02.05.2001

Teesside

Scargill challenged

The Socialist Alliance is aiming for a substantial intervention on the May 5 demonstration in Middlesbrough. Saturday?s event, which will consist of a march through the town followed by a subsequent rally at the Cleveland Trade Unionists? and Unemployed Workers? Resource, should be the high point of the region?s May Day festivities.

Headlining the proceedings will be the president of the National Union of Mineworkers and leader of the Socialist Labour Party, Arthur Scargill, backed up by a number of other union, left and campaign speakers, including John Bryan, Natfhe national executive member, and Pete Widlinski, a spokesman from the North East Coalition for Asylum Rights.

Leading Labour Party figures, including local MPs Ashok Kumar and Stuart Bell, have notably stood aloof, as have a number of Labour councillors. In the absence of the one party supposedly representative of trade unions within mainstream politics, no doubt questions will be asked as to what extent Labour can be relied upon to carry forward the voices of hundreds of workers recently made redundant from the Corus steel works.

Steelworkers from as far as Workington are expected at Saturday?s rally, along with workers from the Lackenby Coil Plating Mill. SA comrades plan to leaflet workplaces and colleges in central Middlesbrough this week in a final attempt to boost the potential turnout. The dead hand of inertia on the part of many local union branches has left it up to the alliance to provide basic information.

The SA intervention at the rally will consist of a stall, plus a contingent placed on the march itself. Due to the allegedly ?non-political? nature of the event, no representatives from the Socialist Alliance will be allowed on the platform. However, a meeting on the fringes of the demonstration will hopefully provide an opportunity for open debate. As in so many other constituencies, Scargill?s SLP is standing a paper candidate in Middlesbrough on June 7 despite having next to no forces on the ground and an inability to mount any sort of a campaign. No doubt SA comrades will have questions to ask its party leader concerning this sectarian stunt.

The Socialist Alliance looks forward to an open, political debate, following our march through Middlesbrough.

James Bull