Difference between revisions of "The Clandestine Caucus"
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Part 1 | Part 1 | ||
| − | ==Clearing the ground: the unions, socialism and the | + | ==Clearing the ground: the unions, socialism and the state== |
| − | state== | ||
A surprising number of Labour Party members believe | A surprising number of Labour Party members believe | ||
| Line 460: | Line 459: | ||
| − | Labour | + | Labour Attaches |
Another weapon in the post-war US armoury was the | Another weapon in the post-war US armoury was the | ||
| − | Labour | + | Labour Attache programme which was established towards |
the end of the war. In the words of one its creators, | the end of the war. In the words of one its creators, | ||
| − | Philip Kaiser, 'the labor | + | Philip Kaiser, 'the labor attache is expected to |
develop contacts with key leaders in the trade union | develop contacts with key leaders in the trade union | ||
movement, and to influence their thinking and | movement, and to influence their thinking and | ||
decisions in directions compatible with American | decisions in directions compatible with American | ||
goals....' (Emphasis added)(37) The first Labour | goals....' (Emphasis added)(37) The first Labour | ||
| − | + | Attache in London was Sam Berger, who, in the words of | |
Denis Healey, | Denis Healey, | ||
| Line 516: | Line 515: | ||
The US post-war penetration of the British Labour | The US post-war penetration of the British Labour | ||
Party and wider trade union movement climaxes with Joe | Party and wider trade union movement climaxes with Joe | ||
| − | Godson, who was Labour | + | Godson, who was Labour Attache in London from 1953-59. |
Godson became very close to the Labour Party leader | Godson became very close to the Labour Party leader | ||
Hugh Gaitskell - to the point where Gaitskell and | Hugh Gaitskell - to the point where Gaitskell and | ||
| Line 524: | Line 523: | ||
Party to discuss the expulsion of Bevan, Gaitskell | Party to discuss the expulsion of Bevan, Gaitskell | ||
recorded how he 'drove to the Russell Hotel, where I | recorded how he 'drove to the Russell Hotel, where I | ||
| − | saw Sam Watson with Joe Godson, the Labour | + | saw Sam Watson with Joe Godson, the Labour Attache at |
the American Embassy.'(41) | the American Embassy.'(41) | ||
The leader of the Labour Party is discussing Executive | The leader of the Labour Party is discussing Executive | ||
| − | Committee tactics with the US Labour | + | Committee tactics with the US Labour Attache! This is |
one of the dividing lines of this essay. You either | one of the dividing lines of this essay. You either | ||
think is this unexceptional, uninteresting - even a | think is this unexceptional, uninteresting - even a | ||
| Line 540: | Line 539: | ||
'Godson, Sam Watson's close friend....thanks to his | 'Godson, Sam Watson's close friend....thanks to his | ||
| − | trade union post was, like many labour | + | trade union post was, like many labour attaches, seen |
as representing his country's workers rather than its | as representing his country's workers rather than its | ||
government. But Gaitskell came in time to feel that he | government. But Gaitskell came in time to feel that he | ||
| Line 547: | Line 546: | ||
It may even be more complex than this for there is | It may even be more complex than this for there is | ||
| − | evidence that the Labour | + | evidence that the Labour Attache posts have been used |
as cover by the CIA. Jonathan Kwitney of the Wall | as cover by the CIA. Jonathan Kwitney of the Wall | ||
Street Journal tracked down one Paul Sakwa, who told | Street Journal tracked down one Paul Sakwa, who told | ||
| Line 556: | Line 555: | ||
From being Brown's case officer in Washington, Sakwa | From being Brown's case officer in Washington, Sakwa | ||
went on to a post under cover as the Assistant Labour | went on to a post under cover as the Assistant Labour | ||
| − | + | Attache at the US embassy in Brussels.(43) | |
It was about the CIA - but not just them. The CIA was | It was about the CIA - but not just them. The CIA was | ||
only one of many agencies working in Britain in the | only one of many agencies working in Britain in the | ||
