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Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Tory governments for a generation, that’s the view of some political commentators following the referendum and the local elections.
Clearly should such a doomsday prediction actually happen the gap between those who have and those who have not will grow even wider. The welfare system and the NHS built up by the taxpayer since the late forties is likely to be handed over to the private sector and broken up, in short millions of hard working citizens hoping to have security in times of poor health or unemployment will have been betrayed.
In many ways what we are seeing is a rerun of the seventies when the Jim Callaghan government was brought down and we all know who followed him – an iron lady with a chainsaw in her handbag eager to chop the NHS and everything state owned.
However today there is a subtle difference. The government we have now is led by what could be called a bunch of Oxbridge spivs. You know the slippery fast talking salesman eager to sell you that one careful owner car yet forgets to tell you the car is made up of 2 wrecked halves.
So how can we prevent a disaster to all we cherish? Clearly the voters were conned by the spivs so electoral methods won’t do it. However there is a more powerful way – the legal route.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Worthing Solidarity Network
Tel: 07733151116 worthingsolidarity@gmail.com
www.worthingsolidaritynetwork.blogspot.com Facebook: “Worthing Solidarity Network”
The Coalition Government, one year on:
· Cutting the NHS by £20bn
· Increasing private provision in the NHS
· Trebling student tuition fees
· Increasing private provision of schools
· Attempts to privatise the Royal Mail and our forests
· Cutting the state pension by linking to CPI
· Putting VAT up to 20%
· Slashing public sector jobs and services
And what this has already meant locally:
· Removing social care funding from disabled and elderly people
· Closing day centres for the old and disabled
· Closing youth centres
· Many other public sector job losses, depressing our local economy
· Potential closure of our theatres
And there’s much, much more to come. Estimates are that we have only yet seen about 10% of the cuts put into effect.
The national TUC-called protest of 500,000 people in March showed massive opposition to Cameron and Clegg. Their cuts are not necessary. By any historical comparison the current deficit is not large. In fact, Britain has only had a smaller deficit than the current one, as a proportion of GDP, for 50 of the last 250 years! These cuts are about achieving a ‘smaller state’ – by cutting and privatising – at the expense of the services our families and communities rely on.
So what next? We must use the May Local Elections to send a message to Cameron and Clegg!
We need a different Government before the current one destroys everything we hold dear. Cameron and Clegg don’t have a mandate or a majority, and in Worthing we can do our bit on May 5th to maximise pressure on their Coalition. WSN’s 4-step No To Cuts election advice...
1. Don’t vote Tory
2. Don’t vote Lib Dem
3. If you live in Selden Ward, vote for Mike Barrett. Mike is a Labour candidate who opposes all cuts and has pledged to vote and campaign against any attempts to cut or privatise local services. Mike is the only candidate to date to sign WSN’s “No Cuts” election pledge.
4. If you don’t live in Selden, quiz your candidate to find out where they stand on the cuts. Make sure they will stand up for you and your family and oppose all cuts if you give them your vote.
Get involved!
Worthing Solidarity Network is Worthing’s own vibrant anti-cuts group.
We campaign and protest against all and every cut to our services and jobs, including a WSN stall every Saturday from 11am-2pm in Montague Place.
We meet fortnightly on Wednesday evenings, 8pm-10pm, in the upstairs room at the Downview pub, opposite West Worthing rail station. Next meetings are on 4th and 18th May. More details available from worthingsolidarity@gmail.comForthcoming Event: CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY
& SAY NO TO THE CUTS
WORTHING SOLIDARITY NETWORK and WORTHING & DISTRICT TRADES COUNCIL: MAY DAY PICNIC
Barbecue, picnic and social event for local workers and their friends and families – all welcome!
BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 2nd MAY, 12 noon-3pm
HOMEFIELD PARK (next to Worthing Hospital)
Join us to celebrate to the vital role that working people play in our society and our town, to show our unity against the cuts, and to mark the launch of a Trades Council to link up trades unions in Worthing for the first time in more than 20 years. Anyone who wants to can also join in with leafletting local homes with WSN information leaflets on the day.
