North Tyneside

Battle of the Thatcherites!

IN A draconian measure to ‘improve services’ (read ‘cut costs’) North
Tyneside’s New Labour council wants to hire private companies to,
potentially, run all of its services. The council also aims to become
the first in the country to put all of its schools into ‘arms length
trusts.’

Elaine Brunskill

During last year’s elections New Labour correctly attacked ex-Tory
mayor Linda Arkley’s plans for a privately owned council HQ, dubbing it
‘Linda’s palace.’

Now they plan to rent a privately owned town hall!

Ironically the former Tory mayor is complaining New Labour have taken
over Thatcherite policies, and asking why local people haven’t been
consulted!

North Tyneside’s chief executive officer Andrew Kerr told a local
paper that privatisation seems: "uncomfortable because we’re trying
to move at speed", then adds "but the prize at the end of it
will be so big it will be worth trying".

However, the ‘prize’ won’t be for workers sacked by the council or
for people who rely on using council services – it will be for big
business.

New Labour and the Tories each accuse the other of Thatcherism.

This debacle highlights the need for a new mass workers’ party which
will fight in the interest of the working class.