Revolutionary socialist weekly PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Phone 359 8189/8180 (editorial and distribution)
His for Hush THE first national demonstration to take place in Britain on the issue of the Irish hunger strikers is an appropriate time to review the progress of the campaign of solidarity with these strikers.
in the north ot from the nationalist community have taken to the streets than at any time since 1972. In the south, too, there is evidence of a growing mass sentiment of support.
Irish premier Charlie Haughey of the 'Republican' Fianna Fail party is still trying to avoid the issue; presumably he doesn't want to say much before his forthcoming meeting with Thatcher.
Support is also being expressed on an international scale. MPs and trade unions in Australia, Spain, and the Basque country are particularly to the fore.
The weak link is in Britain itself. There have been successes in the student field and an increasing awareness in the women's movement, tough nut of organised labour has yet to be cracked. The and ideology of British labour remains a formidable obstacle.
Hush Only a couple of MPs - Joan Maynard and Ernie Roberts - have put any effort into the campaign. Kevin McNamara was the only MP to differ trom the bi-partisan condemnation ot the hunger strikers during the debate on the Queen's Speech.
What of the rest, the left-wing Labour MPs and the oh-so-left national Ireland more people but the chauvinistic traditions For years Merseyside sutTereo TrOM unemployment. after factory has closed Kirkby have been turned to moustal deserta It was the people 01 who turned that made the march on success.
They came everywhere to join the the and pubs, they spotted nearest Liverpool Came The and on they came. Merseyside Ford Halewood plant had tousanas behind their banners.
even Wit mas. unemployment inere was no lack of militancy Liverpool's different normal labour ovement marcu coming trom all over the North and Scotland, thousands people would never come to London marches.
At Sefton Park, the assembly point the was obvious at as was cone too: one of the biggest labour demonstrations for years Labour Party banner:
everywhere, VOUT marched _The LADOUr Party Young Socialists. WARD
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pool's Pier Head a huge digital display showed the result of Thatcher's Tory policies — it registered one more worker made redundant every 15 seconds.