Dy any one poncar tendency, and mos importantly it refuses to cut itself off from militants in the Broad Left. It will fight for unity in action with them while at the same time putting forward policies independently of the Broad Left leaders - who are still hopelessly tied to the coat-tails of Scanion and his support for the Government's policies.
If the paper can retain this independence a clear alternative to the policies of the right wing can Be fought for throughout the engineering workers which the Broad Left leaders duck, Engineering Voice could be very important in helping to develop a class struggle left wing in the industry. would be a gain not merely for trade unionists in engineering, but for the whole of the working class in the fight to reverse trade union support for policies which have Drouche one sne sni malon unemShutt, ployed, falling living standards, and massive expenditure cuts. considering the value of retaining their membership of the Broad Left and the one.
Jimmy Reid, who promptly left the party Council of the AUEW. In Sheffield, Cyril Morton a convenor at Shardlows, left the CP to join ... personnel management ris conversion came aer ne lost an cec Leading figures inside the AUEW are reCommunist Party. This is the background to the resignation from the CP of John isional organiser for Tocher, divisional organiser for the AUEW in Manchester and former national chairman of the party. These "second thoughts: arise not from politically principled differences, but because the party does little to assist them in their "careers" in the trade union hierarchy. Tocher is not the only The most famous was undoubtediy after losing a contest for the Executive ment of Lansing Bagnall tion for national organiser.
The CP twist and turn to explain the successes increasingly being notched up by the right wing. When Pat Farrelly, divNO 23 Division (Swindon area) lost his full-time post last vear. incensed CP members complained in the AUEW Journal that the members had failed 'to distinguish between thos who serve and those who merely seek passage'. After all, Farrelly's "genuine dedication to the trade union movement' was well known. He himself expressed it graphically only a few weeks later when he left the AUEW to join the manageThe explanation for these defections lies rather closer to home than the CP will admit. By refusing to break with Scanlon and the other fake 'lefts" in the union, the Broad Left has been unable to provide a challenge to the right wing's offensive. It also has to be bluntly said can be held responsible for such actions by individuals, there are some who travel with the left simply to feather their own nests. Anv organisation such as the Broad Left that makes control of full-time positions the key to success will continue to encourage such bureaucratic and opportunist tendencies in its ranks.
However the Broad Left, under. the leadership of the Communist Party, shows no sign of recognising these basic facts ol life. We must therefore assume that John Tocher's resignation from the party will not be the last.
Red Weekly 2 September 1976 1,50 F Rouge 9