After Scotland vote

Step up fight against Tories

One of the mass protests in the campaign to defeat the bedroom tax in Scotland, photo Socialist Party Scotland

One of the mass protests in the campaign to defeat the bedroom tax in Scotland, photo Socialist Party Scotland   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Steve Score

The Con-Dem government is teetering. Whatever the vote in Scotland, taking place as we go to press, the government has been damaged.

A YouGov poll, in the run up to the referendum, showed Cameron as the worst performing politician, on a rating of minus 20. And that includes voters in England and Wales, in Scotland he was on minus 50! This was after he pleaded with voters not to use the referendum, in his words, as a way of kicking the “effing Tories”.

The coalition is crumbling. The recent defeat for the Tories on a vote in parliament on the hated Bedroom Tax reflected the huge pressure they are under. The Lib Dems switched sides, after backing its introduction and implementation up to now, knowing they have to face the electorate soon. Many Tories hid away and didn’t vote to support the government – saving their careers being their only concern.

Knock-out punch

When your opponent is reeling, that is the time to strike the knock-out punch.

Working class people have been hammered under this government. Pay has been pulverised, services slashed, benefits battered. We want revenge!

On 14 October over a million workers in local government and public services will be on strike to stop pay cuts. On 18 October the Trade Union Congress has called a demo on pay. These events should be used to build an alliance of action against austerity. Every worker has a grievance over pay and conditions, the trade unions should coordinate strike action across public and private sectors for the same day, as part of a strategy to defeat austerity.

They should also reach out to all other groups who have been attacked to join them: The disabled, pensioners, those on benefits, students and the unorganised.

Hoping for a Labour government to solve it all is not an option. Even trade union leaders who would normally say ‘wait for Labour’ have been forced, under the pressure of their members, to call action.

The Labour leaders have promised to carry on with the Tory cuts if they win next year’s general election. We need a political alternative. That’s why the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) is planning to stand in those elections – raising the idea of a working class, socialist alternative to cuts.

The surge in support for the Yes vote from working class people in Scotland was motivated by opposition to austerity. Even before the final vote it had won concessions from the government on powers for Scotland. This proves it is possible to make gains. It is also possible to win against austerity!