THE LABOUR Party's political broadcast last week was an effective plece of anti-fascist and anti-racist propaganda. For that very reason it was censored by mandarins, broadcasts' might actually be used to poiticise the masses. But despite the censorship (itseif a grim waring for the future) left wing Labour MP Joe Ashton made an effective and telling critique of the National Front. His message was simple and to the point: the NF is a Nazi outfit.
It would be tempting simply to ignore or downplay the broadcast by arguing that what Ashton said is not new. The far left, after all, has been saying precisely that for the past five years, and the broadcast, (and the decision to back it and propaganda). vindication of the political line of the far left. But the broadcast has importance because the decision of the official Labour movement to characterise the NF as Nazis could make a critically important contribution to the building of a mass movement against racism and fascism in this countryA properly and democratically constituted Anti-Nazi League could use the Ashton broadcast and organise meetings around its central message. Ashton did not merely equate the NF with Hitler and Mussolini's thugs in the Thirties; he also pointed out that it was the social crisis upon which the Nazis fed and grow. He did not. revolutionary party to defeat capitalism because he is a left social democrat. It would be absurd to expect him to do so. But he did lay the basis for real and serious united front work against the fascists. Any sectarianism would be criminal.
The very effectiveness of the Labour broadcast determined the response to it by the bulk of the national press and media as politicians. The notable exception was the Daily Mirror which carried the startlingly clear headline 'Crush the Front!' The questions to fascist leaders Verrall and Webster were couched in a sympathetic fashion. The Tory press was actually squirming with embarrassment that Ashton had 'broken the rules'. The idea that the broadcast will give the NF more credibility, is, of course, ludicrous.
It was only appropriate that the Tory MP most outraged by the broadcast hadn't actually seen it. Nicholas Winterton, after all, is well-known for his interest in raciam. He was one of those Tory MPs who recentiy visited Rhodesia, met lan Smith, and spoke about the necessity government" in the country. Not a single newspaper mentioned Winterton's links with Smith's Rhodesia, Labour's intervention on racism and fascism is a belated, but important first step forward. It must be repeated and acted upon in the localities. This means that labour movement leaders campaign. Meetings propaganda should be distributed, and the fascists should be denied a platform to spread their racist and anti-semitic filth. Whether the far left is capable of responding in a united and coherent fashion remains to be seen.
OUR NEXT ISSUE This will be our last issue in 1977. We will resume publication in the first week of January. With this issue we are distributing a four-page special on the FBU strike.
We send warm season's greetings to firefighters on the picket lines. We also wish our T0вs an wore 388s0n continue to respond favourably to the paper in the New Year. fearful that "party political multiply Its tremendous OF call for a by Tory civilised Probering COUNCIL 'the time has come strengthen the strike', SOCIALISTUNITY Nutional Steering Committee Sunday, 15 Tanuary, 12pm 76b Digheth Birminchum All areas please ensure delegates are clocied to attend.