Labour Left Briefing February 1998

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Below you will find links to all the articles from the February 1998 issue of Labour Left Briefing.

Editorial

Welfare reform: Labour at the crossroads

First, most basic benefit rates are simply too low. According to the Rowntree Trust, current welfare payments leave an average household £36 a week short of an “essentials only” budget. The tax and benefit system Labour has inherited from the Tories is not neutral. It redistributes wealth from the poor to the rich.

Resist cuts in disability benefits

Welfare reform — not at our expense!

Alan Holdsworth is a member of the national team of the Disabled People’s Direct Action Network (DAN). In December Alan and other DAN members daubed red paint outside Downing Street and chained themselves to the gates in protest at proposed cuts to disabled people’s benefits. He was arrested along with ten others.

Don’t rob disabled people

Mike Oliver, Professor of Disability Studies at the University of Greenwich, argues that welfare can be reformed without robbing disabled people.

New Labour — new fear

Ian Malcolm-Walker, Secretary of the Trade Union Disability Alliance and a co-vice-chair of Labour Party Disabled Members’ Group (LPDMG), explains the background to the current debate.

News and Views

Blair backs Unionist agenda

For the Irish peace process the New Year was not a new beginning. Tony Blair backed David Trimble’s analysis by producing a basis for talks — agreed with the Dublin Government — which threatens to copper-fasten partition and thus perpetuate the ancient conflict says Brian Campbell, editor of An Phoblacht/Republican News.

Jack’s juvenile justice

Amid the media furore over William Straw’s entrepreneurial activities, his father’s proposals for reforming juvenile justice have received scant attention. Alex Taylor examines them.

A cup of cold poison

David Blunkett’s new ideas are hypocritical and impractical, argues Bob Spooner, Leeds North East CLP.

No tuition fees

Simon Hewitt, Isle of Wight CLP.

Back to the Poor Law?

Bob Spooner, Leeds North East CLP, exposes the inspiration behind Blair’s benefit reforms.

A bitter pill to swallow

Leonora Lloyd, National Abortion Campaign, looks at suggestions that New Labour will charge for the pill.

Welfare roadshow in cul-de-sac

Carol Turner, National Co-ordinator of the Campaign to Defend the Welfare State, reports on Tony Blair’s welfare roadshow campaign against universal benefit.

Coates and Kerr — why New Labour kicked us out

What we are going to do

By Hugh Kerr, Independent Labour MEP for Essex West and Hertfordshire East.

I stand by my manifesto commitments

Ken Coates MEP outlines his future intentions.

Sympathise — but don’t leave the Party

Following the expulsion of MEPs Ken Coates and Hugh Kerr, Tony Dale, Manchester Central CLP, suggests there should be sympathy for their actions.

Good policies, bad tactics

Alistair Ward sees the expulsions of Hugh Kerr and Ken Coates as a setback for the left on a number of levels.

Why Ken Coates had to go

By Mandy Moore, Vice-Chair, North Nottinghamshire & Chesterfield ECLP.

Labour Party

Labour v New Labour

The debate on New Labour’s cuts to lone parent benefit on 10th December was the most dramatic episode so far in the life of the new Government. LLB presents a selection of highs and low from the tempestuous evening in the Commons.

Feminism vs. New Labour

Councillor Liz Davies, chair of Islington’s Women’s Committee, examines the background to the disappointing performance of Labour’s new women MPs.

Never mind the evidence

Mike Davies, vice-chair of suspended Leeds North-East CLP, gives LLB the side of the story the National Constitutional Committee refused to listen to when they expelled him.

People’s London — or Tory mayor?

The campaign opposing New Labour’s plans for a directly elected mayor has taken a significant step forward. Leonora Lloyd, a member of the Greater London Labour Party Executive, reports.

Socialist Labour Party

The party’s over

David Taylor, ex-Secretary Berkshire Area Socialist Labour Party, attended its second Congress as a delegate. Here he argues that this particular episode in regroupment has run its course.

For a broad-based inclusive movement

Former SLP General Election candidate Ian Driver.

Trade unions

Hoffa legacy haunts Teamsters

Jane Barrett reports on charges of electoral fraud within the USA’s second biggest union and the continuing fight for democracy.

USDAW hypocrisy

Battle continues at Critchley

Leading with the left

The Geoff Martin Column, UNISON’s London Region convenor takes a lefty look at life

International

South Korea: the unions, the Net and the next general strike

Eric Lee, author of The Labour Movement and the Internet, examines the political situation in South Korea and how new technology has been used by the unions.

United we stand!

Britain’s Presidency of the European Union could be a Trojan horse for globalisation and labour flexibility, argues Andrew Coates.

Massacre in Mexico

The massacre of 45 indigenous peasants at Acteal in the state of Chiapas at the end of December is part of a broader offensive against human rights and those who uphold them. Mike Phipps reports.

Bosnia between war and peace

The visit to Britain of a delegation of women from Srebrenica highlighted not only the greatest genocidal atrocity in postwar Europe — the massacre of 10,000 Bosnian Muslims in July 1995, it also focused attention on broader problems with the Dayton Peace Accord. Mike Phipps reports.

MAI: a threat to democracy

A new treaty aimed at removing any conditions or restrictions on trade and investment by multinational companies is being secretly negotiated by the OECD for worldwide application. Despite the potentially devastating impact on the Third World, New Labour is right behind it. Mike Phipps reports.

New Europe, new gimmicks, age old problems

The Michael Hindley Column, Labour's MEP for Lancashire South gives a global perspective

Fighting racism

Campaign to stop deportations

John Stewart, Treasurer of the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns, reports on campaigning successes and details two cases still to be won.

Reviews

Tippett the rebel

David Pope, Leyton and Wanstead CLP, reflects on the life of Sir Michael Tippett.

Corruption and Pies

Dan Carter reviews Power, Corruption and Pies, When Saturday Comes compilation.

Periscope

A.O.B.

Correspondence

LLB is an independent voice and forum for socialist ideas in the Labour Party and trade unions. It is managed by an editorial board elected at its AGM. Both EBs and the AGM are open to all supporters. We are happy to offer a right of reply to all members of the labour movement and we welcome criticisms and contributions. All the articles in LLB reflect solely the opinions of the authors, writing in a personal capacity, unless otherwise stated.

To survive and thrive we need the support of our readers. Why not take copies of LLB to sell at your Labour Party, trade union or campaign meetings?

Copy deadline: the deadline for the March issue is Monday 16th February. If you wish to contribute please phone us first. We reserve the right to edit all articles.

Editorial Board: Graham Bash, Tony Dale, Liz Davies, Jenny Fisher, Jon Green, Simon Hewitt, Simon Kennedy, Des Kirkland, Liz Knight, John Leonida, Leonora Lloyd (Co-Chair), Sue Lukes, Dorothy Macedo (Co-Chair), Mike Marqusee (Political Correspondent), Fiona Monkman, Mike Phipps, David Pope, Jon Rogers, John Stewart, Alistair Ward (Editor).

Production Team: Graham Bash, Dan Carter, Gary Drostle, Peter Hughes, Louise Kawakami, Dave Lewney, Leonora Lloyd, Mike Phipps, David Pope, Paula Smith, John Stewart, Alistair Ward. Web site editor: Chris Croome (chris@atomism.demon.co.uk).

Cover photo: ©Andrew Wiard

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