Socialist Labour League secretary says: TORIES ARE OUT TO SMASH BASIC RIGHTS

THE DEFENCE of basic democratic rights is democratic rights now on the table in every working class household in the country, Gerry Healy, national secretary of the Socialist Labour League, said at the weekend. "The defence of democratic rights is no longer an academic question. There is no such thing as "abstract" rights. It is now a bread-andbutter question concerning the standard living of the working class.' Gerry Healy was bringing fraternal greetings from the SLL Central Committee to the annual general meeting of 'Keep Left', the weekly newspaper of the Young Socialists.

He spoke to an audience of 1,200 young workers and students from all over Britain who packed the East India Hall in London's East End on Saturday.

Healy said that in 1972 the working class, in one section after another, had shown its determination to fight the Tory government. 'But, he went on, it would be impermissible to conclude that 1972 was a year on the side of the working class.

The Tories made 'enormous legal inroads' into the basic democratic rights of the working class.

The Industrial Relations Act had stripped away every major right of the trade union move'The right to negotiate has now been banned. The right to ask your boss for a rise, the right to defend your trade union -all this has been taken away. How can anyone interpret 1972 as a year of victory?' Driven by the economic crisis, the British ruling class and its SLL natlonal secretary Gerry Healy speaking at the 'Keep Left' AGM. Seated is the paper's editor, international counterparts were Gary Gurmeet. reacting in the same way: democratic rights had either been taken away or were in the pro2,000 marchers back rent rebels CAMDEN LABOUR Council's refusal to implement the Tory rent Act was yesterday backed by a 2,000-strong demonstration through the streets of the north London borough. Tenants from all over Britain included a 150-strong contingent from Dudley, Worcestershire. Labour councillors from Bedwas and Machen, South Wales, and Clay Cross, Derbyshire, who are also refusing to 'KEEP LEFT' editor Gary Gurmeet said the Young Socialists could be "justifiably proud' of the 23rd year of continuous publication of the only revolutionary youth paper in Britain.

He told the paper's annual meeting: 'No one should be under any illusions about the intentions of this Tory government in 1973. They have joined the Common Market in order to join hands with the reactionary capitalists that rule western Europe.

'In doing so they have consciously laid the basis for a huge increase in unemployment in Britain, a steep increase in the cost of living and more repressive actions against trade union and political rights. The Tories have already drafted Phase Two 'It would be completely wrong to describe the anti-inflation measures as a "freeze". We have here the structure for a permanent legal form of wage control. Any union or section of workers who oppose this rule by decree can be sentenced to A collection raised the magnificent total of £178.74. A full report on the annual general meeting and details of the national speaking contest will appear in this week's 'Keep Left', out on Friday. implement the Act, also joined in the WE MUSTIC ASTE TENANTS ECHING ACTIO: GAIN = D COMMITTEE NOOUR PARTI SOCIÄLA BASSETT SQUATTERS OCAL GOVA FAIR!

Among the political delegations was a 150strong contingent from