Youth Fight Austerity!

Ryan Aldred, Plymouth Socialist Party

Under Cameron’s previous Con-Dem coalition government, young people bore much of the brunt of Tory inflicted austerity. But Tories such as chancellor George Osborne are not content with tripling tuition fees or closing down youth services and facilities.

This new all-Tory government aren’t satisfied with exploitative zero-hour contracts, eye-watering rents and poverty wages, or with massive increases in mental health issues caused by austerity.

On 8 July, Osborne will announce further budget cutbacks which will again hit young people hardest.

The axe will most likely fall on housing benefit and in-work benefits. Young people will certainly feel this as many rely on in-work benefits to top up poverty wages. It’s a way to (just about) scrape by.

Along with further cuts to housing benefit and the expected removal of housing benefits for 18-21 year olds, the effects will be disastrous.

Already, homelessness is rising. As many young people don’t have the option to move back in with their parents, this housing benefit cut will force many young people onto the streets.

No mandate

Backed by only 24% of the electorate, the Tories have no mandate for inflicting more austerity on the poorest and most vulnerable.

Remember that hundreds of billions of pounds were spent bailing out the banks while £120 billion is lost every year in avoided, evaded and uncollected taxes.

If we are to beat back this austerity we must keep pressure on the government by maintaining the momentum built since May’s election.

The 20 June demonstration in London showed the anger at continuing Tory austerity, with a huge turnout from young people who have simply had enough.

Budget day protests

Youth Fight Austerity has called a day of action on 8 July in defiance of the proposed cutbacks. Across the country there will be meetings, rallies, stalls and demonstrations to show that young people will not take these attacks lying down.

We will be building our campaign for a £10 an hour minimum wage, and demanding rent caps rather than benefit caps.

We will be leafletting workplaces, asking young workers to join us in expressing their anger and building a movement which can guarantee a future for us.

By linking action on the streets with workers taking strike action, we can develop a force to defeat austerity.

Take a look at youthfightforjobs.com for details of budget day protests on 8 July in your area. If you can’t see a protest taking place near you, why not organise one yourself?

Drop us an email at [email protected] or call 0208 558 7947 – and we’ll help you out!

Youth Fight Austerity demands:

• End austerity – no to five more years of cuts to jobs, education and public services
• Stop welfare cuts – no compulsory workfare for 18-21 year olds, defend housing benefit
• Fight poverty pay – raise the minimum wage to £10 now, scrap zero-hour contracts
• Defend education – no to cuts and tuition fees
• Democratic rights – stop attacks on the right to strike, protest and other civil liberties. For votes at 16