ers" intelligence!
Denis Healey's budget, which was served up to them as God's gift to anti-working class measures to heat a mid-winter Tory Party conference.
It is all very well to carry out such much-heralded moves as the increase in old age pensions, food ces. But while Healey's left hand is performing all these marvelious tricks for the entertainment of Len Murray and Jack C'a good socialist budget) Jones, just whose pockets is his right hand rummaging around in?
The badget not only set out to Much will come straight out of What a low opinion the Labour Gov- being forced to pay higher taxes go well crament must have of the TUC lead- beyond the bounds of the rich. Any single worker carning more than LIB a wock now has to pay increased taxes, as does any married worker earning above E34, Certainly the increaser in living the trade unions, the kiss that would expenses as a result of the budget seal the social compact, held enough higher taxes, higher electricity charges, ete- will offset the benefin for the bulk Or Working Cas Tams The poor will be among the worst hit, bocause, already paying little tax, they gain tittie trom the new tax allow anoes, while having to carry the full subsidies, and increased tax allowan- brunt of increased prices. Thus a worker trying to support a wife and two childTen on £25 a week gross, will now find himself with 20 p a woek less to do it on.
This is not likely to be his idca of a very good souls baug! £3600 MILLION FOR WHAT?
The big cuts in social service spending WORKING CLASS POCKETS part, stand. The food subsidies will flow into the pockets of the big food monopoli es, and a big chunk of the increased funds reduce the total Government debt-so ob- for housing will not go to building new viously a lot of money has to come in from houses at all, but to ensure the construchouses they have built but not boon ahle! prices policy will do nothing to prevent all the increases in nationslised industry charges -for steel, electricity, transport, ele and the increases in employers National Insurance contributions, being paid for directly out of workers pockets through higher prices aprice rises for a few months. But the effect of this combined with other changes contained in the budget (such as the larger sums which must be paid in advance for corporation tax)-will be straits to the wall The working class should shed no tears at the sight of their class cnemies in trouble, but Labour has no policy designed to deal with the wave of redunbrought in by the Tories will, for the most dancies this will produce.
Is slowing down anyway under the the budget spells massive unemployment in the immediate future.
at least it will be because of a very But at last we can all Noop safely in which Labour plans to spond on "defence"
What can you get for 3600 million wage rise for every worker. A 120 a week JOINING THE QUEUE Even Lahour's supposedly "tough"
All that Labour can do is delay such to drive many companies already in tough Coming at a time when the coonomy guaranteed. weight of its own, canitalist contesdictions Well, if we must join the dole quese, CARL OWEN SOCIALIST PLANNING Of course, this whole idea of socialist budret' is nonsense, The prob Joins of capitalisms cannot be resolved and moves made towards socialism by SCLE BIRTHELE CAE economic front ate measures designed to replace the anarchy of capitalism This can only take place once the power of the capicalist class and the hold of the capitalist market over the economy are broken thraugh the nationalisation of the big industrial monopolies, financial tubel. institutions (hanks, insurance companies) and other essential economic industrial Only then can a Governmentbasing itself on the organised power of the working class, directly managing the nationalised firms and cercising control and supervision over those that remain in private hands-actually pian the operations of the economy.
The full atalisation of all resources (both worker and machines) and the smooth shifting of resources away from absurd and wasteful projects 3 pm. bike Concorde and most defence spending into socially uscful work could then be ensured. Genuinely democratic and how output should he distributed betwoen present consumption and invest ment tor future stowth, and equal access for all hasic consumption needs such as food, housing clothing, medical This is the real face of socialism-but It has nothing in common with the Features of a Wilson, a Healey or a Foot ON LONDON RED FORUM: Every Tuesday at B pm in the General Picton pub, Caledonian Road, N1. (5 mins Kings X BENGALI FRIENDS in Europe and elsewhere, for Bengali books and Larg (Fourth International paper), contact: Bergali, Mulivaden, Bax 3274, 10365 RED BOOKS: Revolutionary literatureMarx, Lanin, Trotsky, Eastern Europe, Third World, Ireland, Women's Liberation. Bia Renshaw Street, Liverpool Tues-Fri: 12,30-3 pm. Sat: 11amNOTTINGHAM RED CRICLES: Wide-ranging series of discussions based on the polities of the Fourth International Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday in the month at B pm in the Lion Hotel, Clumbar Sirac CHILE AD HOC COMMITTEE: Planning meeting Wednesday 10 April for 5 May demonstratiog to demand that Labour Government brasks all links with the Chilest unta. Supported by IMG and IS and open to all organisa tions and individuals supporting the demo, 8 pm in General Picton pub, Caledonian Road ( 5 mine Kings X