THE image Jim Prior tries to put over is of the affable, reasonable moderate.
His attitude in the last couple of vears has been to try re-build the bridges to the trade union leadership blown up by the Heath policy of confrontation.
Prior is out to win friends. Thus he has joined a union, he supported the recommendations for union recognition of the Scarman Inquiry Grunwick, and he tries to speak all the time as if he has the interests of union members at He has argued that 'unions must act for their members, and insisted that government would be prepared to talk to anyone' For Thatcher the importance of having Prior as part of the leadership is two-fold. First, as one-time loyal follower Heath, Prior's leadership position helps to unify the party.
More importantly, Prior can be projected as the acceptable face' of Tory union policy - as the man prepared to talk with, negotiate with, and respect the trade union leaders.
He gives the impression that he ARIOST anti-union legislation and will do his best to avoid it if the Tories are in power. But he adds, almost reluctantly:
*The trade unions have to understand that British people believe in the rule of law and will not put up with the violence seen in the mass picketing at This type of approach - that "the British people believe reinforces the image Prior i: trying to create. He protest that he doesn't want to outlaw all that many union practices, but that he has to respect what the British people want. Apped: Nowadaysen this pretence is dropped: occasionally described - often by the same people who used to describe me as an arch hawk -as the biggest dove in the sky. Well, that's the way it is in politics, but I don't think I have changed my politics much'.
Prior is right. It is not his politics that have changed from his days as the 'arch-hawk' of the Heath Cabinet; it's the way he has of putting them over.
I'm sick of "these academics and politicians who have prescribed rubbish that redistribution is on the way.
It has already gone Too Far and is reducing the standard this country.")
Tory of some socialists (kna. nothings, militant encouraged by polythec nic lecturers, wreckers behave as if conflict wen to be admired. «It is absurd to hold down pay for an under manned essential service Such as the police I can promise you this! Under the next conservative government therew mean electoral disaster (self to banninge Tosed shop now"
am that In the conservaagains Fi ve woL. hesitate to coislate on the subiect it persuasion does work...
"example 15
better than coercion.» + underpaid so the real diference is that one wants says so the other want after the policy 'persuade file.
in.
Tore an •coul se Tory Party.
..our industry, life and society debilitated by inroads..
years, ments did Joseph frightening.
the only compete relatively relatively low pay pound citly stated that he shop.
who the sick, against fire.
the capitalism of *The aim framework success -then Prior Joseph In that sense of the same coin. side the coin comes up THE aim of having someone party. like Prior responsible for trade try to the trade union leaders to be reasonable and effectively police their rank and But that aim only works if something much more horrible is waiting in the wings. Which is where Sir Keith Joseph comes Joseph is one of Thatcher's Dickens closest associates, portrayed as the main "theoretician of the The That theory is summarised in the following:
economic has been so 30 years of socialistic fashions that their wonderful very weakness tempts further *The reality is that for 30 Conservative governnot consider it practicable to reverse the vast bulk of accumulating detritus of Socialism.. Socialist measures and Socialist attitudes have been very persuasive.
Stated like that, it is no surprise that the prospect of power is SO Someone who thinks that the Tories have been too "socialistic ever since the war, someone who insists that way Britain can by having sand low Unlike Prior, Joseph explistated his support for Grunwick boss George Ward; unlike Prior, he has explicitly would be favour of banning the closed Joseph is not among those think that the government's job is to provide aid for ployed. For him the 'primary elderly and unem- sell-outs. duties of government' are law and order, defence, protection For him a Tory government would be a signal for a return to the 1930s: of Conservati policy would be to create the for Battlers*, £2. • based on improved productivity and profitability.' All the signs are that if the Tories are in office, and Prior's socialist politics of persuasion do not 'deal with the union leaders fund.
and Thatcher will gladly hand the job to Name..
Prior and Address Joseph are just different sides Whichever it is working people who will lose James Dickens.
Dickens had demanded a unanimous vote of approval party's general management He also insisted that the address be binding for five years - not just on him but entire constituency Dickens won a majority, but only a small one. This wasn' surprising, as many at the GMC didn't approve of the address's support for such delights as the Concordat. It was then that Dickens walked out.
It is difficult to see how insisting on the right to vote against something is gaining power by stealth', but certainly attitude with that of Callaghan.
latter JUS ignores majority votes like the many at Labour Party conferences on such things as opposition to wage controls and opposition to immigration controis. Whe people these defenders of democracy are. Watch your step ACTIVISTS will have to watch their step in this election or risk the People Act rules that all propaganda during the election COHE support for the Tories in nearly all the national daily papers.
The Daily Mirror will tell us to vote Labour, but entirely on th basis of Callaghan/Healey policies. They certainly won't be giving any coverage to the Socialist Unity election campaign.
Socialist Challenge will be covering Socialist Unity's election campaign. It will be fighting for policies — such as troops out of Ireland, for women's rights and a woman's right to choose, against racism, against the Concordat, for youth rights, begin to challenge, and pose a fighting alternative to, Labour's But to do this effectively we need cash We are entering a new financial quarter. We didn't make our fund drive target last quarter, and with the election we have even more than usual to do.
Make sure we can do it by sending in your donations.
This we s 1050k 10 odd Stevenson, ke Paul J Dodd, Highfield, £4.50; Thomas Boushier, £1.65; 'Nobby's Deepdale This week's total: £35.65. Total so far for quarter: £200.50.
I want to support the only alternative to cheque/PO/cash for f.
Send to: Socialist Challenge, c/o PO Box 50, London N1. Socialist Unity candidates' expenses, then specific mention must be made of any candidate or their policies If you're in any doubt then consult a sympathetic solicitor Or aw cente. The Anti Nazi League took legal advice before finalising the text of their Sa) NO to the National Front leaflet.
The WRP's 'public THE Workers Revolutionary Party, who are standing along with Socialist Unity in Glasgow Queens Park, held a public week. Well, 'public" is not quite the right word, as three members of the International Marxist Group were not allowed in.
But members of Provisional Sinn Fein were admitted, which almost took the attendance into double figures. Alas, these three were not there for too long either.
They asked the WRP speake if his party was supporting th United Troops Out Movement/ Sinn Fein demonstration Glasgow on 20 April. Certainly not, came the reply - the nasty IMG demo, and that ruled our WR were involved in participation. members of Sinn Fein walke At thi DOLL HENCHE - which can Stevenson, / paper campaigning for a genuine policies. enclose .....as a donation to the fighting Socialist Challenge 19 April 1979 page
democracy CONSERVATIVI GOVERNMEN attack THE MAIN debate at Easter's NUS conference will be on the union's constitution 17 hours of it.
The right is reproducing the stracgy i nas tor wrecking democracy in every other union directly into NUS.
Wherever general meetings and conferences have the right decide policy or officials the Tories want to replace them with cross campus elect THEREA
----- pull-quotes -----
tosmash the unions and not say so till
Prosecution under the electoral The 1949 Representation of
HELP KEEP THATCHER OUT: SUPPORT OUR FUND DRIVE DURING this general election we will be faced with a barrage of