Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Anti-austerity candidates standing in May elections in Haringey
The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) will be standing candidates in a number of wards across the borough this May.
The Con-Dem's dismantling of the welfare state has put the very existence of local council services at risk. The Labour leader of Birmingham council, the UK's biggest local authority, has spoken of the 'end of local government'. However, it is not true that councils can do nothing but accept the government's attacks. They still control billions of pounds of public services and have powers they could use to resist. Councillors have a choice. They can make a difference and take steps to improve the lives of millions of people - but only if they are prepared to take a stand.
TUSC has agreed a policy platform, which, if adopted by just a handful of councils, could make a difference. TUSC's policy platform includes:
oppose all cuts to council jobs, services, pay and conditions - reject the claim that 'some cuts' are necessary to our services;
refuse to implement the Bedroom Tax. Councils should write off all bedroom tax-related arrears, withdraw all court proceedings and eviction orders where the bedroom tax has been a factor, and call on Housing Associations to do the same;
support all workers who take action against the cuts, privatisation and the government's policy of making ordinary people pay for the crisis caused by the bankers and the bosses. Defend the national collective bargaining arrangements for council workers;
reject increases in council tax, rent and service charges to compensate for government cuts;
campaign for rent controls for all private tenants;
oppose racism and fascism and stand up for equality for all;
campaign for the introduction of a living wage above the minimum wage, including for council employees and those working for council contractors;
support action against climate change and for a future where sustainability comes before profit;
Listen to Dave Nellist, National Chair of TUSC and former Labour MP (1983-1992) talk about TUSC's election campaign: http://www.tusc.org.uk/. Please contact us to support our election campaign.
Tags for Forum Posts: Anti-austerity, Bedroom Tax, No cuts, TUSC, council elections, living wage, local elections, rent control
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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Oh you mean like in the Ukraine? I'm not in the best of moods today but the lack of thought going into many people's posts this week just beggars belief.
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Permalink Reply by Philip on
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I understand that Boris Johnson will sending the Thought Police round to get your children and prevent then from being radicalised by Communist, Muslim, Gay liberals who love the EU and hate freedom! Oh and Ed Miliband agrees.....
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Permalink Reply by JJ on
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Bloody Hell. Depressing to read the replies to this post. You seem to have rattled a few cages David. Not sure why this should provoke such knee jerk reactions. I'm always seeing posts on HOL about right wing parties (namely Labour) but mention anything that vaguely looks supportive of poor people and see the reaction you get.
This country has plenty of money, it's what we choose to spend it on that's the point.
Maybe if we hadn't invaded other countries, or if our major politicians of all parties weren't in cahoots with the global money men (at our expense and to their personal gain I should add. - Blair) scratching backs and getting theirs scratched in return. Maybe if our politicians weren't drawn from a narrow and privileged elite, maybe if our media (owned by those very same global money men and politicians scratching eachothers backs) didn't present poor people as feckless and idle, yet somehow managing to own giant flat screen TV;'s etc etc. Then posts like David's wouldn't get such patronising and nasty responses.
Stop spending such ridiculous sums on weapons, nuclear power and tax breaks for the mega rich and instead lets start taxing the shit out of those that should pay more. Squeeze them till the pips squeak! Then prioritise our spending and start creating skilled, green jobs instead of the depressing low skill low wage economy that has been created.
And try reading Marx. He's very prescient, you could learn a lot. (And no, I'm not a Marxist)
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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I quite like the Hong Kong model; no-one pays tax except the super rich. They appear to have infrastructure that works and 30% do have social housing provided (HK people do complain that this % should be higher. In Singapore it's 80% ).
JJ, if you could tell me the difference betw the three main parties as they are now I'd be eternally grateful. I suspect they're pretty much the same because extremist views, left or right, have never rarely got a toe hold in the UK in recent history thank goodness. So maybe one consequence of this is the sameness of policy that the 3 main centralist parties have. But yes, they all dance to the global trade tune where the Googles of this world have even more power than most governments.
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I wish people and the tax system for that matter, could make a distinction between rich and high earning. I'm aghast at the tax breaks available to landlords, ostensibly to encourage them to let out property that they own. Basically our tax system is only able to tax us on what we need. If you can defer your earnings, you don't pay tax on them.
To get things back on track, I'm all for anti-austerity (like in America), rent controls (like in New York and Berlin), a living wage for Londoners and I can't believe that this is considered so "way over to the left" that the Labour Party won't touch it.
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Rent controls are fine but they only work in the context of an overall housing policy. Our housing shortage can only really be addressed by building more decent social housing at a fair rent. Without this house price inflation and high rents are inevitable. Rent controls on their own will only reduce availability as owners will either sell or sit on empty property.
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Interesting to see the self satisfied response of local Labour people to this post. This is the council that shut down youth centres despite warnings from officers that it could lead to disturbances - that was the year of the 'riots' so the officers had a point. In the past Labour councils like Poplar and Liverpool were prepared to challenge governement. Now they are totally compliant. A few councilors prepared to fight for local people could only be an improvement.
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