The Socialist 6 June 2012

NHS cuts... Pension cuts... RESIST CUTS!

NHS cuts... Pension cuts... RESIST CUTS!

National Shops Stewards Network

Liverpool TUSC: Standing against Labour's cuts

Tory leader chauffeur driven while slashing services

Children still getting raw deal

Energy bill puts profits before the planet

Andy Coulson charged with lying

Youth unemployment sky-rocketing

Them & Us

Syria: Is there a way to avoid a bloody civil war?

Ireland: Austerity Treaty

Fighting cuts and sexism at Newcastle's Slutwalk

Heathrow protest against warmonger Rajapaksa

We won't be a lost generation - Fight for jobs and education!

Campaigning for EMA and youth services

Disabled people's organisations condemn views of Tory minister IDS

A royal debate in Lincoln

DVLA workers strike to defend services

Solid strikes show that Veolia privatisation is rubbish

Support Churchill cleaners on Tyne & Wear Metro

Leeds university Unison - Save our pensions!

Privateers not welcome at Sussex University

Workplace news in brief

Britain's hidden homeless

Why I joined the Socialist Party

Previous issues, etc

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Children still getting raw deal

Sarah Stonedale

The Con-Dems' cuts in child services have become a hotly debated topic. On 30 May Nick Clegg proudly announced that: "Every child should have a fair crack at the whip from the start" and "go on to fulfil their potential". I ask: who are you kidding?

Clegg was announcing a scheme where less than 1,000 two year olds are to benefit from free childcare a year early as trials are brought forward in ten areas of England.

The changes are intended to "introduce greater flexibility", allowing some parents to take advantage of the scheme, currently used by over 800,000 three to four year olds.

From September 2013, it is intended that 150,000 of the most disadvantaged two year olds will receive up to 15 hours a week of free pre-school education, increasing to 260,000 in 2014.

A fitting response or salty tincture? Average childcare costs are more than £5,000 a year vs. income of £26,000, child benefit has been slashed, child services have been cut by 40%. 58% of the 3.8 million children growing up in poverty have one member of the household working. Many parents are unable to afford to return to work because of childcare costs.

Between 1998 and 2011, child poverty was reduced by 900,000. But now it is expected to rise again by 300,000 by 2015/16. It is estimated that the consequences of child poverty cost society £25 billion per year. Who exactly is cracking the fair whip here?

In 2007 Unicef reported children in the UK were the unhappiest in the 'developed world'. I believe a village raises a child and that young people only reflect what society has put onto them. In the current climate of Con-Dem cuts, our children are being hit the hardest.

The Socialist Party says:

Stop all cuts to jobs, services, wages and conditions
Build for a mass turnout to the TUC organised demonstration on 20 October
For a 24-hour general strike against austerity
For councils that make a stand and refuse to implement the Con-Dems cuts
For a new mass workers' party to be a political voice against the cuts
An immediate 50% levy on the £750 billion lying idle in the banks of big businesses in Britain
No to privatisation. Re-nationalise all privatised utlities and services under democratic workers' control and management, with compensation paid only on the basis of proven need
Mass investment into a programme of public works and socially useful job creation
For a democratic socialist plan of production to meet the needs of all

In this issue

Fight the cuts!

NHS cuts... Pension cuts... RESIST CUTS!