Where Is the Left?

Mr. Wilson is now in real trouble. The latest trade figures cannot be shrugged off or blamed on the dock strike. Following the recent veto of British entry, these figures indicate a complete failure of policy. On the industrial front, the militant struggles now taking place show that the Government can no longer keep the workers ‘immobilised, If the Tories weren't so inept, there would undoubtedly be a big campaign by big business to overturn the Government. It may yet come as it becomes clearer that Wilson cannot rationalise British capitalism. But in the complicated political equation, there is one factor missing: a meaningful left intervention. An aggressive and forcible left would now be taking advantage of Mr. Wilson's difficulties to overthrow him. But what do we get? Half the M.P.s who tabled a motion criticising Callaghan for his unemployment policies, also signed one welcoming Mr. Wilson's assurances that the Government did not want to increase unemployment. How can one mobilise when one plays parliamentary games like that? And when mining was discussed, where were the pledges of solidarity action from other unions? Surely, there was never a time like the present for re-establishing the "triple alliance" of transport workers, railmen and miners? But we must assume that Mr. Cousins was too busy trying to get dockers back to work to throw his union behind the miners in their fight to prevent the destruction of dozens of mining communities. Won't other unions! members be affected if whole areas of Wales, Scotalnd, Durhan, etc., are turned into permanently depressed ghost town areas? Again on economic problems, where was the left alternative to going into the common Market, apart from specualtion about devaluation? Politics, like nature,abhors a vaccum so in the absence of a meaningful left opposition to Wilson in the labour movement the role is filled by right wing critics. Mr. Gormley talks of a new party, what he means is a return to Lib/ Lab politics in which the trade unions merely put pressure on other parties to achieve purely trade union aims. Mr. Jay's Atlantic Free Trade Area is, if one can conceive such a thing, even more to the right than Mr. Wilson's desire to get into the Common Market. In Wales and Scotland, among the worst hit areas, nationalism flourishes. We are, indeed, paying a terrible price for the failure of the left to fight Mr. Wilson. But all is not lost: because of the very crisis that wilson is in; because many sectors of the working class are now prepared to fight; because among the youth there is a srowing militancy, a strong and militant lead would evoke a response» If a section of those regarded by the movement as leaders of the left would issue a call for an all-out struggle to remove Wilson and his gang from the leadership of the Labour Party and the Government they would be surprised by the response, They have nothing to lose: Wilson's present policies will destroy the Labour Party unless a left alternative emerges. But if they fail to make this call they will be forgotten by history. This call will be made, andeven if ittakes longer, it must be made. Perhaps by people less experienced and with less prestige and resources than the traditional lefts. The latter are faced, in the immediate future with the most important decision of their lives. To fight or to be fo gotten. That is the question.