Brighton Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition: September 2010

Wednesday, 29 September 2010

Excellent Brighton Anti-Cuts Coalition March and Rally Today (Sept 29 2010)

Report from Dave Hill

I counted 302 people on the march from Hove to Brighton Town Hall. Lots more joined us as they finished work, joined us at the rally. So I guess there were around 400 at the rally. Lots of speakers from unions such as Andy Richards from Unison, Mark Turner from the GMB, a speaker from the Connexions service (due to be/ threatened to be closed down by Brighton and Hove City Council. Also a speaker from the Labour Party, Leader of the Brighton Labour Group, Cllr. Gill Mitchell, who didn't exacly oppose all cuts- she gave some personal testimony instead about how the Cuts would affect her work in the NHS and NHS workers. Also, Cll. Bill Randall spoke, Green councillor. Also, Phil Clarke (Socialist Party, Secretary of the Brighton Hove and District Trades Council) and Bill North (Socialist Party, Chair of the Brighton Hove and District Trades Council. And I spoke (Socialist Resistance) on behalf of Brighton Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Lots of good speeches... enthusiastic rally/ crowd... TINA! There is No Alternative????? So say all the BBC. Sky-Murdoch news presenters... just watch them automatically assume there is no alternative to the Cuts... they are trying to make it `common sense'... but it ain't common sense... good sense (to use Gramsci's term) is No Cuts, Tax the Rich, pull troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq, cancel the Trident replacement, have a maximum wage of... what? £100,000 a year? When the minimum wage is around £10,000 a year! Conservatives, Lib Dems, New Labour all promised massive cuts!

Here are some of the pics from the March. Lots of pics on Facebook sites. Wonder what the Press will make of it, locally and nationally. No mention at all of any action in Britain in support of the European trade Unions Day of Action- plenty on Sky/Murdoch News and the BBC about the General Strike in Spain (the first in eight years), also the ETUC demo in Brussels... even some mentionof Portugal ireland and Greece... but a total news blackout on Trade Union Anti-Cuts marches and rallies today in Britain. Ah well, we'll need to look up The Socialist, Socialist Worker, Socialist Resistance, The Morning Star and local blogs such as this one, the Brighton Socialist Party blog/ website, Andy Richards (HoveRepublic) blog, and Tony Greenstein's blog.

But it wa s a great day/ march/ rally. More pics and video at http://hoverepublic.blogspot.com/

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WHAT TUSC STANDS FOR

PUBLIC OWNERSHIP, NOT PRIVATISED PROFIT

Stop all privatisation, including the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and the immoral privatisation of prisons. Bring privatised public services and utilities back into public ownership under democratic control.

NO CUTS - QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICES

Take rail back into public ownership and build an integrated, low-pollution public transport system.

For a high-quality, free National Health Service under democratic public ownership and control.

Stop council estate sell-offs and build eco-friendly, affordable public housing.

Good, free education for all, under democratic local authority control; student grants not fees.

Keep Royal Mail as a publicly-owned service, not a privatised cash cow.

JOBS, NOT HANDOUTS TO BANKERS & BILLIONAIRES

Bring banks and finance institutions into genuine public ownership under democratic control, instead of giving huge handouts to the very capitalists who caused the crisis.

Tax the rich. For progressive tax on rich corporations and individuals, with a crackdown on tax avoidance.

For massive investment in environmental projects.

EMPLOYMENT & TRADE UNION RIGHTS

Repeal the anti-trade union laws.

A minimum wage set at half average adult male earnings, with no exemptions.

Invest to create and protect jobs, including for young people.

Solidarity with workers taking action to defend jobs, conditions, pensions, public services and trade unions. Reinstate full trade union rights to prison officers.

PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT - STOP GLOBAL WARMING

Deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions - otherwise climate change, caused by capitalism, will destroy us.

Invest in publicly-owned and controlled renewable energy.

Move to sustainable, low-pollution industry and farming - stop the pollution that is destroying our environment.

Recognise that many of our planet's resources are limited and that capitalism fritters them away for profit.

Produce for need, not profit, and design goods for reuse and recycling.

DECENT PENSIONS & BENEFITS

Restore the pre-Thatcher real value of pensions. Reinstate the link with average earnings.

Protect entitlement to benefits; for living benefits; end child poverty.

DEMOCRACY, DIVERSITY & JUSTICE

Welcome diversity and oppose racism, fascism and discrimination. Defend the right to asylum.

Ensure women have genuinely equal rights and pay.

Defend our liberties and make police and security democratically accountable.

SOLIDARITY NOT WAR

Bring home all British troops from Afghanistan immediately - no more wars for resources.

No more spending on a new generation of nuclear weapons, huge aircraft carriers or irrelevant eurofighters - convert arms spending into socially useful products and services.

An independent foreign policy, based on international solidarity – no more being a US poodle, no moves towards a capitalist, militarist United States of Europe, no Lisbon Treaty.

SOCIALISM

For a democratic socialist society run in the interests of the people not the millionaires. For democratic public ownership of the major companies and banks that dominate the economy, so that production and services can be planned to meet the needs of all and to protect the environment.