DOUGLAS JAY UPSETS THE ABU from a London reader
The Evening Standard has reported on a row going between Douglas Jay, leading right-winger who is the party's spokesman on trade and industry, and the AEU over his ham-fisted intervention in the question of the pending closure of a Battersea factory (in his constituency.) The report says: "The sage began at the factory of Projectile and Engineering, the Battersea firm which plans to move to the north-west in 1966, The trade unions are bitterly opposed to the move, and are trying to persuade the management to set up their factory somewhere nearer....Mr. Jay, casting himself in the role of honest broker, decided to visit the factory and speak to the management. But a union official telephoned him and asked him not to intervene, "We didn't want him coming along discussing severance pay when we are opposed to closure anyway," says a union official. Nevertheless, Mr, Jay went to the factory and had lunch with the management. "The lads soon got to hear about it on the bush telegraph and when he came out of the office they all followed him round the factory shouting and hollering," the offical said. “It caused an hour's stoppage." Mr. Jay was forced to make a hasty retreat in a company bus. Now the union wants to meet him and discuss the matter, but Mr, Jay is waiting for his apology first,"