PS anrn

As we have noted before, there is very little chance for the revival o left in the Ldour Party unless people can be attracted into rey Be the prospect of a real fight against the right wing. Unless the present drift is halted whole sections of the working class will become alienated from the Labour Party. The by-elections and the rise of Scottish and Welsh nationaltsm show this very clearly. Under present circumstances, when there is no viable alternative to the Labour Party, the drift of sections of the wor'-ing class away fromtheir traditional party will lead to apathy and demcralisation. The urgent need is to create within the framework of existing workers! organisations a real alternative to Wilson and his Cabinet. - This is a necessary stage in the road to a missitant mass socialist movement in this country, But a possible contender isnowon the scene: the TGWU has now been joined by the AEU in opposition to the Government's policies, Their combined vote amounts to some 2? million at the Labour Party and TUC conferences. This represents a challenge which could lead to an opposition which would be capable of appearing an alternative to the right wing. But there are dangers in this very situation: the very strength of the trade union orposition could lead to militants abandoning the political struggle. The huge resources at the dispgs oy sal of these monster unions could lead some to think that all the eegs of the should be put in this particular basket, Again, and of decisive importance, there is the problem of ensuring that the trade union opposition fights on a firm programme. It should never be forgotten that many of the left trade union leaders voted to help the Government to put its "devaluation-withoutwages—increases" policy across, The decisive thing in 1968 will be whether or not the existing left ~ trade union, left M.P.s, constituency members, etc, — seeks to organise the rank and file, particularly the militant workers and the young, for a fight against Wilson's policies, If the left does this and creates the necessary forms of organisation to carry out this fight, the existence of the huge block vote against the Government will create a very favourable basis for it, The moves to create a Campaign for a Democratic Party, to link up. industrial struggles, to bring the struggle of the tenants in to the Labour Movement, etc., must all be supported, It is the function of papers like The Week, the Voice journals, and industrial publications to help to organise and link up these struggles © and introduce a programmatic basis for them, If all this is done, the prospects for the left in 1968 can be very good,