ALTERNATIVE POLICIES DON'T GROW ON TREES. DONATE NOW clection. It also Ireland platform.
its work in the election.
decided to candidates because we wanted Labour Government and put forward the case for a socialist alternative.
The way that the overwhelming majority of the left. MPs Tan their campaigns fully justified that decision.
Although a few, and they were very few, like Emie Roberts, Ken Livingstone and Ted Knight, did publish manifestos that raised the issue of sociulist policies, almost without exception, the rest of the left buried their differences with the right-wing leaders and camely campaigned on official policies.
Even the supporters Militunt, which organised force in the ranks of the Labour left failed to forward real sociall alternative.
standing candidates we were able — in a limited way — to show militants that were alternative socialist policies to the ciass collaborationist programme of the Labour leaders.
We realised that many of the people who agreed with our programme would still vote Labour. That did not matter to Shop stewards in places bike Birmingham and Manchester, who time after time told our FREESPEECH for Thatcher and Callaghan -her campaign.
party candidates who stood in Cardiff SE.
sponsored and supported campaigns or Independent socialist, Fat Arrowsmith, and Brendan Gallagher, who stood on a Troops Out of Socialist Challenge asked BOB PENNINGTON national organiser of Socialist Unity, how he assessed canvassers: 'Yes. I agree with what you are calling for, but l must vote Labour to try and keep out the Tories", were won to policies which they will fight for in the trade unions.
Winning support for such policies was always vital with Labour in power return of the Tories, it is even more vital.
We decided from the very beginning that it was important to combat racism, not simply by propaganda but by mass action, Without doubt we had some successes in this respect.
We were able to play a big Tole in mobilising Gainst the National Front. of In Southall, where thousands best of Asians took to the streets Nazis, Unity was right to the fore in this campaign. Tariq All, the Socialist Unity candidate in the area, became one of the leaders in the fight against racism.
In Bethnal Green and Bow.
Socialist Unity mobilising force - in ESPISECHOI against National Front: This demon stration was sponsored by over 20 organisations, including the Communist Parly, as well as Socialist Unity organised a picket of over 50 people outside the surgery of the doctor who was standing as the National A demonstration and rally are to be held in Cardiff on Saturday 19 May at 2pm, Further detail гнп IN Hookshop, Salisbury Rd. Cardiff. Tel 0222 30183.
well as organising a meeting of the over 100 people on the fight against racism.
The clection rally attracted another 150 people and some 50 OTNECHEICAHCKABEKEES men and women, from the area.
Manchester Unity helped demonstrations against National Front Rochdale and outside the studso when the Nazis did their broadcast, In every place we stood we put the fight against racism right in the - with the programme and election campaign to help to build the Anti-Nazi League and the local anti-racist committees.
I think that biggest successes the issue of Ireland. All the main parties had an unspoken truce to keep Ireland out of the for the election arena.
ag- We were determined to try and change that equally determined to Socialist We organised a national tour Brendan Pat Arrowsmith mectings in every constituency WE BLEE Socialist standing.
At these meetines we were was the main able to expose the record of the British imperialism in Ireland CELE and to win supporters and new places where we were standing.
At most organised on demonstrations - but not for those who dared to mention troops out of Socialist to build the in Hyde centre of Ol used the one of our was around and make Our Callagher and Callghan and held Unity was and their role in Ireland change that.
restrict of the meetings spoke blanket"
to the sidelines _Har political prisoners morning viewers!
CARDIFF South-East: allaghun ;Lat)
rrowsmith (s)
Arrowsmith percentage: D.3 BETHANAL GREEN & BOW:
Mikardo (Labl Psor IC WHOSE F Covill (WRF)
WHOSESUT SU percentage: 0.5 simceon iSU ough IWAP SU percentage: 1.9 Socialist Unity in Glusgow. The campaigns attracted large numbers of youth supporters heckled disgraceful record on Ireland and made youth. sure that he could not avoid the question of the British troops In Barnsley, where Brendan Gallagher stood against Roy Mason, there had been little or Kids for no local activity on this issue, Gallagher's campaign helped to His eve-of poll rally Was attended by over 100 people and rallies. and the vote of 638 that he got showed that his fight against British imperialism had made an impression in this solidly working class constituency.
Pat Arrowsmith showed in Cardiff that just because the polis bad closed, Ireland could not be immediately dismissed been Not only did she challenge Callaghan after the result was declared bul made a speech against the treatment of the the Saturday a speech that was lorward televised to millions of carly tion Socialist Unity's votes Elot WAP 1,740 UNITY In all our campaigns made a big drive towards the particularly the young school leavers, the unemployed and the black youth. Many youne people became active in In Hull there was a School Stanton group. were able to win young people lo come out on the anti-racist that Dickets and to ee arouDs 01 them to come to our meetings Ar the Socialist Festival in Manchester which was attended by 300 people there was a large contingent of youth Many of the youth that went on the pickets, worked in the campaigns and attended our mectings, bad never before involved in organised policical activity.
Our attention to the youth really helped us to get people to allend the Revolution Kally which was held in London Tast major step towards building a revolutionary youth organisaLIVERPOOL TOXTETH:
SU percentage: 0.9 BEH WINGMAN SMALLERIM SU percentage: 1.2 SU percentage: 0.4 MANCHESTER Ardwich:
SU percentage: 0.9 The Socialist Unity election campaign made it possible for us to do a number of things.
We were able to win new forces — albeit on a modest scale — for the fight in tbe mass movement for socialist alternative What is more, by our activity and campaigning we showed tieht for such a programme needs united mass action.
This is why we placed big stress on building the left inside on building organisations like the United Troops Out Movement, the National Abortion Campaign, the Anti Nazi League and Furthermore, the election campaigas coubled us to win new people to revolutionary politics.
Here, I can only speak for my own organisation, the International Marxist Ciroup. know that in every aren the EMiG made new recruits, and Farhurst iNF SU percentage: 0.8 GLASGOW Queune Park:
Greene ISNP)
Tallel Cont Brathwaite INFI Stanton (Sol SU percentage: 0.0 NOTTINGHAM EAST Brander-bravo G SU percentage: 6.8 Socialist Challenge 10 Mus 1979 pose
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Ireland. Put Arrowsmith, standing in Cardiff South-cast, was arrested twice at street meetings during hare to peat upon at get fre pet are he Plates de and her thee
activists to the United Troops activity on Ireland just to the