>
Building the fightback in Birmingham
Ted, Birmingham Socialist Party
South Birmingham’s Communities Against the Cuts (CAC) group held a successful all-Birmingham anti-cuts conference on 16 March. Around 100 people took part in a very democratic discussion, debate and workshops covering various aspects of how to fight the cuts.
The organisation, which Socialist Party members participate in, previously held a public meeting of 170 people in January titled ‘Save Birmingham’ in response to the Labour council’s plans to slash over £600 million from the city’s jobs and services.
The conference debated and voted on resolutions to stand anti-cuts candidates in council elections and also to set up a new cross-city anti-cuts federation.
CAC has benefitted from a significant number of youth and newer activists getting involved. With some successful campaigns against local cuts and closures and having stood two candidates in the last council elections, the group has taken on flesh.
Socialist Party members support this attempt by CAC to energise the Birmingham anti-cuts movements and will work with others to try to make it a success.
>
Exeter bedroom tax protest
Over 100 people crowded the High Street in Exeter in support of a bedroom tax protest, with plenty of banners, placards, and representation from many local campaign groups.
Several speakers, including Gee Bowman from the Occupy movement, and Socialist Party member and chair of Exeter Anti-Cuts Alliance Jim Thomson received great support from the crowd.
A Labour Party representative also spoke but failed to outline what their position on the tax actually was.