Registered with the Post Office as a newspaper. Published by Relgocrest Ltd., for Socialist Chalenge, 328 Upper Street, London, N1. Printed by War on Want, Caleconian Road, London, Nt JOHNSEVER (Lab] -QUENTIN DAVIES (Con)...
ANTHONYREED-HERBERT INF)
KENNETH HARDEMAN (Liberall.
RAGHIBAHSAN (Soc. Unity| ...
KIM GORDON (SWP!.......
GEORGEMATTHEWS(ind. Coa PETERCOURTNEY (Reform)...
WILLIAM BOAKES/Air, Transport, Whil Labourmajority The results of the Lady- kers Party wood by-election -above - are further encouragement to the far-left and anti-fascist forces The figure of under 900 votes for the NF was far less than they were expecting. the massive desertion of voters from the Liberals (who received more than 3000 votes and 13.49 of the poll in the general election), from which the NF has gained most of its recent electoral support, this was a really poor showing Moreover, almost 100 votes utionarycandidates - 3.4%) ili sectarian for Raghib Ahsan of Socialist Unity and for working class have been iden our.
If one adds to these figures Given stood on a reformist, nonetheless anti-racist platthe tremendous tential of the Ladywood campaign becomes clear.
SWP were cast for explicitly revol Party had not insisted upon to the crying need for maxseparate candidate, and revo- upsurge Kim Gordon of the Socialist Wor- had entered the Ladywood urgently from dus to day.
there is no doubt that the far left could have gathered an even greater proportion of : 5,227 (53pc) this anti-racist 4,402 (23pc] and, more importantly, gath.. 765 (Spc) ered support from a consid534[3.Aue) 336(2.3pe) disillusioned by the divisions crable number : 153(1pc) in the left, and either ab stained or valed Labour. ,6380.4pc) .40:.3pc) Unity 3,425 Imagine the effect thousand votes cast revolutionary, leaving the NF vote well behind and coming third after the two - an excellent parties, right in the face of would have knocked a really tified exclusively with Lab- big dent in the ruling class's propaganda manoeuvres, We would be having, even in the the 336 votes cast for James columns of the Hunt, a black candidate who press. a very ditferent debate bus about the lessons of Ladywood that could make tens of pO- thousands of class militants think the need for a socialist alternative Let us hope that the SWP finally learns the lessons of If the Socialist Workers this expersence, and responds of a imum unity that the current lutionaries and anti-fascists struggle demands ever more
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given showing in a country where the press hysteria over Lewi for so long socialism and the sham and Ladywood! This