Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/574/7140
From The Socialist newspaper, 7 April 2009
EU presses for cuts in public spending
LAST WEEK'S summit of European Union (EU) finance ministers gave the British government six months to come up with plans to cut public spending.
Meeting in Prague, the EU finance committee warned the UK to cut its budget deficit to the EU 'Stability and Growth Pact' limit of 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) within four years.
In a press statement issued by the No2EU-Yes to Democracy electoral alliance, Socialist Party councillor Dave Nellist argued that, with a government deficit of £78 billion last year equivalent to 5.4% of GDP, meeting the EU target would mean cutting £35 billion of public spending in one year.
"Local authorities are already conducting a 'doomsday study' of the potential impact on local council budgets of up to 30% funding cuts and it paints an horrific picture for local services", he said. "Local councils would no longer be able to provide even the current standard of services, particularly in fields such as social care".
The No2EU-Yes to Democracy convener Bob Crow, the general secretary of the RMT transport workers' union, also condemned the EU decision. The EU's public spending criteria has enforced the privatisation of capital projects to keep them off the government's books, by means of private finance initiatives (PFI) and the disastrous PPP on London Underground, which increased the costs of public services and subsidised corporate profits.
"It is clear that EU leaders want ordinary working people to pay for the recession, by cutting essential public services, instead of the banks and finance companies that contributed so much to the economic crisis in the first place", he said.
"That's why a vote for No2EU-Yes to Democracy against the EU's privatisation agenda is so essential on 4 June".
Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.
In The Socialist 7 April 2009:
Visteon car workers fight for their rights
Reports from Visteon plants in Belfast, Enfield and Basildon
National Union of Teachers Conference: Call national action on workload
Youth fight for jobs
Youth march for jobs: This is only the beginning!
Socialist Party editorial
No solution at London G20 summit
G20 Summit protests: Democratic rights trampled on
Socialist Party feature
The battle to defeat the Poll Tax
Socialist Party campaigns
EU presses for cuts in public spending
International socialist news
Stop the slaughter of Tamils in Sri Lanka
Arundhati Roy indicts the Sri Lankan Rajapakse regime
Egyptian regime: 'Scared that independent unions will succeed; scared a revolution will happen'
Solidarity with Kazakhstan oil workers
Socialist Party workplace news
Stockport cab drivers fight deregulation
No cuts to further education in Wales!
Campaign forces suspension of Wirral library closures
Home | The Socialist 7 April 2009 | Join the Socialist Party
Join us today!
Printable version
email to friend
