enpincers, teachers and students-they did not 'officially' represent a great deal.
Hut they came together with a definite puiposeto unite as many forces as posible in the locality in defence of the Shrewsbury workers As a result. cho docussion at the mocling was absolutely practical: how to establish a new Shrewshury Defence Commit tike it ornot, and weve got to got hold of it ce and toolse local support. Many participants stressed that it was necessary lo create an orgarisation bureaucrats into taking actson, and or cours that would bring together local militants and provide them with an lastrument which could unite the various sepiate struggles and bulld support for them in the area. Only in this way would it be possible to defeat the Tories' attempt to split up the working class and throw it on the defenshe and launch a working class counter offensive.
A number of participan is referred to the impor tance of the moting two days away. Amongst these was Tony Hope, conventor at BSC River Don and one of the organisers of the Tuesday meeting. He stressed the rank and-file is the only way that militants can the lessons of the strugale to free the five dockers in 1972 and pointed out that it was only after the massive movement. Such a movement will not be forged by response of the cank-and-fue River Don had themselves struck) that the TUC called their one-day Dacional StIke Tury later explained to Red Weekly: "I share with you your vices of the official leadership, having been through several episodes. I remember the Industrial:
Keatons Bal: mere was a massive @chonstration sn London; no organisation could lave pot a greater sponse, but then the TUC suw that as a peak of activity and from then on allowed the thing to Ried Weekly 25 January 1974 Page 2 as merely a pressere group on the official movement.
As Dick Cahor told us: Tin one who supports the unofficial morement never lasing sight of the fact that if you're going to get the change that you're advocating then you're not going to do it with the unofficial movement, but must strive to change the official Icadership into the type of leadership that we would want to see it have. The power lies inside that oicial labour movement, Wisten wi Indeed, it is important lo fonce the trade union capture the kadership of the official moveinent. The question is how! Certainly not by prosure politics. The exporence of the Pentonville 5 shous HATE MOSE GEESEE presire that can be put on the bureaucrats is to take the control of the sitation out of their hands by orgunising mael action indepundest of their misleudership. Let teen run if they want to lund Morcover, the creaton ora mass movement among hope to establishe deir kadership within the official the cautious application of persure and hurcanerato manoeuvring, It cat ooly come about by allowing the mass of working people to feel in practice the power in their hands, and proving to deci that only a apply that power. We will nor be able to do them things unlese we exert all our energy to carry cury struggle forward as far as possilike-oven though it such struggles.
This was the fault with the Communise Party-led Liaison Committo for che Defence of Trade Unions. it called and organised, independently from the trade union leadership, the most effective actions against the Industrial Relations Bill, But it was afraid to remain in the loadership of the morement it had created. As soon us the AUEW executive showed signs of stirring. under 'pressure", it curned overy thing over to them and heat a hasty retreat into the sidelines. As a rusult the Bill bocame an Act with only token pratest, the AUEW Tadurship has ulowed the most scurrilous application of the det withdut a serious fight, and the LCDTU has become a more shadow of what it might have been.
In Shoffauld this conception holds similar dangers. I prevental the organisers of Tuesday's mocting going cut and ariously campaigning for backing from athur shup stewurds and for mass attendance from the shop floor. At the mecting it presented them cam paigning for the establishment of a local rank and-file action committee that could offer some serious lendership in local struggles.
They see that as the affair of the Trades and Labour Council, and place themselves in the wings pressuring the Trades Council into action. Our attitude is differ ent. We want te establish an offective rank-and-file body now, and then launch a campaign to get suppor and representation from the Trades Council for this body. This should be the approach of militants through out the country: light for action from the official leadership, but develop your own organisation so that your struggle is not dependent on the bureaucrats Only in this way can the officil Scadership be put to the test, and a real struggle for the leadership of the official movement be launched
Few acts of illegality" have won as much popular sympathy in recent times as the well-planned storming of Centre Point last weekend. Passing motorists responded to the sign which asked them to blow your hom if you're with us", creating a cacophony of honks around St Giles Circus throughout the 45-hour Hyams to as little trouble and expense as possible, even paying for phone calls they made and clearing up litter, This, of course, played straight into the hands of the bourgeois politicians, so that the Liberal Party, for exampie, had no compunction about sending along a posse of local council candidates to have
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On the platform at the Sheffield meeting on 15 January: (I to r) Percy Riley, NUMVl; Tony Hope, Convenor BSC River Don; Jimmy Miller, branch secretary Kellingley NUM.