Labour Lead 7 p.c. In U.K.

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32321, 12 June 1970, Page 11

Labour Lead 7 p.c. In U.K.

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright)

LONDON, June 11.

The political parties engaged in the British General Election campaign have been frustrated by the strike that has stilled the presses of nine national daily and two London evening papers. But an opinion poll which was to have been published in today's “Daily Express,” shows that the Labour Party, under attack from the Conservatives for its failure to stop similar industrial disputes, has not yet suffered. The poll shows Labour with a comfortable 7 per cent lead over the Tories, an increase of 2 per cent on the polls’ findings a week ago. This afternoon, the unions involved in the strike, includ-

ing the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (which represents 80 per cent of the 23,000 productive workers involved) and the Newspaper Publishers’ Association will have talks with Mr Victor Feather, secretary-general of the powerful Trades’ Union Congress, in an attempt to resolve the dispute. Both sides held separate meetings yesterday to plan their tactics for today’s meeting. But even if a settlement is reached today, the workers are unlikely to return to work before Sunday. However, more than 120 provincial daily and Sunday newspapers in Britain are not affected by the strike, now in its second day, and the Prime Minister (Mr Wilson) appears to have thrown in his lot with them. “The national press and television do not matter any more," he said yesterday. “It’s the local papers that are going to put us back in.” Mr Wilson told reporters that he believed both sides in the dispute had a genuine desire to bridge the gap between them.

The S.O.G.A.T. is pressing for a 25 per cent pay rise all round. The N.P.A. offers a 5 per cent cash bonus, and insists on dealing with all pro-

duction unions to avoid subsequent leapfrogging claims. The Conservative Party leader (Mr Edward Heath), who is on a campaign tour of Scotland, said yesterday that if the Government had kept to its original idea of reforming industrial relations, with “cooling off” periods for conciliation, the newspaper stoppage might never have taken place. The Australian newspaper magnate, Mr Rupert Murdoch, who is chairman of the organisation controlling “News Of The World” and the “Sun.” gave a warning yesterday that a great many British newspapers would go out of business if the S.O.G.A.T. claim was met in full. Mr Murdoch, who was addressing his company’s annual meeting, said that even the N.P.A.’s present offer would mean a cost rise of about £2m a year above increases already conceded and yet to come into effect.

Mr Wilson and his Government are facing a pay demand by National Health Service doctors, who are refusing to sign medical certificates for people wanting sick leave or compensation for illness. And the Bank of England has given a warning that the country’s present strong

balance-of-payments position —much vaunted by Mr Wilson in his campaign—is threatened by rapidly-rising wages and costs.

It said that if wages, and, therefore, prices, rose too fast, Britain might lose her competitiveness in international markets and price herself back into balance-of-payments problems.