Like thousands of other members of the Labour Party, up and down the country, I fully support Richard Gott's views of the war in Vietnam. 1 do not, however, think that his candidature in Hull will achieve anything except perhaps to let the Tories in. The derisory vote which he will obtain will only give Wilson and Stewart the chance to clain that the electorate supports their policies in Vietnam. Only a very few people feel passionately enough about foreign policy to make this single issue the deciding factor in how they are going to vote. We may think this deplorable but it is a fact we have to face up toe
life for Socialists inside the Labour Party is frustrating to the point of desperation, Newertheless, it remains the party of the working class and commands the loyal support of the great majority of socialistminded voters in this country. If we cannot win the politically active men and women inside the Labour Party for a genuine socialist policy, then what hope have we got of making any progress among the electorate at large? The easy way is to hive off and form new parties or stand as independent candidates on specific issues (the bomb, Vietnam). There is no place for faint hearts in the battle for socialism.
Richard Gott writes: 'It does not really matter much whether steel is nationalised this year or in 1979. He has yet to learn that domestic and foreign policy are two sides of the same coin. You cannot pursue a conservative policy abroad and a socialist policy at home - or vice versae The same interests which oppose nationalisation and demand anti trade-union legislation, also insist on Government support for American aggression in Vietnam and a soft policy towards Ian Smith in Rhodesia,
If all the energies which went into C.N.D., the Committee of 100, I.N.D.sE.Ce, and now the Radical Alliancewere concentrated inside the Labour Party on a fighting socialist policy, much would have been achieved by now. Now is the time for socialists to get active inside the Labour Party, in readiness for the next general election - whenever it comes, It is difficult but not impossible, to get rid of non-socialist M.P.'s and replace them with Socialists, This requires hard work, not only inside the Labour Parties but inside the trade unions. We need people like Richard Gott at our side in the fight.
The whole history of the British Labour Movement this century bears witness to the ineffectiveness of splinter parties, The I.L.P. lost its real influence when it left the Labour Party. Mosleyts 'New Party!- originally a left wing break away from the Labour Party, supported by people like John Strachey, Harold Nicolson and C.E.M. Joad, came up against the hostility of the workers because their intervention let the Tories in in several constituencies, According to John Strachey, it was this working class hostility which caused Mosley to turn to fascism. One does not wish to take historical parallels. too far but surely there is a lesson in this for impatient socizlists. , .
The working class of Hull will surely be true to themselves and vote solidly Labour. This will not mean that they endorre Wilson's Vietnam Policy but the intervention of the Radical Allisne will, unfortunately, give this impression. Even now it is not too late for them to face the political facts of life,