Labour came to my town, but their austerity-lite policies won’t help me
Robert Pettefar, Swindon Socialist Party
After 13 years of Conservative government, we are worse off. Considering the previous Labour government continued Tory Thatcherism, looking back on just the last 13 years is not enough.
I watched the official national launch of Labour’s local council election campaign in my town Swindon. A (not so) carefully stage managed affair.
Notice only went out to members at short notice. No doubt to avoid any of the glaringly obvious questions anyone watching would come away with.
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner, and Keir Starmer himself stood on a low stage to make empty promises.
Rachel Reeves said more money needs to be asked for from energy companies making huge profits. Although she said this would be from an increase in the windfall tax that even the Tory government has already implemented, rather than the kind of nationalisation that is required.
Council tax
Reeves also announced a ‘big’ handout to working people – a council tax freeze. But Labour councils could freeze council tax now. Instead, they’re raising it. There was no word from the Labour leadership if the local council grants from central government – cut by the Tories – would be restored by an incoming Labour government.
Angela Rayner called out the Tories for allowing their friends to do naked profiteering. But she made no mention of the commitment by Labour’s shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, to expand the private sector’s vampire fangs sunk deep into the NHS.
She stated that every Labour-controlled council has fought against cuts. However, ‘inconvenient’ facts run counter to this claim.
Gateshead Council is looking to close two leisure centres. Wirral Council shut nine libraries. Leeds Council even cancelled Bonfire Night to save money.
And, disgracefully, Coventry Council paid scab bin workers ten times the amount being asked for by its own striking bin workers in an unsuccessful campaign to break that strike. These are all Labour councils!
Rayner said that people are scared, because they cannot pay to heat their homes, put food on the table, or pay the bills. Labour councils should stop implementing Tory cuts, but instead use the power they have now to bring forward emergency measures to ensure no one is cold, no one is hungry, no one is homeless. If Labour councils did that, the weak Tory government would be powerless to stop them.
According to Rayner, Labour will always put people first, and not big business. However, at its conference last year, Labour invited many businesses to hold stalls, including Royal Mail.
In the last year, Royal Mail workers have been forced to take strike action in response to the company sacking union reps, destroying working conditions and jobs, and refusing to offer a real-terms pay rise. In fact, Keir Starmer banned Labour’s frontbench from supporting that strike.
On top, businesses could pay for access to Labour shadow ministers and officials. This was sold out, with more than 90 companies taking up the offer.
Inflation-busting pay
Keir Starmer’s speech was sparse on content. He claims that only Labour can put more police on the streets, and train more doctors and nurses. But how, when he doesn’t mention if they will be paid what they deserve?
Starmer asked: “Do you believe that Britain deserves better?” Yes. Britain deserves better than what is on offer from Starmer’s Labour, and whatever crumbling remains of the Tories are able to limp to the starting line. I believe the working class deserves a socialist future, where the fruits of our work are in our own hands, and where democratic workers’ control of society builds a bright future for everyone.
I will be running in the local council elections in Swindon, under the banner of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC). TUSC is the only option on the ballot paper not promising cuts, not promising a meagre future of empty promises.
Instead, TUSC calls for councils to set budgets based on our needs, and to fight central government for the money. Let’s build a coalition of trade unionists, workers and community campaigners who want to fight for the resources our local areas need.
