WITH THE sibilities in the County Council elections.
One of the most significant festures shout the votes gained 8.442. by socialist Lyt candionies 1s the comparison with the electoral results of the Communist candidates.
Unike the IMG, the CP stands candidutes in elections becsuse it brought through perliamest and paramca ary acuo0, CERETE W the programme of the CommuNI CATIY IN INE BIVO TOr DiAN Laboar-Communist Party lince to icalslate socialism. The CP argued this point of view in r anao roDano3:
As the national election agent of the CP put it: Communist Councilions 'would strengiben overall straggle for the change in Labour government policy so - urgently needed to prevent the return of • Tory government and to deliver a blow agRinst racist candidates"
Socialist (IMG] candidates on Me ORE DEnG SLOOD rIIs! reling en paramentary methods, They saw the need to use boest extra partiamentary mass actions and to belp balld a socialist left wing In the labour movement committed to this method of struggle.
The Socialist (IMG] candidates compared farourably with the CP. Their four candidates polled Just less than 2,000 voles. The scorsn socialst League candi dates faught the County Council electiona campaigning hard ainet Labour's record civisive polices ol tha BN:
Their resulta were promising fo exception of the Intemational Marxist Group, the Workers" League and the Big Flame group, the British far left falled to measure up to its responThe SWP, alongside the rest of the far left, aiso were unable to grasp the national significance of these elections. Because of this, the reformist policies of the Communist Party were not effectively challenged.
Cr 1 24 candioales pouco a mert In Lambeth Central.
Where thErE WHS HOlTeE KIMTUrHI confrontatien, Plens gaineu more Pees Cosen te a-r In Birmingham, the results were evem lesa Cavourable for the CP.
In the Saltiey ward, where the Asian Socialist League fielded • candidate on the same plutform as the IMG, the CP's vote was dowa to 102 in compurison to the ASL's 620.
The CP tried every dirty trick Im the book to pall votes away from the ASL. In a CP leafies written in Urdu, the fumilliur cry appeared that the ASI. splitting ihe working class along race lines. Il even argued the ASL was. 'reinforcing the NalIonal Front propaganda Asins were talink over Far from the intervention of the AST. adding votes to the NF and Tory candidaies as the CP declared, the NF vote was oml 331. In no other catire coentry did the CP come anywhere near tu even matching the NF vote. The CP statement after the elections thar the "level Of gur voles unsstisfactory" is the understatemeat of the year!
What the Saltley elections demonstrate is that a united far Seft state in the elections could BATe ORaaL a scroOs Ciow 1O Eos reformist policies of the CP. A united eenpaige mould have had TOO BEY CAOUEURES.
was that place in the Government. But the continues to be ocinlist left wing.
BACT CICHORY opposition mere dif ficult. Che resources tu get up st beast as maRy macin mie ur An with all the activites of the far left an important impact would inside the hase of the unions. the faciore SECTARIANISM But the County electioes indicated a shurpening secturianism of the SWP. Although the SWP sees the need to staad in electiems whist making propagand» aguint perlinment, its gemeral sectariamism came home to roost in lts IN WEEKSE