Police election drive sparks row in U.K.

Press, 21 April 1979, Page 8

Police election drive sparks row in U.K.

NZPA London: The role of the British police in politics was expected to raise more controversy after the Police Federation on Thursday launched a £20,000 “law-and-order” newspaper campaign. All but one of the national newspapers carried large federation advertisements calling for stronger penalties for violent crime, tougher juvenile courts, and support for the police from the Government and members of Parliament in their efforts to maintain law and order. They follow the row over the article by the former London metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Robert Mark, which asserted that unions enjoyed more than a high degree of immunity from the law and compared the situation to that in Nazi Germany. Jim Jardine, chairman of

the Police Federation, the police “trade union,” dismissed any accusation that police were meddling in politics. “We just want to bring to the attention of the public and party candidates the importance of law and order.” He said that the police, as other people, were entitled to let their views be known. “We’re certainly not telling anybody which way to vote.” The open letter was in no way linked to Sir Robert Mark’s remarks. “We would have preferred our letter to have come out

pat some other time. It’s got' nothing to do with Sir Rob1 ert,” said Mr Jardine. Sir Robert, speaking from ■ ‘ his holiday hotel in Crete, ! said he had no intention of ' withdrawing one word of re- ’ marks which have caused a . storm among politicians and < 1 trade unionists. ‘ He said it was written for 1 the “Security Gazette” be- ; fore there was any thought • of an election and was sira-; - ply the view of “an elderly ’ pensioner.” c In the article, Sir Robert ' said that unions enjoyed more than a high degree of ' immunity from the law. “In any critical situation i • in which the law does not ■ support them, the Govern- < - ment of the day — their 1 partner or their puppet, ' according to your view — ' declares its intention to 1 change the law in their I . favour,” he added. ’ “It is not unlike the way

in which the National Socialist German Workers’ Party achieved unrestricted control of the German State between 1930 and 1938.” Sir Robert said that Labour was threatening the British way of life. “Socialism is changing the nature of our society irreversibly.” Sir Harold Wilson, the former Prime Minister, however, has said that Britain’s trade unions do not possess enough power — authority has been taken over by shop stewards. . Sir Harold, making his first intervention in the Gen-

ieral Election campaign, told! a Labour meeting in Wandsworth, in south-east London: “I totally disagree with Establishment opinion ... I do not agree that the trade unions are too powerful. In my view they are not powerful enough. “Too much of their authority has in fact been taken over by shop-floor power and by shop stewards. “If the Tories want to preach the doctrine of every man for himself, is it surprising that individual trade union branches or shop stewards say, ‘This means me—if there is to be a free-for-all I will be part of all’.” He went on: “What we saw last January (when a series of strikes crippled public services) was Toryism taking to the streets. “I am not defending it, but it was the extraordinary

consequence of the Tories chasing in on the resultant chaos of people listening to what they said.” Meanwhile, the Prime Minister (Mr James Callaghan) said that Britain’s jobless total had fallen again this month. He made the disclosure hours before publication of the official figures. M r Callaghan told Labour’s election news conference in London: “Unemployment is down again and I am content to let Labour’s case be judged on the facts and achievements.”