Solidarity and the Left
Sir: In his review of The Polish Revolution (10 December), Nikolai Tolstoy properly took to task several representatives of British trade unions, anti-nuclear spokesmen and others, who have shown lukewarm support for Polish Solidarity. That the British Left have shown a lamen- table attitude towards Solidarity generally is undeniable. However, its only right that
this recognition of what is largely true should be corrected when those who have demonstrated such misunderstanding take steps in the right direction.
Thus on 10 November this year — exactly a month before Mr Tolstoy's review — the TUC issued a statement which re-affirmed its support for Solidarity, signed by Len Murray, one of the figures Mr Tolstoy castigated. Len Murray took the opportuni- ty of publicly stating that 'the [Polish] authorities broke their word... The TUC is appalled that show-trials are now being mounted against freely-elected trade union representatives in Poland. We call on the Polish authorities to release all the Solidari- ty prisoners and in particular the eleven top Solidarity leaders and advisers detained without trial since December 1981. That could provide a basis for the talks between the authorities and Solidarity represen- tatives which the Polish nation badly needs.'
If we are to expect the British Left and trade union leaders to behave decently and with integrity, then we should make sure that falsifications don't become elevated in- to the rank of widely accepted truth.
Gary Mead
12 Brook Street, Lincoln
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