| − | post-war years. Labour | + | post-war years. Labour Attaches reported, formally |
anyway, to the State Department. In the end, would it | anyway, to the State Department. In the end, would it | ||
make any difference to know that Joe Godson had really | make any difference to know that Joe Godson had really | ||
| Line 599: | Line 598: | ||
plan's complement.' Pisani p. 70. | plan's complement.' Pisani p. 70. | ||
36. Ibid. p. 67 | 36. Ibid. p. 67 | ||
| − | 37. Kaiser p. 113 'The labor | + | 37. Kaiser p. 113 'The labor attache...had...an |
unusual opportunity to enhance American influence | unusual opportunity to enhance American influence | ||
among individuals and institutions that historically | among individuals and institutions that historically | ||
| Line 639: | Line 638: | ||
Campaign of 1949/50, against the possibility of the | Campaign of 1949/50, against the possibility of the | ||
nationalisation of the sugar industry, spent an | nationalisation of the sugar industry, spent an | ||
| − | estimated | + | estimated ,000 in that year.(44) The campaign had |
been jointly organised by the sugar company, Tate and | been jointly organised by the sugar company, Tate and | ||
Lyle, and Aims of Industry, an anti-socialist pressure | Lyle, and Aims of Industry, an anti-socialist pressure | ||
| Line 657: | Line 656: | ||
blanketing the industrial sections of Britain. For the | blanketing the industrial sections of Britain. For the | ||
fiscal year 1949-50 expenditures were budgeted for an | fiscal year 1949-50 expenditures were budgeted for an | ||
| − | an additional anticipated income of | + | an additional anticipated income of ,000'.(48) The |
pre-war tradition, discussed below, of newspapers | pre-war tradition, discussed below, of newspapers | ||
reprinting anti-left briefings from Conservative Party | reprinting anti-left briefings from Conservative Party | ||
| Line 663: | Line 662: | ||
Aims estimated that they had gained 93,178 | Aims estimated that they had gained 93,178 | ||
column-inches of editorial space in 1949, worth over | column-inches of editorial space in 1949, worth over | ||
| − | + | ,800,000.(49) In the first six months of 1949 Aims | |
claims to have had 41 radio broadcasts on the Home or | claims to have had 41 radio broadcasts on the Home or | ||
Light programmes of the BBC; and just before the | Light programmes of the BBC; and just before the | ||
| Line 717: | Line 716: | ||
receipt of industrial subscriptions'. | receipt of industrial subscriptions'. | ||
| − | With a budget of | + | With a budget of ,000 a year - about what, |
million in today's money? - Walton's 'information | million in today's money? - Walton's 'information | ||
service' was supplied with information by the Special | service' was supplied with information by the Special | ||
| Line 737: | Line 736: | ||
Propaganda and Sydney Walton.(59) After 1922, this | Propaganda and Sydney Walton.(59) After 1922, this | ||
network had largely been abandoned, and Middlemas | network had largely been abandoned, and Middlemas | ||
| − | makes the point that while Walton spent over | + | makes the point that while Walton spent over ,000 |
in the first six months of the 1926 General Strike, | in the first six months of the 1926 General Strike, | ||
this was spent on publicity, advertising and speakers | this was spent on publicity, advertising and speakers | ||
| Line 1,067: | Line 1,066: | ||
Common Cause. The American group was formed in January | Common Cause. The American group was formed in January | ||
1947 as Common Cause Incorporated, by Mrs Natalie | 1947 as Common Cause Incorporated, by Mrs Natalie | ||
| − | Wales Latham ( | + | Wales Latham (nee Paine). Among the great and the good |
on its letterhead National Council were Adolph Berle | on its letterhead National Council were Adolph Berle | ||
Jnr, Max Eastman, Sumner Welles and Hodding Carter. | Jnr, Max Eastman, Sumner Welles and Hodding Carter. | ||
| Line 1,287: | Line 1,286: | ||
tittle-tattle. I'm convinced that there was input into | tittle-tattle. I'm convinced that there was input into | ||
them from government sources and from at least a | them from government sources and from at least a | ||
