Special Branch Report on Anarchists, 1976

Anarchism and Neo-Anarchism

Anarchist groups in London remained generally quiet during the year, due partly to their inability to bridge the gap between ideology and any kind of effective action, and partly to their noticeable attempts over the past year to present a more respectable image. Anarchist ideas have suffered in reputation from the criminal activities of groups such as the Angry Brigade , and the Baader-Meinhof Group, and there are currently no personalities in the anarchist field of sufficient standing to persuade the present student generation that anarchist principles have any relevance to today's political problems.

Current anarchist thought can be divided into two factions; those who advocate 'libertarian communism', being a form of communism which emphasises personal liberty, and those who believe that anarchism and communism do not mix, preferring to rely on individual action to develop closer links with anarchists abroad. These elements are difficult to locate and assess in terms of strength, and they tend to operate in pressure groups such as claimants unions and squatter groups, where some of their revolutionary zeal is dissipated dealing with mundane domestic matters and associating with more moderate individuals. The largest anarchist group continues to be the Anarchist Workers Association, which adheres to the principle of 'libertarian communism'. Led by Ramsay MARGOLIS and Nicholas HEATH, the group numbers about 100 supporters and has six branches, two of which are in the Metropolis - namely the North London and South London branches, and efforts are currently being made to form a new West London group. Little public activity was forthcoming from the AWA during the year,: The AWA has also given its support to the Fare Fight Campaign, and currently publishes two papers, "Anarchist Worker" and the "Libertarian Communist Revue".

By comparison, the Anarchist Black Cross remains the most potentially dangerous of all anarchist factions, as it advocates individual acts of violence by its members. Led by Stuart CHRISTIE and Albert MELTZER, the group maintains links with anarchist movements abroad, and regularly publishes its monthly magazine, "Black Flag", which has a circulation of about 1,000 copies, although it boasts a "hard-core" of only 100 members. Outside London, the main area of support lies at Glasgow. Although the group's views do not usually manifest themselves in public protest, they have recently joined the Anarchist Workers Association in proclaiming support for the Murray Defence Group.

It is rare for anarchists to involve themselves in industrial disputes or trade union matters, but the one group with a particular interest in this field remains Big Flame, the revolutionary socialist group. Although the organisation does not owe allegiance to any particular subversive group, it has links with the International Socialists and the Workers Revolutionary Party, and as a constituent member of the Troops Out Movement attempted to challenge the trotskyist TOM leadership by reconstituting its London-Ireland Commission during August. Big Flame is known to favour a policy of Shop-floor agitation, leading to workers' control, and in this respect it has made a specific study of the Ford Motor Company at Dagenham. Throughout the year Big Flame has shown a steady increase in membership, and shows every sign of increasing its strength and influence amongst disaffected anarchists, although it does not, as yet, pose any particular public order problems in London.

The once fashionable pastime of squatting continues to receive attention from anarchists, although they are often pre-empted by more moderate people who view such activity as a temporary answer to the housing problem. Proposals announced during the year by the Law Commission to enact a new law concerning the offence of "criminal trespass" were predictably greeted with howls ofof "criminal trespass" were predictably greeted with howls of anguish from the left, leading to the resurrection of the hitherto virtually moribund Campaign Against a Criminal Trespass Law. Whilst the organisation is not thought to be a front for any extremist organisation, it has been gaining ground and is now supported by several trade unions, Members of Parliament and various law centres throughout the country. On 28 February approximately 1,600 supporters of CACTL staged a peaceful demonstration in Central London, which included Piers CORBYN, representing "Elgin Avenue Squatters". It is known that CACTL proposes to take some form of direct action if and when a law concerning criminal trespass is passed by Parliament; doubtless such action would be timed to coincide with the day on which any proposed legislation were to become law. Other anarchist groups which come to notice during the year included the Confederation of British Anarchists, which held its inaugural conference at Warwick University on 14 February. Its headquarters are located at the Freedom Collective, 84B Whitechapel High Street, El, premises which are also used by the Federation of London Anarchists, whose main activity recently has been to campaign on behalf of Noel and Marie MURRAY. The Central London Anarchist Group also came to notice by virtue of its regular Sunday night meetings at the Roebuck Public House, Tottenham Court Road, Wl, although it was publicly inactive.

The SB Report also deals with the various Trotskyist groups. A full version can be accessed here:
https://www.ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/MPS_0747789.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2seNH-zqqOTLkG78A9bDssbQrVm1f81EB2jmyEh9pvY2J8SOxp0jU_iW4_aem_sK-k7N7tysnXfGo04tYWoA