Thugs and unions
From Professor Antony Flew Sir: In the last fortnight there has been a lot of publicity about attacks by thugs on London busmen. Mr Jack Jones, in particular, has been reported as urging the Home Secretary and others to ensure better police protection and to encourage the courts to treat those convicted of such attacks more severely. Mr Jones and other union leaders have also asked members of the public to come to the aid of bus crews who are thus attacked by hooligans and toughs.
All this is wholly right, proper, and to all true supporters of law 'and order welcome. But I have not seen questions to Mr Jones in the press, nor heard any from interviewers in radio or television, asking how he and other leaders of the TUC reconcile all this with their simultaneous demand for gentler treatment of those two convicted at Shrewsbury. That ugly pair not only attacked building workers but conspired with others so to do. Such questions ought to have been put, even if, indeed because, it is quite obvious what the honest answer would be.
The public should never be allowed to forget that for the majority of today's trades union leaders, and for too many of their parliamentary creatures, assault and intimidation are perfectly tolerable, or at worst venial, so long as the assault and intimidation is carried out by 'flying pickets' enforcing the will of militant trades unions.
Antony Flew 26 Alexandra Road, Reading.
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