international solidarity against the capitalist system. between the Italian and French parties.
'HISTORIC COMPROMISE Since the beginnings of the sixties, the Italian 'road to socialism' has been based on a strong pro-European orientation. The party stands not only for the enlargement of the EEC and the election of a European Parliament but also for the transfer of powers from he national to the European parliament.
It goes even further in that it accepts the framework of military ailiances in Europe, NATO in particular. As CP leader Berlinguer put it in the 1976 Italian election, he felt more 'secure' in the NATO camp than the Warsaw Pact when it came to developing his experiment of "progress towards socialism.
In fact, of course, this proEvanean stance has nothing to with internationalism. It merely represents a further step in their support for the aims of their own ruling class. Just as the CP is willing to participate in 'auscerity programmes' at home with the Christian Democrats, so it is also willing to participate in Euro. çean austerity programmes' in alliance with European capital. As Pajetta, the Italian CP's Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs said last September: "1 do not think that the socialist transformation of Europe is on the agenda."
NATIONALIST POISON The French CP, on the other hand, has waged a fiercely nationalist campaign, in defence of the •French nation'. Conjuring up the old fears of the abandonment of the 'French heritage' to German dominance, the party has done its gest to encourage nationalist poison among working people.
Communist mayors have already proclaimed the need to Limit the number of immigrants in their towns, an attitude clearly designed to pave the way for racist moods. In fact, the CP hasn't hesirated to use the ideas and terminology of the far 'right'. Comments such as "France is dictated to by foreigners' and France is becoming the 'doormat of German imperialism' are typical of their stance on the EEC.
These chauvinist outbursts are part of a tradition in the party. Back in the fifties and sixties, it led virulent campaigns against European integration, always in the name of defending the 'French national interest'. If the EEC elections have done little else, they have at least highlighted the dead-end policies of the European Communist Parties. With 7-8 million unemployed, the only path that can protect working people in Europe from wage freezes, lay-offs and austerity programmes is one that unites them in But instead of using the elections to put forward policies that can unite workers, the CPs have waged campaigns that are a far cry from the internationalism of the October revolution. Their main concern has been to devise electoral programmes which 'tie' the working class, in their different countries, to the apron strings of their own ruling class. This explains the often widely divergent positions adopted, for example, FRENCH CP LEADER MARCHAIS AIMS The CP's anti-market stance shouldn't, however, be confused with an anti-capitalist position.
Calls for the 'repatriation' of French capital to France are designed not to provide solutions for working people but to bolster French capital. Its narrow nationalism, like much of that manifested in the anti-common market campaigns led by the Labour Crisis of Local Government', organised by the Socialist Camsuddenly lost its way in the final afternoon session.
ence had been very successful. It was well attended by over 100 number of visitors.
council, who outlined the very ex-councillor from Wandsworth, who gave a thoughtful speech on the cuts, emphasising the need for a coherent programme to be adopted.
WORKSHOPS This was followed by a series of democracy, housing, and the lessons of Poplar and Clay Cross. A lot of useful points were raised in the workshops, focusing particushould conduct an anti-cuts campaign and the ways to resolve the problems of Labour councils ing cuts in services.
conference.
paign for Labour Victory in June, Up to that point, the conferdelegates from CLPs, trade unions DEBATE and trades councils, with a similar Opening speeches were given serious effects of government cuts on local councils, and Mike Ward, the way Labour should respond to workshops, including ones on local larly on how the labour movement faced with the prospects of imposA particularly useful discussion was on how the labour movement By the final session, it was clear that the conference was unanimous in its intention to set up local anti-cuts groups to be coordinated at an all-London conference in the autumn.
A heated debate ensued, however, around whether rate increases could be a way forward for Labour councils faced with cuts in the rate support grant, later this year.
Obviously they cannot. Increasing rates only accepts the Tory cuts by passing the burden onto working people. It was probably not correct, however, to have raised the issue so centrally at a Resolution Shows Perspective 1. Conference will campaign for all local Authorities to refuse to implement the cuts.
2. That the trade union and labour movement should mobilise in support of those councils resisting the cut-backs.
3. That in the fight against the Tory government's attacks on the public sector, the demand for a cut rather than an increase in military spending and for the finance released to be spent on Public Spending should be campaigned for in the trade union and labour movement.
4. That the conference will sponsor and support an all-London Labour Party and Trade Union delegate conference for later this year to organise the fight against the Tory cuts in public spending. sion, and partly as a result of this last debate--conducted very 'abstractly'-many delegates and visitors left the conference with a feeling of anti-climax and disappointment.
FUTURE Let's hope the experience of this conference will be an object lesson for the future on how not to kill a founding meeting dead in its tracks before it has even got off the ground. The wound was not fatal, however, and the enthusiasm of this conference will be part of a much wider response to build an anti-cuts campaign to fight against the class war declared by the Thatcher government.