Suspended Labour councillor invited to join with anti-cuts campaigners to draw up People's Budget

A London Socialist Party press release (27.1.15) following Haringey borough councillor Gideon Bull's suspension for voting against cuts.

In response to the suspension of Cllr Gideon Bull from the Labour Group for opposing cuts to adult services in the borough, John Dolan, who works in the service Cllr Bull spoke out to protect, says:

"Many people who work in this vital service and who rely on it were delighted when Cllr Bull spoke out. We thought, at last, a councillor who is speaking up for services rather than just passing on cruel Tory cuts. It is outrageous that he has been suspended for doing what, in our view, a Labour councillor should do!

In December 2014 Haringey council agreed £70m of budget cuts over three years. But the council also has £96m in reserves. Many Labour Party members, as well as council workers, users, and campaigners, think that these reserves should be used to avoid cuts.

Jeremy Corbyn won a landslide leadership election victory because people want an alternative to these cuts. Many of the new Labour Party members, inspired by his anti-austerity message, will be horrified at this action. I would appeal to Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnel can intervene to reinstate this councillor.

I also appeal to Cllr Bull to join with anti-cuts campaigners in the borough to draw up an alternative, People's Budget for Haringey that avoids these devastating cuts and starts to build up the massive campaign necessary to win the funding back from central government."

The Socialist Party is part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition which stood candidates across the borough in the council elections in 2014 calling for the council to refuse to pass on the Tories' cuts.

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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.