But as a result of his one-time 'left' credentials a number of influential trade union bosses and other 'moderates' pushed him forward for leader. The party centre saw him as the best candidate around which the trade union bureaucracy and the party as a whole could 'unite', as well as being the best candidate to cut the ground away from under Benn's feet.
As the Times put it, his election was a 'vote for peace and quiet'. This manoeuvre is unlikely to work in the long run. The shift to the left taking place in the party. reflected in the election of Foot himself, is profoundly influenced by a growing radicalisation and class hatred directed against Thatcher's government.
This process, rooted in the crisis of British capitalism, will not be halted by an MPs-only election in the palace of Westminster. It is inevitable that the question of the party leadership and democracy will remain on the boil, especially if Foot is the prisoner of his own shadow cabinet on issues like that of nuclear disarmament.
As Labour MP Reg Race said after the shadow cabinet elections: "Labour MPs have shown that under no circumstances can they be trusted with a substantial voice in the election of the leader.
'Under duress they elected Michael Foot. Théy have now packed the shadow cabinet with Healeyites. Constituency parties should understand the message: Labour MPs are telling Because of this PLP activity, Socialist Challenge has called on its supporters to support the broadest possible franchise in electing the party leader.
We think that the role of the PLP should be minimised, and that they should have no more say than any other party members. We think that the trade unions should play a role commensurate with their size and status in the party. In other words, we think that conference should decide the leader.
At the present time the AUEW supports giving 75 per cent of the votes to the The General and Municipal Workers Union wants 50 per cent for MPs, while the TGWU and NUPE seem to be backing the one third each to MPs, trade unions and constituency parties scheme put forward by the national executive itself.
If there is no possibility of the 'conference decides' option being accepted, then the executive's proposal should be votea tor.
The lesson of the election for the shadow cabinet is that the right are not at all prepared to give up the struggle against the left. They will try to reverse the gains of the Blackoool conterence. The fiaht for democracy needs to be continued.
Socialist Challenge 10 December 1980 Page 2 them that the truce is over.' MPs.