Britain: Euro-march preparations
Pete Cooper
The Labour leadership's reversal on the question of a referendum on the single European currency, and their virtual agreement with Tory
Prime Minister John Major on the question is an indication of the depths of tension which exist in the British ruling class about this issue.
The Liberal Democrats are the only parliamentary party openly committed to going into the single currency on the first wave which will include Germany, the Benelux countries and France.
The disagreements between different sections of the British ruling class oppose those "Europhiles" who export to continental Europe, and those "Eurosceptic" capitalists and bankers who are primarily interested in overseas investment and currency speculation.
Denis Healey, one of the more intelligent leaders of the Labour right, recently let the cat out of the bag about a new worry haunting Europe's rulers and labour bureaucrats: the danger of riots in the streets in response to the implementation of the Maastricht convergence criteria (whereby every European member state has to cut its budget deficit to 3% of total output.) The resultant cuts in social spending have led to some of the biggest demonstrations and strikes since World War 2 in every major European country. While we haven't seen such a reaction in Britain yet, Healey realises that such movements can be contagious. Such a reaction from below could help roll back the years of defeat which workers have suffered at the hands of the Tories. Particularly in the context of a Labour victory in next year's general elections.
The other side has the strategic advantage. The EU and the governments of the member states have organised themselves to chop welfare across Europe, while mass reactions have been confined to the national level. Each national government can say, with some justice, that they have no alternative if all the others are complying, they don't want to be left on a limb it the other countries press ahead, and so on.
Well, the planned European marches against unemployment could be just the start of that European fightback. British Labour MEP Ken
Coates called for support for the marches at a
100,000 strong rally at the end of a march in
Southern Italy against unemployment and cutbacks in Naples, organised by the Refounded
Communists (PRC). PRC General Secretary
Benedotti has called for support for the marches, as has the German Green Party. In November the French organisations supporting the march organised a week of action, including sit ins and demonstrations.
Support is also building in Britain. The TUC Joint Consultative Committee, which coordinates County Associations of TUCs has overwhelmingly backed the marches, as has the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs and the AGM of the Socialist Campaign Group Supporters Network. The next stages in Britain are: • to produce high quality publicity to help build support and raise money towards the estimated £60,000 ($90,000) needed to build the march. • to produce 4 or 5 issues of a march paper in the lead up to and during the marches • to mobilise 50 march volunteers for the European launch rally on February 1st/2nd • to organise a national meeting in Sheffield on January 18 • to set up regional committees. * Glen Voris, St Helens TUC Resource Centre, 21-31 Barrow St Helens WA10 1RX. 01744 755889 Ex: <[email protected]> Euromarch information is also on the Web at http://www.gn.apc.org/labournet/ British sponsors include: Unemployment Organisations and Campaigns: National Unemployed Centres Combine, Welsh TUC Unemployed Centres, Bolton Unemployed workers Centre, Bury Unemployed Workers Centre, North East Unemployed Action Group, London Campaign against the Job Seekers Allowance, St Helens TUC Resource Centre, Salford Unemployed Workers Centre, Welfare State Network. Members of the European Parliament: (Lab) Ken Coates, Mike Hindley, Stan Newens, Brian Simpson, Alex Smith. Members of Parliament: (Lab) Harry Cohen, Jeremy Corbyn, Alan Simpson; (PC) Cynog Datis. County Associations of Trades Union Councils and TUCs: Manchester County Association of TUCs, Merseyside County Association of TUCs, Tyne and Wear Association of TUCs, Bury TUC.Hull TUC, Ipswich TUC, Leeds TUC, Leigh A/T TUC, Oxford TUC, St Helens TUC, Torfaen TUC. Trade Union Organisations: Merseyside Port Shop Stewards Committee (sacked Liverpool Dockers), UNISON Hillingdon Hospital Strikers, APEX GMB Holborn Branch, CWU Thames Central Branch, MSF London Region, MSF Welsh Regional Council, MSF Newcastle Engineering Branch, RMT Southern Regional Council, UCATT UD 253 Branch, UCATT UD 254 Branch, UNISON Islington A Branch, Communications Workers Broad Left. Political Organisations: Brent East CLP, Socialist Campaign Group (Supporters Network), Greater Manchester Socialist Alliance, Scottish Socialist Alliance.
Psychology Politics Resistance
December 1996. ULU, Mallet Street, London * Psychology Politics Resistance (PPR) is a network of people - both psychologists and nonpsychologists - who are prepared to oppose the abusive uses of psychology. This means challenging the ideas within psychology that lead to oppressive practices, supporting those who are on the receiving end, and using psychological practice positively to help those engaged in struggles for social justice. * There are groups in London, Manchester and Nottingham, and networks of members in other towns. There is a PPR women's group, and (coming soon) groups for those in clinical psychology and educational psychology. * This "Networks Festival" will bring together as many groups as possible, for sharing ideas and practical work, and stimulating the development of activist groups to organise against oppression in psychology. To run a workshop, hold a stall and/or be included in the preevent mailings, please contact the organisers ASAP. Entrance f5 waged, f2 low/unwaged, APPR, Psychology, Bolton Institute, Deane Road, Bolton, BL3 5AB, © (+44 01204) 528851, fax 399074, email <[email protected]>