14.12.1995

Walsall Labour fragments

THE LABOUR Party national leadership has ruled that all 15 members of the misnamed Walsall Socialist Group of councillors have removed themselves from the Labour whip. They refused to abandon three of their number, including Dave Church, the council leader, who were already suspended from party membership.

The group’s bureaucratic plan to establish 55 neighbourhood councils had involved sacking 30 community workers with the threat of dismissal hanging over hundreds of other employees. All 2,500 council workers, organised by Unison, the main trade union, had been involved in strike action opposing the plans.

The remaining 19 Labour councillors voted earlier this week with assorted Liberals and Tories to reverse the sackings. But as these loyal community servants started to drift off home, Dave Church and his ‘comrades’ attempted to push through an emergency motion reimposing the dismissals.

Fortunately, one staunch Tory defender of the working class rushed out to the bar and dragged a Labour ‘moderate’ back into the chamber to narrowly defeat the move.

Now there is talk of a coalition of Tories and official Labour taking over the administration.

But the question is, will the Walsall Socialist Group oppose them from the left or the right?