Tories plan massive protest against nationalization threat
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FROM OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT THE LONG-AWAITED Transport Bill, which will be heralded by a spate of White Papers in the autumn, looks like touching off the most bitter fight since Labour came to power in 1964.
Shadow Transport Minister Mr. Peter Walker (Worcester) last weekend gave notice that the battle against what he believes to be the nationalization of road haulage, buses and ports would be fought both inside Parliament and in the towns and cities affected.
Speaking at a Party conference in Stratford-on-Avon, he said Mrs. Barbara Castle would soon be shown to be "a paper doll that the Left Wing can call their own".
The Tories would draw the attention of every commercial undertaking to the dangers facing the efficient movement of freight, and Mr. Walker's team of Tory transport MPs intended "to organize meetings and protests in every town whose bus services and ports are threatened".
Mr. Walker said the Minister's plans to bring the major bus companies of the country into public ownership were now known. Startling proposals had been made to the local authorities in the major conurbations, in which she had stated her intention to create PTAs not only to operate all of the bus companies, but have complete power over stage and express bus service tours and excursions, buses and coaches on hire to private concerns, taxi services, ferries and hire cars (CM, last week).
In addition, the Authorities would be encouraged to go into the catering, bookstall and motor repair businesses.
Mr. Walker said a third of the people controlling an Authority would be nominated directly by the Minister and two-thirds nominated by local authorities in the conurbation areas—but even the local nominations would be subject to her personal approval.
He added: "A conurbation where 60 per cent of the local authorities are Torycontrolled could find itself with a Socialistdominated PTA. These proposals will result in higher fares, higher rates and less efficient services".
On road haulage, Mr. Walker said nationalization was to be achieved through the NFO which, with taxpayers' subsidies, would undercut the private haulier and buy up private firms at knock-out prices.
He also attacked proposals, outlined by the Minister last week, to nationalize more than 70 ports and docks—those where foreign trade exceeds 100,000 tons a year.