13.04.1995

Revolutionary votes

THE TORY wipe-out in the unitary authority elections in Scotland is a foretaste of the elections on May 4 in England and Wales, and undoubtedly heralds a Labour government at the next general election.

The working class in Scotland may not have a great deal of faith in Blair’s ‘social-ism’, but greater than their mistrust of Blair is their hatred for the party that nakedly espouses capitalism and for many epitomises the poverty, despair and degradation of the last 16 years. They hunger for a change of government and Blair can deliver. As society moves further to the right, a liberal Blair government is not just a ‘lesser of two evils’ option, but the preferred option for sections of the establishment and voted for enthusiastically by many working class people. After 16 Tory years the desire to punish the Conservative Party is strong.

This punishment in Scotland was unrelenting:

There was a low turnout with less than 40% in many wards, but the Labour vote was strong. As a result the SNP was disappointed, as it failed to make any breakthroughs and lost some seats back to Labour.

Blair may be careering towards the right, but as he does so he is taking people with him. The current position raises important tasks for those on the left with the courage to put forward candidates in elections.

We can leave the Socialist Workers Party paper sellers to huddle closer and closer together as they half-heartedly call for a vote for Labour. We must start to build the socialist alternative now. Once Labour is safely in power the vacuum that we see in society today can only grow, as Labour continues the Tory attacks just as viciously.

Scottish Militant Labour’s anti-Tory line took 9,717 votes across Scotland in 29 seats. But in the surge of support for Labour it lost three out of four councillors in Glasgow. Only Tommy Sheridan survived - and he does have a rather unpopular motorway being shafted through the middle of his ward.

It is clearly not easy to fill the vacuum in British politics at this time. Each of our 72 votes in Dundee had to be fought for very hard. They were however 72 uncompromising, honest votes for communism. In the Hilltown we really put up a challenge to Militant (68 votes against our 51), who were clearly a much softer option than the CPGB. It will be even harder in the general election. But it is necessary.

The future of Labour domination is not a bright one for the working class in Britain. We all know that in the next two to three years we will see unparalleled Labour cuts, as the budget crisis bites both nationally and locally.

SML should come out and openly ditch its left reformist approach. As for the SWP, it must shed its rank cowardice and stand itself. A call for a Labour vote must surely stick in the throat now.

We must have a revolutionary alternative. The need for a Communist Party has never been greater.

Mary Ward

Hilltown results

Lochee West results