29.02.1996

Loyal servants of imperialism

Tory and Labour speak with one voice

Jack Straw, Labour’s home affairs spokesman, has disclosed that his party is to end its 15-year opposition to the Prevention of Terrorism Act. This underlines the major parties’ absolute consensus on the need to ruthlessly suppress all traces of Irish resistance to British imperialism’s domination of Ireland.

Labour itself introduced the PTA with its vicious attacks on civil liberties in 1974. But it has voted against the legislation’s annual renewal since 1981, when Margaret Thatcher added further repressive clauses. The Act has been used to intimidate thousands of Irish and other workers in Britain through false imprisonment and ‘internal exile’, yet has been distinctly unsuccessful in preventing the armed resistance of the IRA.

The ‘peace’ process of the last 18 months has been marked by the total unanimity of the bourgeois parties behind John Major. Tony Blair’s condemnation of the Docklands bomb was couched in almost identical language to that of the prime minister’s.

However, criticism of Her Majesty’s Loyal ‘Opposition’ was voiced by Kevin McNamara, who was last year removed by Blair as Labour’s spokesperson on Ireland: “Each of Mr Major’s errors of judgement has been uncritically supported by Mr Blair,” said McNamara, echoing the views of a section of the bourgeoisie.

For example The Independent, while praising Major’s policy on Ireland as one of his “finest achievements”, criticised the government for refusing to “commit itself earlier to a date for all-party talks” and its “out-of-hand rejection of the Mitchell Commission proposals” (editorial, February 23).

Senator George Mitchell himself declared that he was “not surprised” by the ending of the IRA ceasefire “on the basis of what I thought to be plain commonsense from their frustration”.

These views demonstrate that the ‘peace’ process is far from dead and buried. Major even risked losing the vital Commons vote on the Scott Report by refusing to make further concessions to the Ulster Unionists, so keeping alive the eventual prospect of a negotiated settlement for Ireland.

The bombing campaign is seen by the IRA as a bargaining chip to force Major to the negotiating table, not as part of a renewed struggle to drive out the British occupying forces.

Neither the British nor the Official Unionists have closed the door on Sinn Fein’s participation in all-party talks, due to begin on June 10.

Both know that the imperialist settlement cannot actually be delivered unless Sinn Fein, acting as intermediary for the IRA, is part of it.

It is ironic that the proposed all-Ireland ‘peace’ referendum - alongside Six County elections - has not been met by howls of protest by the likes of Ian Paisley. Until recently it would have been condemned as Dublin ‘interference in Ulster’s affairs’.

Despite the bombings the ‘peace’ process looks set to continue. And Tony Blair will continue to act as imperialism’s loyal servant.

Jim Blackstock