WRP general secretary Frank Sweeney yesterday condemned the ‘attempt of the NATO gangsters to murder the Libyan leadership headed by Colonel Gadaffi.’
He called them ‘child killers’, and pointed out that the ‘British ruling class is trying to steal Libya’s oil at the same time as they are trying to smash the British workers’ welfare state and drive the working class back to the hunger and poverty of the 1930s.’
He added, the ‘Libyan and British workers have a common enemy, British imperialism.’
Sweeney continued: ‘The enemy is at home’ adding that ‘The trade unions in this country must take general strike action to bring down the Tory-led coalition to stop this war on the Libyan people and the UK workers.
‘British capitalism and imperialism must be got rid of through a socialist revolution.
‘The entire world will be a better place for it.’
Sweeney was speaking at the 100-strong WRP Rally after the London May Day march.
Earlier, over 10,000 workers and youth had marched from Clerkenwell Green to Trafalgar Square.
Led by the slogan ‘For Trade Union Rights, Human Rights, International Solidarity’ on the lead banner of the London May Day organising committee, other trade union banners included POA Wandsworth, GMB Southern Region, RMT Finsbury Park, Unite Clerkenwell/St Pancras, TUC South East Region, Unite South London Busworkers, Newham NUT, and Equity North-East London, as well as several trades council banners.
Workers’ political parties and large delegations of Tamil workers from British Tamils Forum, who were marching against the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka, and Turkish and Kurdish workers’ parties marched as well.
A large and lively delegation from the Workers Revolutionary Party and Young Socialists shouted revolutionary slogans from start to finish.
These included: ‘Victory to Gadaffi! Imperialist troops out now!’ ‘Forward to a general strike!’
‘Workers, students youth unite! One struggle, one fight!’ ‘One state Palestine, from the river to the sea!’ ‘Low pay, no way! Youth are not slaves!’ ‘Capitalism is collapsing – socialism now!’ and ‘Occupy to stop closures! Defend the NHS!’ and ‘No privatisation – defend all services!’
Other banners included Justice for Sacked Gate Gourmet Workers and an ILO banner demanding ‘Decent pay for foreign domestic workers’.
Responding to news of the NATO murder of Colonel Gadaffi’s son and three grandchildren, POA Wandsworth Branch Secretary Stewart McLaughlan told News Line: ‘I don’t believe the UK should be in Libya.
‘The government cuts hospitals but money is available to attack Libya.
‘There is money for a war. Politicians never have to fight, only working-class soldiers.’
He said: ‘I am ex-services. We need industrial action to stop any invasion of Libya.’
Marissa Begonia, a Unite member on the Decent Jobs for Foreign Domestic Workers contingent, said: ‘The government is killing people here by closing hospitals and going to Libya to kill people there.
‘I think a general strike would force the UK government to stop the war.’
Dave Turnbull, the London regional officer of Unite, told News Line: ‘There are two issues for the foreign domestic workers: one is about work permits to allow them to change employers.
‘Previously, they were tied to one employer and subject to abuse, physical and mental, and had their passports retained.
‘The second issue is workers’ rights for health and safety, they are not servants.
‘We are demanding the UK government signs up to the ILO convention to address these issues.’
• Second news story
BRITISH RESIDENCE DESTROYED
The British ambassador’s residence in Tripoli was sacked by angry crowds yesterday.
This was the Libyan masses’ response to the brutal murder of Colonel Gadaffi’s youngest son and three of the Libyan leader’s grandchildren in a NATO air strike.
A UK Foreign Office spokeswoman said: ‘We are aware of reports that the British residence in Tripoli has been destroyed, and are currently investigating them.
‘We believe that other foreign residences have been attacked as well.’
Protests by angry crowds took place outside the US and Italian missions in the city. Smoke was seen rising from the Italian residence.
The UN said it is pulling out all its international staff from Tripoli, following damage to its own and foreign countries’ offices.
Asked on the Andrew Marr Show whether British bombs and British aircraft were involved in the attempt to kill Gadaffi, UK prime minister Cameron said he could not comment ‘on an unconfirmed report’.
Cameron was asked: ‘Do you think that Colonel Gadaffi and his family are legitimate targets?’
He replied that ‘I’m not going to give a running commentary on targeting policy.’
•Libya’s ambassador to the UK, Omar Jelban, is being expelled, UK foreign secretary William Hague announced yesterday afternoon.
Hague, who supports the attack on the Gadaffi household, said: ‘He is persona non grata pursuant to Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and has 24 hours to leave the country.’