chances of serious conference in a tew weeks time.
social democratic opposition to this Government Government has been in power.
reflection - membership Is the lowest since 1948.
early election -reduced their Parliamentary Labour in office. it was and party in the marriage was the Liberal Party.
They were cited 1o in office.
class party.
Parliamentary politica. proportional representation them. Naturally, roflecte differences present political situation.
next elections. Others do not want a Tories ».
moderation.
ranks of the Tory Party, and the the ranks of the by het performance aim. What ls of appeara be Implicitis party of government this is a severe humiliation.
the Tory crisis likely to become.
social policies and it is still attempting -on the question of wage demands.
social democracy. to taming the Labour Party executive. opposing the in last week's Tribune.
Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street, London N1.
Nows 01-359 8180
THE STATE OF THE PARTIES THERE IS a curious Alice-in-Wonderland atmosphere in fact that the two opposition parties are racked by division, opposition at Its Brighton The reason for this state of affairs is the virtual political collapse of Tribunite politics. There is no organised left - the first time that such a situation has existed when a Labour If Benn and Foot Imagine that avoiding a fight at next month's conference might win them the election, the state of the Labour Party itself should make them pause for It was the Liberal Party which maintained Labour in office at a critical period for the Callaghan Government. It did so essentially for roason o potal selected An and the recent by-election results have - would have drastically representation. So Steel cobbled together a nasty pact with Callaghan to keep Latvenience for both sides, though aberal Ps aid part activists are now beginning to claim that the oppressed For in reality the Liberals got the worst of both worlds.
seats in the Cabinet and their influence on the Government's decisions was negligible. At the same time they earned the odium of keeping Labour All these features reveal the dilemma which confronts the Liberal Party. Once an important ruling they are now contined to the margins They are waiting, thay say, major congament m national politics. The next General Election therefore is in a very literal sense going to be a life or death election for we would wish them a speedy and.
The Tory Party Is now confronting real and difficult choices. The Prior-Joseph debate is not shadow boxing. it how confront Prior is not for a minutes: confrontation with the trade union bureaucracies Joseph wants a fight, at any rate in the period leading up to the polarisation as they feel that Labour would benefit trom such a campaign since it would pose as the party of support inside Conservative conference could wall see a concerted campaign to ditch the Tore Pany 19 unikar to De resolved by Thatcher's TV Interview with Brian Walden nor Tory referendum idea might sound very claver at the moment. but in the context of a class confrontation it might not succeed in averting a general election, which is Thatcher's more Interest is that the Tory leader backing the Joseph 'he dilemma which the Torles confront is a cruel one: since 1964, they have held office for only four years. For a ruling class organisation that considers Itself a natural longer Callaghan clings on to office the more protracted Is The Callaghan administration remains perfectly suited to the needs of British capital. It is extremely hostile to rank-and-file militancy. It has carried through reactionary courtesy of Hugh Scanion (RIP) - to keep the unions under control What is more to the point is that there is no big debate going on inside the Labour Party between left and right Governmental unity has paved the way No resolutions Government's economic policy will discussed at the conference an a full-page ad from NUPE, protesting against bureaucratic manipulation, informs us in their values.' As with the Society for the Pro of the LIFE is full of individuals who like to consider themselves good the Duke of Norfolk, the Coun tess of Lytton, Viscount MonckATTICLE!
Masharr of Elton.
Clifford of Chudleigh THOU ECREE TEDD with no doubt an acute understanding of the problems and wainer of workins Ciss womet who need an abortion.
RESTRICTIONS Or take the McLaren, HOLE ham's head gynaecologist, And one of the main people res ponsible for tbe notorious res trictions on ahortion in Birming ham. McLaren is proud of fact such as that in 1974 occ ma20 hospital in Birmingham conduct ed only two abortions in th "I wouldn't sit down to lunc with an of such unpleasantness Mclare has done his best to ensure tha sionally work what he terms abortionist.
In May it came to the appointments. He boasted: "If *Tu bike you to train me, Profe l'd show him the lint"
DEMONSTRATION The 1567 Abortion Act is eva ded daily by McLaren and the other good people who are nos inally The very important, not only abor torals, bar married and terribly respectable You can't have sleezy, cily girl line.
not in our profession.
Te Nanana ADoron Lan paign is asking for thousands o The such MeLaren on Saturday 29 Octo ber. That Bonamicham vente demonstration is particularly apMclaren and his disciples have wielded in that city to prevent ROOTERES Cent secking abortions in Birminghan with only 11.6 percent in Nev castle, for example be McLaren vete. For him the 1967 quite unnecessary'. So he simply ignores it.
Leaving aside the special BirLAST WEEKEND saw the sixth annual conference of the anti-abortion group LIFE. The star speaker was Cardinal Hume, Archbishop of Westminster, who explained his presence by saying: "My role is to encourage good people Unhorn The National Patrons and Lard example of Profes Birming emplo makin the other be stabie people to demonstrate the authority rights.
of all those be a 'new outside the compare what it calls n Day fo striking for people to donate the stration in The interesis of wurkers and repiled *NHS Woman's under way. the mood LOE E marise cura at any brione is self-evident. Under the slogans "No Restrictive Laws', Women's Abortion Patient Abortion Clinics Now', NAC's march in Birmingham aims to answer the Lords, Pro fessors and Cardinals of the anti-abortion camp and to demand new measures to guarantee abor-
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to the no one one dand for the laren.