Goods transport in the arena
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FROM OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
AFTER 18 months of uneasy peace, private goods transport has landed up in the political arena with a bang. And Socialist policy which, though ill-defined, was vaguely predictable up to a few weeks ago, could now take a nasty turn.
The soft approach to Labour policy, which might have paid off tinder Mr. Fraser, obviously is no longer applicable to the mood of fiery Mrs. Castle. Warnings to the industry to stand up and be prepared are now being made with increasing urgency.
The trouble appears to have started with the RHA's stand over rate increases. Whether it was the cause of the present situation, or merely a peg on which to hang a Socialist attack, may never be known. But the attack is being made, in a strong and publicly persuasive way.
The White Paper on Transport is now imminent, and the Conservative Party, fearing the worst, has gone over to the attack after a long period of silence.
Following Mr. Peter Walker's defence of the industry over the fierce row on rates, the Tory Shadow Transport Minister has now issued a solemn warning to the industry and its friends to beware the policy of the "dedicated Left-winger who presides over transport policy".
This second warning came after a transport question interlude in the Commons last week, when Mrs. Castle said that she hoped Labour's tax policy would enable nic acquisitions "to continue on an everwidening scale".
It may have been a slip of the tongue. She may not have meant to imply that taxation was directly aimed at easing and cheapening State take-over bids. But her answer led Tories to believe that, at the very least, she would not argue against a Chancellor whose taxes assisted this policy.
In an immediate statement, Mr. Walker said this was one of the most discreditable revelations ever made by a Cabinet Minister. She had openly stated, he said, that instead of road haulage nationalization taking place on proper terms of compensation, the policy of the Government was now to impose penal taxation on the haulier, and thus force him to dispose of his business at low prices to the nationalized sector.
"Let every free-enterprise haulier and every user of transport who appreciates the efficiency and competitiveness of freeenterprise haulage beware of the implications of the policy revealed", he said.
"Conservatives pledge to fight every attempt by Mrs. Castle to undermine free enterprise and the road hauliers."
The Conservative Party has thus taken up its stand. But it must be said that at Westminster there are some transport-conscious Tories who have doubts about the cohesion of what they are pledged to defend.
Can the hauliers rally round the RHA ? Is the industry as badly organized as its latest brush with Mrs. Castle seems to indicate? If a fight comes, will the Conservative spark light a blaze?
Tory MPs would welcome any sign that the forces are grouping to meet Mrs. Castle—who after all may only be testing the strength of the opposition. It is clear that Mr. Walker, at least, feels the time for militancy has arrived.