'WHAT we have to deal with now is to put the police in a position to deal with serious violence restore public confidence.
Thus spake The Right Hon Michael Foot, MP for Ebbw Vale and leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition at the height of the youth rebellion.
Labour MPs have been far more concerned about the protection of the police and the defence of 'law and order' than any protection and defence of those who attempted to break from the despair and hopelessness of Tory Britain.
Last Thursday, the day of the Warrington by-election, Roy Hattersley, chief opposition spokesperson on home af fairs, backed the use of CS gas in Toxteth.
Apparently oblivious to the extensive injuries caused by police use of the gas cartridges he said : "The use of a temporarily incapacitating gas was, tunately, better than death or injury' Earlier in the week, refused to condemn the use of CS gas and water cannons. wing' Liverpool MP, said that the Tories' plan to send Michael Heseltine to Liverpool 'sounds good'.
Heseltine's swingeing cuts, which are the backbone of policy, have done more to contribute to the total devastation of our cities than anything else. It is an obscenity to send him to Liverpool to 'investigate inner city problems'.
The problem is the Tories - and the immediately and unforMichael Foot But it was 'leftEric Heffer, who Tory economic Part of the welcome for Thatcher on visit to Liverpool this week I oxteth Labour Party, delegates were TOIC by speakers the Liverpool & Detence Committer about the background of Uxiora In Paul Foot's book killed Hanratty', 'wno Foot showed that it was the evidence of a certain Detective-Inspector Kenneth Oxford which sent innocent Hanratty to the gallows.
It was also Oxford who said that the black people •I LIverDool o were unt "product of a liaison between seamen and white prostitutes Again it is Oxford who is responsible for the Feret barricade-penetrating cartridges being used against peopie I direct Cold vention of the manufacturer's instructions Local magistrates are dealing out hefty sentences Three people who were charged with stealing f20 worth of drink were sentenced to three months in prison. In another case a woman of was fined f250.
Many of the youth who have been held in custody for a week or more appear with black eyes and other signs of beating. In many cases police will only agree to bail if the people charg ed plead guilty.
The Liverpool 8 Defence Committee is meeting on Sunday 26 July at the Caribbean Centre on Up per to discuss the campaign against Oxford and to plan a demonstration. They can be contactco co Charles Wo Parliament 2, 248 Up. per Parlament Liver pool 8. Tel 051-708 9698/ ANT WEAK WAIT
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Labour leaders back Tory repression