Kill the Bill 1974 to 2021: Birmingham action

Bob Whitehead reports: Fifty years ago, the Tory Government passed the Industrial Relations Act, a full-frontal attack on the trade union movement. However, it was met with mass resistance and defiance, including a mass strike and a mass demonstration in London.

Most trade unions defied the provisions of the act and five individual members were later imprisoned in Pentonville jail because of their defiance. Such was the outcry and mobilisation against this jailing, the five dockers were released, and the act was effectively holed beneath the water line. The incoming Labour government of 1974 finally repealed the act.

Scrap the Poll Tax 1991

Thirty years ago, the Poll Tax was defeated and withdrawn, leading to its champion, PM Margaret Thatcher, being forced out of office. This full-frontal attack on poor working-class people was defeated because of mass mobilisation and defiance. There was widespread non-payment of the hated tax, so much so that the courts were clogged up with non-payers. In Birmingham City centre, there was a collective burning of the payment books.

There were rallies and demonstrations all over the country, beginning in Scotland where the Poll Tax was first trialled. The biggest demonstration, with up to 200,000 protestors in Whitehall, was charged by mounted police, leading to the Poll Tax ‘riot’.

However, they bit off more than they could chew, the protest was still going on next day. In the end, the Tory government threw the towel in.

N.B. It is worth recalling that the Labour Party opposed the campaign, even when one of its own MPs was jailed for non-payment.

Kill the Bill 2021

So here we are again, with the Tory government proposing draconian repressive legislation, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. The lesson of the two above examples of success shows that mass resistance and defiance is the way to win. The Tories have been defeated before and they can be defeated again.

(It is an interesting and important question by the way of why the gigantic movement against the US/UK Bush and Blair invasion of Iraq in 2003 was, nearly but in the end, not successful, leading to the tragic consequences in the region that are still being felt today).

Things have gotten off to a good start with Kill the Bill 2021, with demonstrations breaking out all around the country. After the Clapham Common outrage, the Labour Party switched from abstention to opposition in the first vote in Parliament, and the demonstrations are continuing.

The second one in Birmingham city centre yesterday was bigger than the first one two weeks ago, and this time there was a noisy and militant demonstration around town, that seemed to be never-ending. This followed many powerful speeches in Victoria Square, and of course the XR Samba band.

The police kept a low profile which was prudent. After the series of horror stories about the police in recent weeks, the anger amongst the marchers was palpable. An unwise move by the police could have set things off. That policy appears to be the case elsewhere and this is welcome.

However, it would also be unwise to underestimate the viciousness and mendacity of this government, the campaign will have to grow further. In particular, it would be good to have MPs and Councillors at the next event, as well as more of a trade union presence.