RENT INCREASES RENTACT!

FAIR RENT IS DENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS: THROW THE TORIES OUT!

JACK GALE Rents, rates, mortgages and soaring prices are the issues behind today's elections for the new county councils in England and Wales.

The second stage of the Tory rent Act comes into effect this month, putting many council house rents up by a further 50p. Rate revaluations will mean higher payments of 50p a week for some householders.

Food costs have gone up by £2 a week for the average working-class family since the middle of January and are continuing to rise.

Mortgage interest rates are up to 9.5 per cent and will rise still more in July. Many people struggling to buy their nouse aiready have to pay £88 "data ami a month, with more to come.

The average existing house in London and the south-east now costs £12,000 — exactly double the existing price in June 1970, when the Tory government took office.

Nobody earning less than £70 a week and without a substantial deposit in addition could possibly buy a house in that area at today's prices.

Those forced to rent private accommodation frequently have to endure overcrowding, lack of basic amenities and exorbitant rents.

In areas of acute housing shortage, people on the lowest wages are paying the highest rents for the worst accommodation.

Hardship. insecurity and poverty are growing in working-class areas. In January a Medical Research report revealed that 500,000 oid people were living in rooms so cold, their lives were in danger. In February, 233 out of 569 children examined in Birmingham showed signs of rickets the traditional disease of poverty and undernourishment.

Last year the official figure of statutory homeless in the Greater London area was 2,978 families 12,888 persons.

And this accounts only for those in official council 'temporary accommodation'. Those turned away are not included. The latest figures, for 1971, show that 9.794 families applied for such accommodation and only 3.194 families were admitted.

So the actual figures for homeless families in the Greater London area today is in the region of 10,000 fami¡es - some 36,000 peopie. cens ther stan LonI fore hom requ thes putt outs figur peo! accc cOuI outs 2,29 sons clas:

licy, trol Ir elec deci area LI sitic don co?! mile sixti I VILL ut the recently-published sus report revealed that in Greater London area alone 'e are 100,000 dwellings iding empty. • Labour-controlled Greater don Council could theresolve the problem of relessness immediately by lisitioning every. one of empty dwellings_ and ing the homeless in them. 4 similar situation exists side London. The only re available is that of ple in temporary council immodation. In county ncils and county boroughs side London there are 17 families - 12,034 per; - in such institutions.) his worsening of workings conditions is the result deliberate government po, backed up by state conof wages. • today's county council tions, the Tories must be isively rejected in every eaving out Aldermanic poins, Labour needs to win of the new Greater LenCouncil's 92 seats to gain trol of the 632 square : area. which covers one* of the British electorate l'la "FA"

DAD VC and has an annual budget of £750m.

The Tories have controlled the old GLC for six years.

Outside London, Labour already controls 62 out of 83 county boroughs.

Now, the reshaped county councils will 'shadow' existing authorities until April 1974, when they will assume tull thou will accume fill powers.

There will be six huge metropolitan county councils, and 47 non-metropolitan county councils.

Areas which Labour could win include the Tyne and Wear Metropolitan County; the counties of Northumberland, Durham, Cleveland and Cumbria; South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Humberside; the West Midlands, Nottinghamshire. Derbyshire and Staffordshire; and Greater Manchester, the second largest area after London, taking in parliamentary constituencles.

But since the last Labour government, by its total lack of socialist policies, opened the door to the Tories, section after section of the working class has gone into battle against the Heath government only to see its headed off by the Rents are going because thousands tenants who were F defy the rent Act doned by the Labor first the national disowned them and Labour Council aft capitulated.

When the Labo Greater London Cor festo was launched year, the Labor leader, Sir Reginald insisted that a Lat cil would implemen rent laws. He, a others, threatened t opposition to the la dropped from the 1 Yet without a fi: tha ine tory governme basis of socialist pr working class would ing whatever from Labour candidates.

Labour voters mu that Labour coun diately expropriate houses and office bi Labour councillor elected and then for ali co-operation 1 policies. Labour carenad Luvuus PTYATIMAA should cease to implement the ›ur Party's uncil maniearlier this ur Group 1 Goodwin, your CounIt the Tory long with to resign if aw was nut manifesto. ght against ent on ine +ho olicies, the I gain nothreturning ist demand cIls immeal! empty iocks. is must be reed to end with Tory councils leadership and driven out. has been recorded.

This is due to capital charges, intarast charnad athar Coales and ouner burdens foisted on the industry for the benefit of private enterprise.

An exposure of Tory profiteering at the expense of the working class would intensify anger at the Heath government over wages, jobs, housing and prices.

And 3 resounding defeat to: the Tories today would also he a warning to the Lahour leaders. Labour government pledged to Labour MPs and councillors Vote Labour today!

Defeat the Tories! • Drive out the protteers and speculators! • Solve the housing problem by compulsorily requisitioning empty dwellings and offices! • Lift the rents and rates burden! • Fight for a socialist policy to bring down the Tory government!