Anyone who is of the opinion that the right wing of tho Labour roproscnts 2 unified force which is concerned only with a struggle against the left should an carefully the disputes concorning tho Pilkingten report and the Comnen farkot. Tho resignation of Christophor Mayhew as officiel cpposition spokesman on tolovision and radio affairs, combined with the disclosuro that Brown, along with Cassandra and the cartoonist who draws 'Daughtcr of Jano', is a hired hand of the Daily Mirror ompire of Cecil King,has givon Geitskell a first ate headache. Some unkind poople have suggested that tho fact that Brown gcts £1,000 2 yoar for advising the Daily Mirror on industrial mattors may influence his * ttitade towards the Pilkington Ropert. That tho Daily Mirror is opposod to the Pilkington Report is apparent from its hysterical rcaction when the Report was made public, and one can understand this in viow of tho financial stako which is thro:toned if the Roport is fully implomonted. On the Common Markoct the right wing”™split right down the middle two of Gaitskell'ts licutonants, Roy Jenkins and Douglas Jay, find theomsolves on opposite sides of the fonco, 2nd conduct a polomic, in and out of Parliament, almost as bitter as that against the loft. Tho lcttor signed by Cloment Attlee and supported by 100 odd Labour M.P.s. was countered by a statomont from the supporters of the Common Market which had ovor 80 M.P.s' signatures.
Divisions of this kind are inevitable in the present period. Traditional social democrat parties aro the product of the upsurge of capitalism and the mass basis for reformiscm which they reflect is associated with a certain minimum of prosperity, and therefore room for manoeuvre, in the capitalist system. The rise of the workors states, the everencroaching colonial revolution and, now, the end of the post-war stability of the Atlantic bourgeoisie has its impact on the social democrat parties. The right wing throws up groups and tondencies which want to change the class character of tiuese parties, get rid of the old-fashioned socialisn and convert these parties into purely 'second! capitalist parties. This meets with resistance not only from the left but also from sections of the right whose basis is in the class character of the party. These processes and conflicts are by no means fully conscious or fully thought cut but they have a profound influence on the political life of these parties. The above mentioned conflicts fit into this cate «ry - despite all of the confused argument (sometimes chauvinist) opposition to the Common Market flows from an instinctive class suspicion, and those who want the implementation of the Pilkington report put 'principles' above the possible loss of Daily mirror support (both in tho form of propaganda and glories).
liarxists mst of course utilise this state of affairs, firstly, ina dcfensive way —- it is much harder for a divided right wing to carry out a purge —and, secondly, by going over to the offensive and setting certain aims which if achieved would change the relationship of forces in the Labour Party. “ec mst raise the question of Brown's position as Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party and Chairman of the Organisation sub-committec. Brown, the would be purgor of Collins, Russell, et al, had the nerve to grill Young Socialists about their alleged secret factional activities (which amounted to open and advertised Young Guard discussion meetings) at the same time as he kept quiet abcut receiving his £1,000 por year (plus 'expenses'?) from the Daily Mirror. Brown whe would like people deprived of Labour Party memborship for 'associating' with proscribed orgenisations, has ‘associated! ('actively' and 'persistently') with the world's biggest newspaper monopoly for eae number of years behind the backs of the Party membership. Vhile people went to Moscow with tho idea of furthering the fight for peace (no nattor how mistakenly), Brown goes to the Daily Mirror to get a thousand quid a year, ‘hich is the greatest crime? We suggest that if these arguments are put forward in a forceful way and from a class point of view the mass of the Labour Party membership will give their answer and we doubt whether Mayhew will come to Brown's defence. The removal of Brown from his positions would bo an important victory in the fight against the witch hunt and in the whole fight to isolate the extrene right wing Gaitskell faction.
(Nottingham) 10/8/62