Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/644/10505
From The Socialist newspaper, 27 October 2010
Northern Ireland: build a new party
Thousands of workers took to the streets of Belfast on 23 October in probably the largest non-sectarian demonstration in Northern Ireland since the anti-war movement. They marched in opposition to the £4 billion cuts to public spending in Northern Ireland which were contained in the comprehensive spending review.
Daniel Waldron, Socialist Party Belfast
These cuts will have a devastating impact on an economy heavily reliant upon the public sector, which directly employs a third of the workforce and props up the private sector. Researchers have suggested 40,000 jobs will be lost as a result of the cuts, although this could turn out to be a conservative figure.
There was an angry and determined mood among the workers who joined the protest. Some of the local politicians who support cuts had the gall to join the march, including SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie and the Minister of Education, Sinn Fein's Caitriona Ruane.
All the main parties have been implementing cuts and privatisation since the Assembly Executive was established and accept that workers and young people must pay the price for the bankers' economic crisis.
Unfortunately, these politicians were given credence by representatives from the Northern Ireland committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. Speaker after speaker appealed for 'our' politicians to unite against cuts, despite their track record. This clearly was not the mood of workers on the demonstration, who replied with boos and jeers.
Instead of sowing illusions in the sectarian, pro-capitalist parties, the trade unions should be preparing their members for a fightback against the cuts, including moving towards a new, anti-sectarian party of the working-class. The Socialist Party raised this demand on the march and called for a one-day public sector strike as the beginning of a campaign of industrial action to smash the cuts.
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In The Socialist 27 October 2010:
Anti-cuts campaign
20,000 march in Edinburgh against cuts
Wales says: don't break the poor
Northern Ireland: build a new party
Police attack Bristol demonstration
Wave of protests against Con-Dem cuts
Socialist Students
Organise to stop education cuts!
Youth Fight for Jobs and Socialist Students day of action
Youth Fight for Jobs conference - 4 December
Step forward for TUC youth unemployment demo
Socialism 2010
Socialism 2010: Weekend of discussion and debate 6-7 November
Socialist Party feature
Mass action urgent against programme for poverty
Socialist Party news and analysis
Housing cuts will mean more evictions and social cleansing
Axeman Osborne slashes disabled people's benefits
Government bludgeons workers' pensions
Bolton: Police brutality exposed
Socialist Party workplace news
Victory to London firefighters!
BA bosses try to control union
Unite general secretary election: Right wing candidate on another planet
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