More info or to find us on the day: Dave on 07941 874745
Friday, April 15, 2011
Election Special
Updated 21 April
THE outrage over the cuts and austerity measures inflicted on us by the ConDem government has had students and workers protest in London and many other parts of the UK for months. Then on March 26 a massive march and rally in London attracted nearly 1 million from every section of the community – so what has it all achieved so far?Well to be brutal very little. The government is still there; yes there seem to be murmurings of changes to the NHS reforms but if it’s anything like the On Off On forests sell-off don’t expect a climb down soon. Frankly to achieve what we want we have to hit them where it will hurt THEM. Yes the ballot box.
For many the thought of voting is abhorrent but used skilfully we can use their system to defeat them. This May 5 in many parts of the country there will be council elections as well as the referendum on changes to the unfair voting system. The first thing to bear-in-mind is if there is only a Tory or LibDem standing, a vote for either is a vote for cuts – so don’t vote. The idea in this case is to get the percentage of people voting as low as possible – that takes away their legitimacy for making decisions. By all means vote in the referendum.
On the other hand if there are numerous Party’s standing, tactical voting is a must. Carefully study the flyers sent out by the candidates, see if they say they’re against the cuts, vote for them (unless it’s the BNP or similar). On the other hand if they just prattle on about all the wonderful things they’ll do if elected, challenge them about their position on the cuts policy in the street - or on the doorstep if they call on you. Let them know you won’t be voting for them if they support cuts, and you will let family and friends know they support cuts.
So far we know of one candidate in Worthing who has pledged to fight the cuts, he is
Mike Barrett - Labour Party – fighting the Selden Ward.
See Full List Of:
No Election in Adur this year
Mike Barrett - Labour Party – fighting the Selden Ward.
See Full List Of:
Election candidates standing in Worthing
Election candidates standing in Arun
To be continued.
Now for some news. April 21.
Plans to limit disabled care are unlawful
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-13147675Lib Dems lose 70% of supporters
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1379033/Weve-lost-generation-supporters-Seven-10-Lib-Dem-voters-desert-party.htmlAnd they told us Nukes were safe!!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/20/radioactive-spills-breakdown-british-nuclear-plants
BNP in crisis - Deserted manifesto signals election disaster
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cloakanddagger-day-with-the-bnp--ndash-a-party-in-crisis-2269244.html
We’re in the money: private healthcare providers.
Cameron loosing his grip?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/8460397/David-Cameron-cabinet-must-be-more-united.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/8460397/David-Cameron-cabinet-must-be-more-united.html
NHS waiting times worse in 3 years
Banking bailout costing taxpayers £5 billion a year in interest.
Teachers' unions back call for a strike ballot.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13116972Direct action advocate is new NUS president
Health services open to exploitation by profiteering outsiders
Thousands may sue over kettling
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/14/sue-police-kettling-g20-protests
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Watch This Space Election Special Coming SoonAnyone for Nuclear power now?
NHS money sent to "tax havens".
No confidence in Lansley
Emergency care system is firefighting
Patients denied high cost drugs.
Graduates screwed even more.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8443560/Graduates-face-stealth-rise-in-student-loan-repayments.html
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Watch This Space Election Special Coming Soon Resignation over NHS reforms?http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/10/nick-clegg-norman-baker-nhs-cuts-resign
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/wintour-and-watt/2011/apr/11/andrewlansley-nhs
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nick-clegg-plays-down-aides-threat-to-quit-2266238.html
Clegg U-turn over GP consortiahttp://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/apr/11/nhs-reform-nick-clegg-concession-gp-consortiums
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13033775
Health care rationing to meet cutshttp://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/apr/11/nhs-cuts-healthcare-chiefs-ration-services
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13029534
NHS: the first casualtieshttp://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/apr/11/nhs-cuts-first-areas
Prescription changes furyhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13016936
Japan’s Chernobylhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/12/japan-nuclear-crisis-chernobyl-severity-level1
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13045341
Clegg airbrushed outhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/11/nick-clegg-liberal-democrat-leaflets-election
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