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Journal of Parapolitics Lobster 96 Is Edited and Published by Lobster Individual Issues: Stephen Doml

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Journal of Parapolitics Lobster 96 Is Edited and Published by Lobster Individual Issues: Stephen Doml THE COMMUNIST PARTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 16 King Street. London, W.C.2. Telephone : TEMplr Bar 2151.55 Secrersq : H. Pollin Teleg<am, e: Communel Rend London London DZs-krict . Dear Betty, Will you check for me what is known about a man called Fred Ga~nseywho was a bricklayer and a member in Battersea. Could the Battersea comrades be asked why he left the Party and anything they may how about him and his personal contacts. Yours frat ernally, STALINISTS SPYING ON THE LEFT BANKS: THE MONEY FOUNTAIN JOHN NEWMAN AND JFK SCOTTGATE Journal of Parapolitics Lobster 96 is edited and published by Lobster individual issues: Stephen Doml. 62.50 (inc p&p) 135 School Street Lobster subscriptions (forfour issues): Netherthong E8.00 (inc pGp) Holmfirth West Yorkshire Please indicate from which Issue No you HD72YB wish your subscribtion to start Tel: 01484 681388 Cheques payable to S Doml October 1996 Lobster Europe f 10.00 Lobster USICanadalEurope: 612.00 Cash (dollars accepted), International money orders, cheques drawn on UK bank (foreign cheques cost too much to convert into Sterling). LOBSTER SPECIAL OFFER I PAPERBACK COPY OF 1 SMEAR! WILSON AND THE SECRET STATE Stephen DowillRobin Ramsay £5.00 inc P&P 1 CHEQUES PAYABLE TO S DORRlL Ibc ssrociarion of radical and rlleroative pubiisbcrr 87 Kirksfall Road London S WZ 4HE Independent News Collective Lobster is a member of INK, o loose ossociotio17 of inc/ependent ond olternotive puhlicotions which co-operafe on distribtttion ondpttb/icit.y matters. INK Ioztnches oflcially in November wit??a joint s~tbscl-Q)tior?ofler, o website, ond the puhlica~ionofopilot list ofnewsagents wlzo stock at least hilo INK titles ond corly lhe INK logo. Lobster 96 Page 2 In the 1950s, a network of dedicated In 1951 a young man called Ian, from acted as spies in the labour movement informers secretly kept tabs on the Left in Wavertreein Liverpool,wrote to a comrade since the pre-war days. Such activities Britain. They weren't working for the called Vic about the Labour League of can and must be rooted out in this as in Special Branch, MI5 or the CIA. Their Youth(LLY) on Merseyside: other countries . .'3 instructions came from the Central Organisation Department of the British "I am now on a personal friendly basis The Trotskyists and "Titoites" of Communist Party. with members of the LLY from at least five Merseyside weren't the only cause for different branches on Merseyside - you concern. In 1953 the Teeside district Charlie Potiins know, to the extent that I am going round secretary reported coming across an to the sec. of one of the branches next organisation called Common Cause in Tuesday for tea and we are then having (at West Hartlepool.4 He enclosed a his request) a long talk about the past and duplicated bulletin it had produced for a present policies of the CP. .' meeting on "Stalin's fascist imperialism", denouncing the Communist Party as "a "Ofthesebranches, Birkenheadand Walton treacherous conspiracy". are completely dominated by the Trotsky organisation together with unorganised Advertised speakers included Rupert Speir, Titoist elements. While Bootle, Princes Park theTory MP for Hexham, and "C.A.Smith, are run by Catholic Action and the MA, PhD, BSc (Econ.)", whom it mentioned Trotskyite groupings are confined to only had been "Dux prizewinner at the local one or two members, Wavertree LLY is run secondary school', rowed for King's by the very reactionary Labour College, Newcastle, graduated in constituency party and it isvery difficult to philosophy, become national chairman of carry on discussions.' the ILP, and was now general secretary of Common Cause, "the new non-party anti- lanestimated that Birkenhead, Walton and communist organisation.'5 Bootle had up to 28 members apiece. He described their "pseudo-Marxist education' "There is nothing very much for us to add. and activities, and named names. On . .', the Central Organisation Department Bootle: "The Trotskyite responsible for the (aka Betty Reid) replied, "C.A. Smith has a Trotskyite fraction for work in this branch long record of Trotskyist activities and is a is Bill Fletcher, who is I believe incidentally bitter anti-Soviet propagandist. .'6 a renegade from the YCL'. On 1 January 1954 the Holiday Friendship "TheTrotskyitegroupcontrols the ""Rally' Service advertised in "Tribune' offering the organ of Birkenhead LLY having at trips in Bulgaria and the Russian zone of least four out the seven members of the ~ustria.Communist Party members were editorial board - those members being . asked to lookinto this. Oneof themdutifully .