John Vasey, Wakefield Socialist Party
A march and rally of about 100 protesters against the closure of the public swimming baths in Batley, West Yorkshire was held on Saturday 20 May.
Three leisure facilities were closed in the Kirklees local authority area, two of which have been reopened following successful protest campaigns. This campaign aims to do likewise for Batley Baths.
The demonstration was well supported by Huddersfield TUC and trade union branches Unison, Unite and Unite Community, alongside local residents.
The council set up Kirklees Active Leisure to run (and close) many of its leisure facilities. A Unison petition was signed by demonstrators, appropriately calling for these facilities to be brought back in-house and end the threat to public services and jobs.
Speakers at the rally stressed the vital need to save Batley Baths, especially for women and disabled people.
Speaking on behalf of the Socialist Party, I encouraged those present to find people from their ranks to stand against those Batley councillors who voted through the closure of the baths. Many of them are Labour councillors, including the council leader whose seat is up for election in May 2024. I explained the benefit of the national anti-cuts platform afforded to such a challenge, by coming under the banner of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. This would mean standing alongside campaigners against cuts and closures, trade unionists and socialists across the country.
