Heffer backs 'law and order'

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«we are never, hope, as a party going at any time to give way to the pressures ot the hanging and flogging brigade."

So said leading left" Eric Heffer in summing up for the NEC in favour of a motion calling for greater support to "law and order"

In doing so he nailed his own colours to the mast of the "beat them up and torture them" brigade currently in the leadership of the Labour Party and epitomised by Home Secretary Merlyn Rees who had spoken vigorously in support of the resolution earlier in the debate.

Rees, who has masterminded the brutal SPG assaults on Grunwick pickets and the rapid buildup of this specialised squad of anti-workine class thugs weighed in with a vigorous defence of the police, boasting at Labour's achievement in supporting them.

"The police are subject to the law, " he claimed, to barracking from considerable sections of the conference who have good reason to know better.

Rees urged workers with complaints against the police to raise them not through the lahour move.LA V ment but hv what he called .... unwy ALLA E "independent procedures" laid down by the government.

He also by implication engaged in a defence of the so-called 'Prevention of Terrorism' Act, the torture of suspected anti-imperialist detainees and the cavade illtreatment of republican prisoners at the Long Kesh concentration camp In Ireland who for two years have been fighting for the restoration of Prisoner of War status stripped from them by Labour leaders.

Spelling out the national arrogance and contemptible support for imperialism that has characterised successive Labour governments, Rees set his face against the bbn sarınana nıs . 10г ranturion old atmanla from Trich liharntion darlarina.

"I do: not recognise political murder, and neither should any democratic socialist."

In case anyone should think that Rees or any other member of the Callaghan cabinet was about to listen to opposing views on this, even if carried" by conference, he went on to disabuse them.

"We have the responsibility. As long as I am Home Secretary I will carry it out," he shouted, to loud applause from right wing delegates.

Despite legitimate complaints from a number of delegates that the motion would have been more appropriate for a Tory conference or even for the National Front, it attracted substantial block vote backing from trade union delegations and was carried by a 2-1 majority.

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