Wandsworth rent 'rebel' explains Why I quit as council chairman

WHEN Wandsworth (London) council's controlling Labour group voted 29-26 for implementing the Tories' 'fair rents' Bill, council leader Ian McGarry decided he couldn't be a party to that decision and resigned his position.

Councillor McGarry says he was hardly surprised at the decision, although bitterly disappointed. The original decision inside the group not to implement was conditional upon the rest of Labour's London borough councils doing the same.

'But when the abysmal lack of unity on the question became clear, it was assumed that the waverers would change sides.

'The decision to go with this Bill has totally shattered the group as an effective political organization. It has broken our relationships with the tenantsin fact stood them on their head,' he told me.

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I would like to out a subscription Days required MONDAY (Please tick) TUESDAY Or Full ic days) for .... Amount enclosed Fill in the form below and send to NATIONAL SECRETARY, SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE, 186A CLAPHAM HIGH ST, LONDON, SW4 7UG. Name Address Our Housing Correspondent 'The Housing Finance Bill is the most important piece of post-war legislation in my opinion and ranks with the Industrial Relations Act.

'For the first time it introduces the profit motive into council housing. It is a direct attack on tenants of an unprecedented kind and also a direct attack on local democracy.

'For these reasons it is the kind of issue on which the Labour Party ought to make a fight. If they don't, on what sort of issue will they?' asked Mr McGarry who is also Labour Party agent for Putney.

'A retreat has taken place in the sense that the Greater London regional council of the Labour Party decision not to implement was so overwhelming. Yet there must have been people sitting in on that meeting who had no intention of carrying the decision into practice.' The majority on the council gave several reasons for implementation. These included the need to respect parliamentary democracy, the question of surcharge and the possibility ji a Housing Commissioner implementing it if they didn't.

'None of these reasons holds water as far as I'm concerned,' replied Mr McGarry.

The dally paper that leads the fight agaln the Torles.

Clapham THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY .. months.

"The legislation is a straight class issue. The government has reinvigorated a class war which has surprised some by its intensity.

In this situation many of those representing the working class will be in the firing line and at some stage will have to make a fight or compromise and evict tenants, or say no: take my three-piece suite.

'The Tories are trying to force council tenants into the buying market to force up house prices and rents in the private sector.

'It's true to say we've had no lead either way from Transport House on the Housing Finance Bill. Yet everyone has known they have been in favour of implementation yet wouldn't come out and say so.

'Now they've cottoned on to what appears to be a concession taken up by Birmingham to let them off the hook.

"The Labour Party's position could be quite damaging to them in the long-term.

"Tenants have always looked to us to protect their interests. Last year we won control because of the turn-out on the housing estates.

I fear for that relationship and only hope that the stand some of us have made will help the party. I had no alternative but to resign and had no intention of leading the implementation of the Bill.

'If tenants withhold paying the increases we would have been left with the question of seeking eviction orders from the courts.

On housing it was generally agreed, added Mr McGarry, that one of the biggest failures of the last Labour government was in this sphere.

"This flowed from their overall approach of intervening in the market economy and hoping that would produce the goods.

"They must, of course, repeal this Bill and then do something about the public ownership of land, at least in the urban centres. Decisions must be taken on the interest charges which are such a burden to local councils.

•And not so long ago Labour Party had a policy of municipalizing all rented accommodation. Slums in the central as landlordism areas will be a problem as said sald Mr McGarry. Channel-ferry firms accused of price-fixing CROSS-CHANNEL ferry operators have been accused by North Cornwall Liberal MP John Pardoe of monopoly price-fixing to boost unprecedented profits.

Pardoe told a Liberal meeting at Beckenham, Kent, that the operators held annual formal meetings to fix fares and fare increases for the coming year.

Two months ago he had asked Tory Trade and Industry Secretary John Davies to refer the matter to the Monopolies Commission.

He said: 'As a result of these meetings, their fares and fare increases were all the same and excessive.

'The Department of Trade and Industry is now considering my memorandum and it is likely matter will be referred to Monopolies Commission.

'Quite unabashed by all this, the ferry operators met again last week at a secret meeting in Paris. Their purpose was again to fix prices for next year.

'British Rail, however, clearly SANAHOLS H(ADIC YNMENT MOIONWAY airport faces two pay strikes Ringway CORRESPONDENT TWO GROUPS of workers which would disrupt the Nor Manchester.

Stewards and stewardesses — nembers of the Transport and General Workers' Union - are demanding a £500-a-year increase. had become worried by my accusations and the ensuing government investigations. They proposed substantial reductions in some fares.

"These reductions were opposed by the other operators-particularly by the private enterprise operators.

'The brazen-faced arrogance of European Ferries, who operate Townsend Thorensen, incredible. Earlier this month they happily announced record profits. Their return on capital is almost unparalleled in British industry, said Pardoe.

'If this was merely the product of efficiency, no one would quarrel. But it is not.

It is the product of pricefixing, restrictive practices and the unashamed use of monopoly power against the customer.

'British Rail must now crack this monopoly wide open. If they do not, they will be failing in their duty to the public.' A Townsend Thorensen spokesman described Pardoe's comments as 'far wide of the mark' re threatening industrial action i's major airport, Ringway, near A spokesman warned: 'If the claim is not settled there could be an all-out stoppage in July.' The other pay dispute involves 140 maintenance workers in four unions who are demanding a £5-a-week incentive bonus and a five-day week for workers, with the weekend being covered by shift workers.