Davies works at General Motors in Luton and is the Communist League candidate in upcoming parliamentary elections in the United Kingdom. He is standing in the North Southwark and Bermondsey constituency in London.

The campaign is taking place in the midst of a deepening social crisis here, marked by breakdowns in the country's infrastructure, layoffs and plant closings that are forcing thousands out of work, racist assaults, and a growing nationalist chorus among the capitalist parties. Hand in hand with these attacks at home is the growing permanence of British military intervention abroad, from Yugoslavia to Iraq, and from Sierra Leone to northern Ireland.

"The effects of the crisis of world capitalism and the impossibility of the superwealthy rulers to offer any road forward for humanity other than increasing brutality, racism, attacks on wages and democratic rights, and war," Davies said, "are questions an increasing numbers of workers and farmers want to discuss and do something about. As a result, our campaign has gained a hearing for a fighting, working-class, and socialist alternative." The election is scheduled for June 7.

The Labour Party, headed by Prime Minister Anthony Blair, is expected to win a clear majority of seats after four years in office. In the last election in 1997 working people voted heavily for Labour, hoping to put behind them the years of assault from the previous Conservative governments. But instead, workers have had to face a continuation of those attacks, the communist candidate said. "This is leading to noticeably less enthusiasm for Labour and many working people are discussing what to do or beginning to take action in response to this assault.  
 
Strikes by rail workers
For example, Davies and his supporters will be joining picket lines of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), which is planning to strike June 4 and June 6 in protest of moves to turn part of the London Underground over to capitalist companies. "During the election period," said Davies, "these workers are showing that the fight by the unions, far from being over as the capitalist politicians would wish, is the key to defending safety on the job, wages, and working conditions." In addition, RMT members are striking on the South West Trains network for three days in May to stand up to moves by the bosses to weaken the union through imposing new work conditions on the rail workers.

A central part of Davies's campaign has been discussing with workers the importance of building an alliance with farmers in Britain who face the worse crisis in decades. On top of being gouged by sky-high fuel prices--including taxes on fuel--working farmers have been devastated by the impact of the government's policy of slaughtering livestock in response to the foot-and-mouth disease.

"Although the disease is not that harmful to humans and rarely kills animals, the government's mass slaughter policy is driven not by their desire to protect working farmers but the need to defend the profits of big agribusinesses," Davies said. Recently, the leading foot-and-mouth disease laboratory in the country reported that many animals identified in the field as having the highly contagious disease showed no signs of infection upon closer inspection. Some 2.5 million animals were killed by the government in a belated and disorganized drive to eradicate the disease once it was detected.

In response to a number of capitalist politicians claiming that farmers are making out like bandits on their compensation claims for farm animals killed, Davies urged working people to "reject every attempt to divide us, especially between those in the cities and the country. Far from greedy farmers being the problem, it is the capitalist monopolies and banks--and the government that stands behind them--that are the common enemy of workers and farmers. Farmers are being driven more deeply into debt and off the land. Workers have a stake in preventing the capitalists from driving into impoverishment and ruin any and all sections of exploited producers."  
 
Racist attacks
Davies and his campaign supporters joined 100 other protesters this past week for a third counterdemonstration against marches by the fascist National Front in the area where Davies is running for office. The main slogan raised by the fascists is "rights for whites," echoing some capitalist politicians and police who claim that today the main problem of racism is that of Blacks or immigrants directed against whites. The fascists also get wind in their sails from policies and statements by government officials, such as the drive spearheaded by Home Secretary Jack Straw to more than triple the number of deportations of workers from other countries seeking asylum in Britain.

Davies's campaign has been pointing to the growing struggles of workers and farmers around the world as an example of the allies that working people in the United Kingdom have. "The capitalist parties seek to block working people off from joining in a common struggle with our allies around the world by getting us to think in terms of 'our country' not 'our class,'" Davies said. "This also divides the working class right here in the United Kingdom, making it harder to wage a common struggle against the assault by the bosses and their government."

For example, Labour leader Anthony Blair said when he announced his campaign that he is seeking to make Britain stronger in relation to Europe and the world, bemoaning the fact that Britain was still not the leading nation "that our weight, prosperity and history demand." Conservative leader William Hague made his focus an appeal "to all those people who believe in an independent Britain," adding his party would "give you back your country."

Campaign supporters plan to join a May 27 march in Glasgow celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fight by Irish nationalists imprisoned in the British-occupied north of Ireland who went on a hunger strike demanding political status. "Ten prisoners died in this fight," Davies said, "but within a year their demands had been won; this fight helped turn the corner in the Irish freedom struggle. From then on London was pushed back and the confidence and determination of Irish nationalists has grown."

"This weakening of one part of the United Kingdom has helped fuel moves towards independence in Scotland and to a lesser extent in Wales too," said Davies. In 1999 London conceded a "devolved" parliament for Scotland and an assembly for Wales. This has begun to provoke a response by right-wing politicians who are promoting "English nationalism." For example, a new book by Conservative Member of Parliament Richard Body, titled England for the English, argues that "English" values are under attack.

The media has also commented on allegations by Conservative politician Norman Tebbit that devolution for Scotland has led to a rise of anti-English attacks there.

"The coming apart of the United Kingdom is a reflection of the historic decline of British imperialism," Davies said. "This means the enemy of workers and farmers at home--and of tens of millions around the world--is weaker than ever today. It hastens the day when the revolutionary struggles of working people can replace a government that represents only the exploiters with one of workers and farmers themselves."

Pete Clifford is a member of the Transport and General Workers' Union in London.  
 
 
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