Campaigners answer Bristol’s ‘Big Conversation’

Over 100 community campaigners and activists from across the trade union movement attended the Bristol anti-cuts alliance launch meeting.

The first event which the alliance supported was a lobby of Bristol City Council, called by the Unison local government branch for 26 July.

Andrew Stunell, a Lib Dem minister in the Department of Communities and Local Government, was in town to attend a meeting with staff and council officials over the ‘Big Budget Conversation’ – basically cuts!

All the speakers who addressed the over 50 protesters attacked the idea that cuts are the only way to pay off the national debt caused by the bankers’ bailout.

It is understood that the staff Stunell had met at an earlier meeting told him that the jobs they do are very important and that they are finding it increasingly hard to give a ‘frontline’ service after the cuts of the last few years.

New cuts of between 25% and 50% will devastate our local authorities. Many speakers called this a full attack on our public services, with privatisation on the agenda as well.

The anti-cuts alliance is now planning a lobby of the full council meeting on 7 September.

Bob Marshfield, Bristol City Unison steward (personal capacity)