¢
f : ‘It is not the purpose of these short notes to attempt a comprehensive analysis of a se - despite the apparent sureness of the Labour Party victory right upto election day - the Tories won the election. However,we would mention in passing that a very useful article in New Society of 2nd July is well worth study.
No doubt, for Marxists, the one question as to why the Tories won that is import~ ant ts if the loss of support from some previous Labour supporters is an expression of an heightened consciousness or a loss of political consciousness. So far none of the evidence indicates the former hypothesis, but time may well do this. However, the crucial question is how one proceeds now.
Those on the left, who argued before the election that a victory for the Tories would make no difference, must now face upto the undoubted incorrectness of this view. Firstly, one has to look at the sentences handed out to the defendants at the Cambridge trial. Secondly, there is the change in army operations in Northern —Eréland, with the widespread use of firearms by British troops for the first; and ‘also the invasion and searching of the Catholic areas. Thirdly, it is clear that the Tories mean to press on fairly rapidly with an attempt to further shackle the _ trade unions and particularly the shop-stewards. Lastly, there is the question of TT TTT
the supply of arms to South Africa. These four aspects are merely indicative of changes that will take place as the Tories begin to develop their policies. “At another level one has to ask the question, ‘is it once more necessary for us to go through a "reformist cycle" again? Already certain Labour M.P's. are making left noises, which indicates there will be an attempt to re-capture lost support in this way. Along with this the question of work within the Labour Party is once more posed. An interesting straw in the wind - which may or may not be indicative.- is a report of a particular Ward Labour Party meeting that took place after the election at which 22 people turned up, an unheard of number for some years and most of them young people.
: eee iscrssion The whole experience of the Labour Government indicates that a thorough oe fis nature and role of reformism is once more firmly on the agenda. And it may be ‘added that until this vexed question is clarified by Marxists there seems little hope 6f substantial gains for revolutionary polities within the working class. We hope to return to this question in later issues and we hope that readers will take part in this discussion. Short articles or letters for the newsletter will be particularly welcome.
= (We offered space to Robin Blackburn if he wished to reply to the article of Ken Tarbuck, but upto now he has not sent anything for publication. We hope that he will take up the offer since we would welcome a genuine exchange of views.) oe ses ¢ o 8 ° a 6 =; OO & ee . eR. le. . *,e . re *-.¢e¢ @ . Ss -S ee eS . >. 2© SS - -@
7’