big campaign against Reagan's visit to Britain smacked of anti-Americanism, you can now rest in peace. Latest US opinion polls give the thumbs-down to the American president in a Asked by Time magazine whether they thought Reagan should stand for a second term of office with only 37 per cent wishing he would. Further, some 35 per cent of the people interviewed felt their impression of the president had worsened since his election, and only half that number, 17 per cent, that it had improvEven in his own state of California, Reagan's popularity has nosedived. He has dropped an unprecedented 27 popularity points from 64 to 37 per Perhaps the greatest condemnation for Reagan in the opinion polls is the extent to which his 'guns not butter policies appear to be rejected by the electorate. As the State Department announced 10 million unemployed, Time magazine revealed that 48 per cent of those interviewed thought that military spending should be cut and only 23 per There was a clear two to one maioritv against tax cuts, which has been a favourite hobby horse of the right wing politicians over recent years. And some 71 per cent favoured an emphasis on arms reduction negotiations rather than increasing the No wonder Reagan is coming to Britain, he has WHEN in June, thousands of people missiles in Sicily.
Already a committee representing parties is preparing the demonstration.
The plan to site Cruise missiles in Sicily has already caused a furore in Italy. Last September 70,000 people marched to the NATO Southern Italy.
The missiles are clearly not aimed at the Soviet Union, but at the Middle East.
capacity to hit any target in the Middle East, the most likely target at present is Libya, which the Reagan administration bitterly opposes.
Following demonstration, peace groups, a vigorous campaign was against Cruise missiles workers' movement, Communist Party (PCI).
Sensing the changing mood, the PCI supported demonstration against the missiles last October in Rome, despite its position that Italy should not withdraw from NATO But the majority of the tens of thousands of PCI supporters who marched that day chanted slogans against NATO and against Reagan's policies in Whatever the PCI's wishes, the anti-missiles movement in Italy is taking an increasingly anti-imperialist Ronald Reagan visits started hundreds of Salvador, demonstration, pected to march in Rome against calling of a national demonstration in US policy in Central America and Milan in support of Solidarnosc.
members' peace groups, trade unions and political tioning and disputes over Poland cessful in defusing 30,000-strong headquarters Although they would give the US the an anti-imperialist character.
Just September's organised mainly by in the people of El Salvador. especially by the 300,000 strong the CGIL Reuben Zamora, the demonstration.
direction. revolutionary guerrillas.
The PCI's motives for calling the demonstration were not exactly innocent their El and fixed the date of the only one week after the They hope that by vigorously turning attention Central America, they will quieten down the ques The PCI leadership was partially sucsupport for the Solidarity demonstration, which few of their members attended Despite this negative side of the PCI campaign, the events in El Salvador and the rest of Central America will increasingly give the anti-missiles movement in Italy Britain, Germany and tens of thousands of workers in Italy will tell Reagan he is an 'undesirable element', unwanted in Europe.
On 13 March, 50,000 people marched in Bologna to support the struggle of the Although organised by the major trade union federations, the march wa inspired by the PCI, and addressed by its best known trade union leader, Llama of The rally was also addressed by vice-president of the Salvadorean FDR. Once again the PCI leadership was outflanked by the mass of While the trade union leaders called merely for peace and negotiations, many of the PCI rank and file, together with the Young Communists and the revoultionary left, called for the victory of the Sócialist Challenge 8 April 1982 pagò ›