| − | couple of Labour | + | couple of Labour Attaches at the United States embassy |
who were close to some of our trade union leaders, | who were close to some of our trade union leaders, | ||
notably Sam Watson.'(105) | notably Sam Watson.'(105) | ||
| Line 1,365: | Line 1,364: | ||
money.(113) SIS had been using agents from Bandera's | money.(113) SIS had been using agents from Bandera's | ||
OUN in Ukraine and from NTS.(114) Some time later that | OUN in Ukraine and from NTS.(114) Some time later that | ||
| − | year, SIS gave up all its | + | year, SIS gave up all its emigre groups and in |
February 1956 SIS handed over control of NTS to the | February 1956 SIS handed over control of NTS to the | ||
CIA.(115) What follows is what I surmise happened but | CIA.(115) What follows is what I surmise happened but | ||
| Line 1,771: | Line 1,770: | ||
a visit to Companies House whose register shows that | a visit to Companies House whose register shows that | ||
in recent years Socialist Commentary has been drawing | in recent years Socialist Commentary has been drawing | ||
| − | on a capital reserve of over | + | on a capital reserve of over .000.'(18) (Healey was |
apparently also unaware that Sol Levitas was also | apparently also unaware that Sol Levitas was also | ||
taking the CIA shilling.) | taking the CIA shilling.) | ||
| Line 1,844: | Line 1,843: | ||
running the operations.) Looking at the networking of | running the operations.) Looking at the networking of | ||
the social democrats in the these post-war years, the | the social democrats in the these post-war years, the | ||
| − | intimacy between US labour | + | intimacy between US labour attache, Joe Godson, and |
Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell, which once looked so | Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell, which once looked so | ||
extraordinary, now looks less some awful aberration - | extraordinary, now looks less some awful aberration - | ||
| Line 2,246: | Line 2,245: | ||
trip after the Suez crisis. Fletcher in Agee, Dirty | trip after the Suez crisis. Fletcher in Agee, Dirty | ||
Work p. 195 | Work p. 195 | ||
| − | 18. Hirsch and Fletcher p. 67. This | + | 18. Hirsch and Fletcher p. 67. This ,000 must be be |
'the small capital grant (a modest bequest) on which | 'the small capital grant (a modest bequest) on which | ||
it had so far survived' in the account of Desai. | it had so far survived' in the account of Desai. | ||
| Line 2,253: | Line 2,252: | ||
operated on a shoestring budget which had to be | operated on a shoestring budget which had to be | ||
supplemented by the dedication and persuasive power of | supplemented by the dedication and persuasive power of | ||
| − | Rita Hinden, its editor for most of its life'. | + | Rita Hinden, its editor for most of its life'. ,000 |
was a lot of money in the mid 1970s when Fletcher | was a lot of money in the mid 1970s when Fletcher | ||
found this out. The accounts of Socialist Commentary | found this out. The accounts of Socialist Commentary | ||
| Line 2,521: | Line 2,520: | ||
Also reappearing in this period was the some time US | Also reappearing in this period was the some time US | ||
| − | Labour | + | Labour Attache to Britain, Joseph Godson who, though |
formally retired, had returned to the UK in 1971 and | formally retired, had returned to the UK in 1971 and | ||
| − | continued with his labour | + | continued with his labour attache work - pushing out |
US views and interests among the British trade union | US views and interests among the British trade union | ||
movement, and selecting trade unionists for freebies | movement, and selecting trade unionists for freebies | ||
| Line 2,880: | Line 2,879: | ||
111. On 14 October 1975 Tony Benn records in his | 111. On 14 October 1975 Tony Benn records in his | ||
diary: 'Robert Kilroy-Silk, Labour MP for Ormskirk, | diary: 'Robert Kilroy-Silk, Labour MP for Ormskirk, | ||
| − | told me that | + | told me that million had been left unspent by the |
pro-Market lobby and it was a fund of which the | pro-Market lobby and it was a fund of which the | ||
trustees were Heath, Thorpe and Jenkins....the rumour | trustees were Heath, Thorpe and Jenkins....the rumour | ||