As we go to press the TV is broadcasting scenes of US 'victory'. Yet if we
have learned one fact in recent weeks it is that the first casualty of war is
the truth. This war is not finished yet no matter what the headlines say.
Tony Woodley, the left candidate for general secretary of the 800,000 strong
(British) Transport and General Workers’ Union, opened his election campaign by
launching a bid to "reclaim the Labour Party", which was at odds with
the union in a number of important policy areas.
Now the battle for Baghdad is under way, capitalist commentators are going
euphoric. The war against Saddam could possibly be over in days. The stock
market is already rocketing up on the prospect.
Capitalism is renewed, such is the current mantra.
With the latest issue the Socialist Appeal journal in Britain
has gone fortnightly. It will be published twice a month for the duration of the
war and its immediate aftermath. This is an important step forward for the
forces of Marxism in Britain. It is a clear indication that Marxist ideas are
getting a wider echo in the British Labour movement. To mark this occasion, we
are publishing the Editorial of the first fortnightly edition.
According to the Sunday Times, two British service men were
sent home from the Middle East after refusing to fight in the war against Iraq.
The two face a court martial and up to two years in jail for disobeying orders.
The dramatic resignation of
Robin Cook, until yesterday the Leader of the House of Commons was a
devastating blow to Blair and represents another nail in the coffin of Blairism.
The prospect of war has shaken British politics to its foundations. There is no going back for Blair now.
Sooner or later his days as Labour leader are numbered.
Tony Blair’s drive towards war with Iraq is producing convulsions
throughout the Labour movement. With the threatened resignation or sacking,
which ever comes first, of Cabinet Minister Clare Short, after her attack on
Blair’s policy on Iraq as “reckless”, the whole edifice of New Labour is
threatening to come crashing down.
Without doubt, things are coming to ahead at home and
abroad for Tony Blair’s government. The unprecedented Parliamentary revolt, in
which 121 Labour MPs defied the Labour leadership to vote against war, was the
biggest ever against any government. This bombshell reflects the groundswell of
opposition within the party and the country.
Labour Councils are being forced to choose between cuts in services or
increases in the Council Tax. But the resources are there. Proof of that is
the huge amount that has been set aside for the war against Iraq. In
Southampton we have the courageous stand of Labour Councillor Perry McMillan who
has refused to vote the increase in the Council Tax. Steve Jones explains what
has been happening.
Despite all their lofty promises about the
priority of "education, education,
education", and their pledge that there would be no top up fees, Blair and co
intend to pass the bill for higher education once again onto students and their
parents, making it yet more difficult for students from poorer backgrounds to
get to university.
As we put this article online, the Blair government has launched a new
offensive against the firefighters. Deputy Prime
Minister Prescott has announced his intention to change the law to take direct
control of the fire service and impose a settlement on the firefighters. This
would mean the imposition of the Bain proposals, the derisory pay offer of 4%
and thousands of job cuts, resulting in the closure of fire stations and the
undermining of the fire service. Such measures are a threat to the entire labour movement, and
must be answered by the movement as a whole.