Exposing daylight robbery in Lincoln!

AROUND 50 people attended a meeting in Lincoln where Lincolnshire Police Authority tried to justify the increase in their council tax precept by a massive 78.9%, (see The Socialist 526).

Marc Glasscoe, Socialist Party Lincoln

Chief Constable Tony Lake and Police Authority Chair Angela Crowe tried to dress up daylight robbery as being for our benefit, saying how much better the police service would be with more money. They blamed a lack of central government funding and said that, without additional funds, there would be job cuts and a worse service.

When challenged over whether she would support officers and civilian staff taking action to defend their jobs, Angela Crowe said she had never faced such a question!

Central government are deliberately starving public services to soften them up for privatisation and Lincolnshire Police receive the lowest level of government funding in the country.

Socialist Party member Nick Parker asked if the police authority had considered setting an illegal budget and calling on the mass support of local people to force the funding out of the government. Ms Crowe practically fell off her chair, saying she had never considered such action. Yet a similar tactic by Liverpool city council forced £60 million out of the Thatcher government in 1984.

Nick Parker is standing as a Socialist Party candidate in local elections in Lincoln's Carholme Ward. He stands for greater investment in public service, under the democratic control of elected local representatives. Lincolnshire Police Authority's appointed chair would no doubt frown upon this. She revealed that not only is she not elected but receives £20 per hour for this position!

The Socialist Party recognises the need for decent funding but we need democratic accountability. The cost of good-quality public services should be met by central government and not be forced out of already over-taxed local residents.

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