Foot deplores Labour’s ‘wasted’ year of feuds

Press, 17 November 1981, Page 9

Foot deplores Labour’s ‘wasted’ year of feuds

NZPA London Labour leader, Michael Foot, yesterday conceded that the party had “wasted” the last year through internal feuding. And he said it would be "almost criminal” if the feuding continued for another year by way of another contest for the deputy leadership. But he rejected suggestions that there would soon be two Labour parties — his and one led by the radical Left-winger, Tony Benn. The party throughout the country was “sick to death” of feuds and wanted Labour to be an effective Opposition in the House of Commons, he said. Mr Foot was speaking in Glasgow on the 8.8. C. Scottish political programme, “Agenda.” He said: “I think we’ve wasted the past year. I think

it was wrong that we had a great contest for the deputy leadership. “I think that wasted a lot of our time and energies, and I only hope and trust and -believe that we’re not going to do the same thing again. “If we were to do anything like that again over 'this coming 12 months, in my opinion the responsibility that would fall on the Labour Party would be almost criminal — because we face the worst Government we’ve had in this century, which is inflicting appalling hardships on our people from one end of the country to the other.” In Commons debates last week Labour had a “magnificent” case against the Government on unemployment, North Sea oil, and economic policy. But it was all “poured down the drain," a reference to the row over Mr Benn's “no compensation” statement

in the oil nationalisation bate.Rejecting the’suggestion of two Labour’ parties, Mr Foot said: “I think I’ll get predominant support throughout the party for the view that I have expressed. The party throughout' the country is sick to death of these kinds of feuds and arguments. “They want to. .. see an effective Opposition’ Jin the House of Commons,; and the presenting ,of the possibility of an effective new government.” He admitted that as party leader he bore “partial responsibility” for Labour’s poor showing in opinion polls. But the polls showed it was still possible for Labour to win the next election with an over-all majority. “I want to see everybody in the party putting that priority in its proper place,” said Mr Foot.