Birmingham cuts an ‘article of faith’ for Labour

Protestors linked arms to block entrances to Birmingham Council House, speaking to councillors as they entered for the budget setting meeting.

During the meeting a protester shouted from the public gallery and later denounced the cuts on the floor of the chamber in front of the Lord Mayor’s seat. This prompted the public gallery to be cleared.

None of this stopped the council voting through cuts of £102 million (10% of the revenue budget). Cuts include 1,000 redundancies, the closure of four children’s homes, £475,000 reduction from the youth service, a £35 charge for the clearance of garden waste and stopping provision of free refuse bags.

Only one of the 77 Labour councillors did not vote for cuts. All council leader Sir Albert Bore would say is that the Con-Dem government has treated Birmingham more harshly than other areas.

Brummies will not be so complacent about the destruction of their services and the anti-cuts movement is growing.

Labour has turned making cuts into an article of faith and a core part of their programme. The anti-cuts movement is planning a widespread electoral challenge next year.

Clive Walder, Birmingham Socialist Party