is populist whose experience in parts of Canada has been avidly studied by Conservative CenUral Office experience of the tax-cutting Proposition 13 in California. Thatcher has already floated the idea of dealing with updated version of the miners vs Heath letting the 'people through a referendum'.
The aim of the Tories will be fairly simple. They will try to give the Concordat legal weight and will tackle trade opposition ideological weapons at their disposal.
Thatcher will try to defeat the industrial strength of the trade unions by hurling against it their political Moreover she will do so not in the the 'aloof" style of Heath, but through a populist appeal to the Heath middle classes, inflamed by the Daily •radical he Nationwide, and Any Questions.
It is in this light that we should try to analyse what the Tory manifesto means. five key tasks the Tories set his themselves are as follows: without real But of working people.
rewarded, hallowed jobs are expanding economy.
This means:
Tory ployment.
Australia and 3. To and the rule of law has the of striking workers.
confrontation by decide helping home-owners, standards of their union all the real need.
This council payments strike; more private education; etc.
their passions Mail, increasingly The NATO; more To restore incentives so that hard work pays, success is and genuine new created in More unem- WHETHER uphold Parliament This means: Further curbs on democratic rights; more powers struggle for the police; more harassment socialist gays, blacks, youth and 4. To support family life, by people to OCCONC raising the children's education, and concentrating Massive welfare services on the effective support of the old, the sick, the disabled and those who are in means: Attacks on women; further restrictions on abortion; increased rents for tenants; no SS policies workers on emphasis on 5. To strengthen Britain's SISWEL defences and work with our allies to protect our interests in threatening This means: Hotting up the government. Cold War; more money for weapons; more attention support for Thatcher Callaghan is elected on 3 May, workers face the prospect of further attacks on their rights and living standards.
But it is only through the for principled leadership in the labour movement that thes attacks can be defeated and steps taken towards ending the capitalist system whose crisis mass unemployment ano connuing expionanon o the working class.
struggles by forward moving working class challenging Callaghan's reactionary pay limits have showr that there is a yawning gulf aspirations and the independent class interests of the working class and the supposed that. leaders' at the head Labour Party and the TUC.
powerful, combative working class is the decisive Pat right WINg Thatcher government, which, SUCH conditions, could soon share the same fate Heath's hated 1970-74 All Labour candidates must be pressed by union branches and Labour Parties to declare themselves committed after the election - whatever the result campaigning STOl an emergency recall Labour Party conference to drive out the Callaghan -chioue and adopt socialist policies.
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