[Militant, No. 196, 8th March 1974, p. 2]
By Lynn Walsh
(Manchester Ardwick CLP)
Last Saturday Clay Cross Labour councillors, with the help of enthusiastic contingents of helpers from many areas, received a massive vote of confidence for their policy of complete refusal to implement the Housing Finance Act.
10 out of 11 Labour candidates were elected against the so-called “Residents Association” opposition. The result of this election, made necessary by Lord Denning’s barring from office of the 11 Labour Councillors who had previously refused to implement the Act was a complete vindication of their policies.
It should prove to Lord Denning that the Labour councillors have the backing of a big majority of the people of Clay Cross.
The poll was a record 71.5%. The elected Labour councillors received more votes than any previous Clay Cross councillors.
The commitment of the residents of Clay Cross to vote “solid Labour” was shown by the care with which they picked out the Labour candidates from a list of 23 candidates in small print on a ballot paper that looked like a football coupon.
The one Labour candidate who failed to get elected was only defeated by 2 votes. Labour’s success in Clay Cross once again shows what could be done in the Labour strongholds in the big cities if there was the same determination to fight. The enthusiasm which this fight has aroused could be seen by the help which came pouring in for this crucial election.
Over 200 came in with cars, loudspeakers etc from Birmingham, Leceister, Altringham, Manchester, Royton, Kirkby and other areas, the majority of them members of the LYPS and supporters of the Militant.
Members of the local party did sterling work keeping them all supplied with tea and sandwiches in between systematic and frequent knocking-ups.
This superabundance of help made sure that the so-called “Residents’ Association” was decisively defeated. This organisation, which claimed to represent all the residents and attacked the unparalleled record of Clay Cross Council in providing housing and social services, is in reality the Tory Party in disguise and has, as you might expect, received financial backing from local and national business interests.
But it was the Residents’ Association, not Clay Cross Labour Council, that turned out to be the “laughing stock of the country” as they put it in their election address. Their defeat was also materially assisted by letters from Mr Skillington, the Tories’ Housing Commissioner which arrived on general election day, saying that council rents would be increased by over 100%, rubbing in the real meaning of the Housing Finance Act.
Unfortunately, the fight is not yet won. The new Labour Council has instructed the officials not to co-operate with the Commissioner in any way. But on 1st April the new Chesterfield District Council will take over from Clay Cross UDC. To their shame the Chesterfield District Labour group have not backed up Clay Cross Council. On the same day that the Clay Cross 11 got their vote of confidence, the Chesterfield District Council voted 33-8 to implement the Housing Finance Act – in other words to do Mr Skillington’s work for him.
The Chesterfield Labour group took this decision without any consultation with the Clay Cross Labour councillors or Labour Party.
This situation makes it vital that the Labour Movement gives maximum support to Clay Cross. On 14th March Councillor John Dunn is standing against a Residents’ Association candidate for the new County Council. On 16th March, six of the Clay Cross 11 are standing for the Chesterfield District Council. It goes without saying that it is vital that these seats are decisively won for Labour. Clay Cross would again welcome all possible assistance on the 14th and especially on the 16th March.
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