(gives names). ... The editor Alan Giles is attended a meeting in Swansea, where "a however not I think a Trotskyist but is a youngwomancalled Misssmith, ageabout Titoist who gets most of his line from 25, a most unnatural manner," "come Yugoslav Fortnightly and the Anglo- hither"" eyes' answered questions and Yugoslav Friendship. 1 discussed arrangements for holidays in Bulgaria. The report was forwarded to "Titoism" was a serious charge. Laszlo headquarters by Bill Alexander, of the Rajk, Hungarian Communist Party leader Welsh district committee, which was and Spanish Civil War veteran, had been thanked for being first to respond to the executed as a "Titoist'in 1949. The British Party's request.7Phil Piratin, former Communist Party published "Tito's Plot Communist MP for Mile End, wrote to Against Europe' (1950), by Derek Kartun, Peter Kerrigan (CP industrial organiser) and James Klugman's "From Trotsky to about a man called C.Ford who was Tito" (1951).Konni Zilliacus, MP, expelled working for the Amalgamated Engineering by Labour as a "fellow-traveller", had Union: "At a talk hegave to an organisation written for R.Palme-Dutt's Labour recently where he expressed quite Monthly, and his book Dragon's Teeth was reactionary views, he also mentioned that recommended by it in July 1949. In the he had contacts incountries likeYugoslavia December 1949 issue Ivor Montagu and Bulgaria. Hesaid that hewas arranging attacked Zilliacus for siding with the a holiday visit to Bulgaria this year. That is Yugoslavs, and during the 1952 Prague all theinformation I have. It may bethat he trials theGateshead MP was denounced as is connected with one of the-friendship an "imperialist agent", "one of the most organisations, in which case the sooner experienced agents in British intelIigenceU.2 they get to know about him the better.'8 CzechCP general secretary Rudolf Slansky On 11April 1954 theMovement for Colonial and his co-defendents were "found guilty Freedom was formed. A five-page report of spying and sabotage for the US and its for the Communist Party detailed its aims, satellites,' wrote Monty Johnstone in the officers, and sponsors, who included Tony Young Communist League's monthly, Benn, Sir Richard Acland, Walter Padley Challenge. "Many were shown to have MP, Reverend Donald Soper, Cannon Lobster 96 Page 3 Collins, DameSybil Thorndyke, and among Labour Party and fight for their policy the names involved had to be checked out. union leaders, Bob Edwards, Jack Stanley within its ranks'. On4 June 1954, Reid asked Betty Matthews and. Jim Mortimer. Femer Brockway was of London District Committee: "Will you elected chairman, and the council included In a Sunday newspaper article defending check for me what is known about a man Jennie Lee, Leslie Plummer, Tony Bern the refusal of political asylum to an called Fred Garnsey who was a bricklayer and Canon Collins. American professor, Dr. Cort, Home and a member in Battersea. Could the Secretary Herbert Morrison remarked that Battersea comrades be asked why he left Claiming the support for the colonial Labour had refused to admit Leon Trotsky the Party and anything they may know peoples was "a tribute to the stimulating in 1930, out of considerationfor its relations about him and his personal contacts." effect of the Daily Worker and the activity with theSoviet Government. Michael Foot, of the ~ornmunistParty, 'the report adds: writing in Tribune, asked: 'What in J. Evans of Battersea responded tersely: "However, this new movement has no clear heaven's name is the National Executive "Garnsey is over 70 years of age, secretary policy on the nature of the common fight trying to achieve by this rigmarole? Are of AUBTW branch. All his contacts are r with the colonial peoples, and there are they attempting toappease the NKVDand wing and Trotskyite sympathisers like ex- extremely dubious elements in the theun-American Activities Committeeby CP Alf Loughton (Trot),JE Lanejnr,Trotor leadership."9 the same single act?'. 11 Trot sympathy, J.Wix Trot. Don't even know he was ever in Party."l5 This sour note may have been induced by On May Day 1954 someone sat down to the prominence of former ILP members pen a "Report on Trots' quoting an Dennis Goodwin reported on a worker like Brockway, Bob Edwards, Walter interview with Ron Halverson, in Enfield, called Brace. Padley and Dick Beech. Jack Stanley, leader and information from "Doug M.' in south of the Constructional Engineering Union, London,, and "Mac.' in north-west London. "Dear Betty, was working with the Trotskyists on the Dealing with various AEU stewards and editorial board of "Socialist Outlook". A Labour councillors associated with Regarding Brace, according to our "Socialist Outlook" meeting at Holbom "Socialist Outlook", it also noted in comrades this man was associated for a Hall on Sunday, 19 October, 1952, at which passing:"The congress delegatefromNeath considerable period with the Anarchists the main speakers were editor John who was put up by a friend of Doug's and was a member of the Central No.1 Lawrence and Gerry Healy, was thesubject alleged that Homer was losing influence branch of the ETU.
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