PHS MUWICIPAT ZLSCTION PA3UI0S: As various commentators have poinsees pebegct SS fed out. these results are marked by a number of distinat features, Firstly, Labour has won nore seats then in any previous year's local electicng. . Secondly, that although the Iuberais gained gore ground they are no longer ¢oining such a high proportion ef the anti-Tory protest vote. Thirdiy, that as opposed to Labour ooking goings becouse of the Libcrnols taking votes fron the Tories; there has been o genuine swing to Labour. In some arens where the Libéralg did not contest this year Labour actually did better, sentwiso, than last year. Fourthly, o lthough there was a goncral sving to the left this did not nean more sugpeyt for the C.»Pe, in fact in terms of sents, the C.P. actually ground. We shall next wook then moro figures are available anclzgse tho results tore closely.
However, taking 111 these factors together, na very clear picture ocGerges. This is that tho rinss of the working class ond scotions of the niddle olnsses are, more than ever before, sccing’ the Lnbour Party as their expression of socinl protest. There is, of course, o complicated interconnection between this fot and the slight shift to the left sineo Wilson wha clectcd porty lender. That this should toke place despita the betrayals of the pnst, despite the flabbincss of the Labour leadership in face of Tory attacks on the working class; despite such incidents as the denuncintion of the proposed rail strike by Dnbouritcs Brom and Morrison, this is na profund politicol phenomena.
Many genuine left wingers, appnlled by the right wing policies of the lendership of the Iobour Porty, donounce Marxists who arc metibers of that party. They think thrt all one has to do ig to shout from the house topa nbout the betrrynils and the sell outs ond the working clisa will follow then instend of the Inbour Party. They have not analysed the process of the devolopicnt of politionl consclousncss. If one docs annlysc this process, these clection results arc not so surprising.
The results,furthermore, come at n tine when the worst unemploynent position of the winter hnd considercbly improved, when the Tory party and its various propaganda agencica have beon trying to build up 2 picture of the ceonony boing on the upernde. But this tine it is clear thst the workcra will be very hard to fool. Their opposition to the Tories is not only that the Intter have brought unctiploymont;, cte., but that the lntter have trickcd then. No matter what tompornry pollintives the Torica moinsse to rachicve it will be very difficult for them to ronch - position whero they are trusted again. Barring really decisive changes in the politicrl secne snother Lnbour Governmicnt oat the next general elcetion is assured. The tnsk of Marxists will be to channeclised the discont~ tent with Tory policios into discontent with enpitrlisn even if under o imbour administration. However they will do this best by not only denouneing right wing policics but by also going throush the experionce of fighting the Torid¢s in the Labour Party and Trade Unions with the clasa.
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