Vale Like his colleagues of the parliamentary left Foot has no alternative to either the capitalist system or the institutions like members the establishment are not cher of Ebow Vale. Shortly after his appointment by Wilson to the Ministry of Employment, a top long before Foot turns hawkish against the unions? Three months?
realism of Whitehall, laconically talist class get too hot under the Government with a firm belief in the new Social Contract."
graph of the same date warned his readers not to see marxism: where nothing of the kind exists."
readers of the Sunday Telegraph. Watkins assured them Most of his vative, as his alliances with Enoch Powell have shown ...
Foot has always had great admiration for Powell because of cal defender of capitalism Powell MICHAEL FOOT, 'FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE AND LABOUR LEFT has somewhat tarnished his image by his support of mass sackings in Ebbw Foot, however, is not some good left who has gone off the rails. Foot's acceptance of the sackings and his urging of the workers to show some guts" as they faced the cold bleak walk to the Labour Exchange is entirely in character with Labour's acceptance of the capitalist system parliament through which it rules.
Unlike some sections of the trade union movement and Labour Party surprised at Fool's role as the butcivil servant caustically asked: How REALISM life.
His colleague, bred in the cynical commented: 'More like three weeks."
Nor did the journals of the capicollar when Fool was appointed to that post. The Observer wrote on 10 March 1974: "He has come into the Flag Alan Watkins in the Sunday Teleestate!
Writing for the deeply conservative [Foot's] instincts are deeply conser the latter's epic defence of the narliamentary system. Being a more logiwould however be prepared to discard parliament in favour of an even more repressive form of capitalist rule if he thought it was necessary. Foot pathetically hangs ATO THE COCO HEATHEAR Because Foot has no alternative to the capitalist parliament be soes class und it never enters his head that intellectuals and journatists." no independent role for the working this class must overthrow capitalism and instituleils own lonns al rule Instead he looks to "talenied" people who will work together to paternalistically legislate a "better' This explains his sycophantic admiration for tat ruthless Tory buccaneer Lond Beaverbrook. Fool's wite recalls that Beaverbrook was always delighted when they had dined with the press baron: "AJP Taylor and Michael Foot would then rise to their feet and sing the Red Singing for your supper is one way to please the ruling class. No wonder Beaverbrook gave the Foots a grace and favour cottage on his Cherkley NEVER HAPPIER Foot was never happier than in the days of the war-time coalition. He told Patrick Cosgrave in an interview in the Spectator (15 July 1972) "Britain had a common life and purposo'. As Cosgrave says, 'this was his definition of socialism." Peace and tranquillity reigned in Foot's beloved war time parliament.
Labour had dropped its differ ences with the employing class and their Tory Party. The workers were subjected to super exploilation to serve the employers war effort, the employers waxed fat and grew richer, but at least it was all sanctified by u united parliament.
Foot's indifference to the role of the working class is shown in his personal life-style. The Cherver profile says: the axis of his ate remains solidly Westminster-Hamp stead. Worker militants are not regular visitors to his capacious Victorian house in Harpstead where his circle is largely Hampstead Above anthing eise Foot is as Alan Watkins says 'a patriotic man with a deep love of England' These a sentiments echoed by Cosgrave when he says that communal and national identity is a very strong force in Foot.:
Foot is all chose things: 'a radical parliamentarian", a "patriotic Englishman', and an admirer of the Beaverbrooks and the Powells. He wus formed not in the crucible of the class struggle but in the traditions of British liberalism and as his brother Dingle wrote in the Daily Express in September last year, his upbringing in the West Country Methodist Church was of great importance.
This has produced one more reformist in a never-ending line of Labour Cabinet Ministers. The crisis of capitalism leaves Foot and many of his colleagues no room to manocuvre. This is why yesterday's darling of the left is beginning to qualify for the title of the most hated man in Ebbw Vale.
JEFF KING