AFTER a hastily March.
Edge Hill, just east of Liverpool's city out for a socialist opposition. As Socialist Unity's national organiser Bob Pennington puts it: If ever there was a seat to contest, if ever there was a time to stand, Edge Hill is that seat and that time is now.
It is not too difficult to see what Pennington means. Edge Hill has the unbelievable unemployment rate of 34 per cent of the working population. It has 16,000 people on the council house waiting list.
Such conditions reflect the policies of the two 'big guns' in the election, Labour candidate Bob Waring and the Liberal Party's local whizz kid, David Olton.
On a national level, Lab ur government's doubling of unemployment since the October 1974 election has hit Edge Hill particularly Un tne local level, decision of the Liberalcontrolled council to off council housing is explanation of Edge Hill's massive waiting list. And the chairperson of the council's housing committee? Liberal candidate Olton.
The Socialist Unity candiconvened election meeting in Liverpool on Monday night, Socialist Unity declared its intention to contest the Edge Hill by-election on 29 The by-election - caused by the death of Labour absentee MP Sir Arthur Irvine — is one of the most important to be held under this Labour government.
date Al Speaking after the selection meeting, he emphasised that cries one aim of Socialist Unity's campaign will be to charge the Labour government conditions. It will pinpoint the failures of many aspects of the Labour government's policy.
We will also', Pennington, the solutons solutions, solutions which put Walker. the interests of the working class first."
A major aspect of Socialist Unity's campaign opposition to the concordat and support for Merseyside's continuing local struggle.
The Merseyside public sector workers liaison continues to reject the national 9 per cent offer, and is currently other Liverpool wards.
CCEEL
says Bob be trying to point which the socialist called, in its campaign.
will Hill, Liverpool. authority committee Unity, the IMG, selective strike campaign.
will be striking fashion:
end of the the around torture in we all want to see.
socialist opposition. the in doing it.
our 1 appeal to Socialist constituency's Fairfield ward in May 1978, as well as in two The average vote then was 5.5 per UIESCHE Because of the speed with by-election was elaboration Socialist Unity is appealing for all possible help Volunteers from all over the succeed country will be made welcome objectives.' at the election headquarters at Wavertree Road, Edge out China.
One of the groups in Socialist has already written to the Socialist Workers Party appealing for a common SUPPORTERS Bob Pennington sums up the importance of Edge Hill in •We are now coming to the most wretched organisations.
Labour government since the war. Edge Hill is one of the last opportunities all socialists will the have to join together and fight together for the sort of policies Sham Secretary.
In the campaign itself there will probably be disagreements, but what we are trying to build Is a unry or opposinon, DI again.
'A by-election is a unique chance for socialists to agitate on all aspects of their policies addressed and to gain national publicity Birmingham June all readers of Tribune rally Challenge do Birmingham whatever they can to help us - was from sending money to coming to Liverpool. Socialist Unity is on the road again, join us.' *The pragmatic position of present Chinese leaders aspires to the creation of a system of informal alliances with the countries of the Third World, regardless of circumstances their ideological SECT On this precise issue, this policy coincides with ours insofar as it contributes to the creation of an element of dissuasion against the hegemonic power or the superpowers which tends to manifest whether by naked constant interference in the concerns and interests of these countries.
*The recent dramatic events in Asia show the reality of the balance power, and provide important points to reflect on in the foreign policy of small countries like which must maintain a real independence in order to in their national The next step is surely for the People's Daily in Peking to syndicate Robert Moss's column in the Daily Telegraph throughWe are Benned of Socialist their Challenge have been banned holding meetings Birmingham's Labour Club, a traditional meeting place for socialist and labour movement BL Following a request to hold a public meeting at this venue Birmingham Socialist Challenge office was rung up BirmingCity Labour Party He declared that no-one associated with Social. ist Challenge would be allowed to use the Labour Club ever Brooks alleged that this was in retaliation for the 'attempted disruption' of a Tribune rally that by Tony Benn in yCal The facts are somewhat different.
afternoon Benn spoke at University. He repeatedly asked by WRIS supporters of Socialist Challenge and by Iranian students to dissociate himself from David disrupt the rally!
Brooks' decision to ban us from the Labour Club has been sanctioned by the Birmingham City Executive of the party. It party's Management Commit-ll is sure to be contested. Socialist Challenge will be launching a campaign throughout the Birmingham labour movement demanding that this scandalous ban be reversed.
Broad Left buy British ON 3 March there were divisional conferences throughout the TASS section of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers to debate and select motions for the annual conference. The Broad Left, organised by the Communist Party very strong in TASS. It controls most of the branches and can normally push through their resolutions.
At the London conference the following motion was put: *This branch urges all union members personally to buy British goods whenever possible and where they can influence employers purchasing policy to endeavour to place orders with British companies.' Now this line is in full accord with the Broad Left's vision of import controls. But since the had its own prioritised motions, they regarded this as an irritation. The motion had been put from a notoriously right-wing branch. But, argued some CPers, the motion didn' go far enough!
For instance, how could one be sure that underneath the 'Made in Britain' label there weren't products of multinationals like ITT, Ford, ete The right-wing delegate moving the motion was overwhelmed by these criticisms. He accepted resolution insufficient and withdrew it from the agenda NfN readers will be pleased to hea flag of kept flying by two delegates: one from the SWP and one from the IMG.
Socialist Challenge 15 March 1979 page 3