Establishing an Alternative

In 1951, after six years of stringent economic controls under the Labor government of Clement Attlee, the Conservatives swept into power on a variant of an Old Testament exhortation: "Set the people free." Last week, as the Conservative Party met for its 84th annual convention in the seaside resort of Blackpool, the old slogan echoed again.

It was as timely as miniskirts. Even as the Tories were meeting, the Labor government of Prime Minister Harold Wilson announced the first two edicts under the new mandatory wage-price law, which places Britain under the severest economic controls in its peace time history.

In one decree, Economics Minister Michael Stewart ordered a large electrical-appliance maker not to pay 200 employees a 5% wage increase that had been negotiated before the freeze went into effect. In the other, he ordered London newspaper publishers to cease paying a two shilling (28-c-) per-week cost-of-living bonus to 25,000 printers and production workers. Since installments of the bonus had already been paid, deductions from future paychecks would be necessary in order to keep the wage standstill completely intact. The newspaper union was outraged. Said a spokesman: "The government sows the wind and will reap a whirlwind in due time."

The Tories certainly hoped so. "This is a great opportunity for us," said Conservative Leader Ted Heath to 4,000 cheering delegates at Blackpool. "The Tory Party has always been the party which enables people to live fruitfully in freedom." Other Tories rose to underscore Heath's claim, pledging to abolish the controls that the Laborites are imposing. They promised, for example, to denationalize the steel industry if the Labor government makes good its pledge to renationalize it. Similarly, the Tories vowed to repeal Wilson's Selective Employment Tax and rescind recent tax hikes. When and if the whirlwind does start blowing against the Labor government, Ted Heath and his party intend to take full advantage of it.

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