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From The Socialist newspaper, 7 November 2018
Unions and campaigners challenge Southampton cuts inside Labour and out
Fighting to keep open Kentish Road Respite Centre, with anti-cuts councillor Keith Morrell left (on megaphone), photo Southampton Socialist Party, photo Southampton Socialist Party (Click to enlarge)
Josh Asker, Southampton Socialist Party
The phony unity in Labour has been exposed! Blairite cutting councillors in Southampton have had their proposals to close two care homes opposed overwhelmingly by Labour Party members as well as by council unions Unite and Unison.
Angry workers and residents' families took the opportunity to voice their opposition outside the South East regional Labour conference on 3 November by blocking the road outside of the venue. The union-organised demonstration succeeded in having the current leader of the council removed from the list of speakers at the conference. The demonstration was also supported and joined by campaigners fighting to re-open Kentish road respite centre - a service closed by the previous leader of the council, and now prospective parliamentary candidate, Simon Letts. As Simon gingerly approached the megaphone he was booed by the Kentish Road delegation and made his way into the conference without daring to have a say.
The correct strategy has to be to confront councillors making cuts and to expose them as being responsible for undermining Corbyn's anti-austerity message.
An emergency motion to propose a legal no-cuts budget was moved at Southampton Itchen constituency Labour Party (CLP). The motion won support from trade unionists who played a crucial role in bringing down the previous Tory council administration but who have seen their members continue to lose jobs under Labour.
The motion passed says: "This CLP believes to win the fight against Tory austerity it is necessary to oppose all cuts to local services. Southampton City Council should adopt the call from Unite and Unison to set a legal no-cuts budget."
The leader of the council has emailed all Labour members to remind them that they have no say on the voting of councillors and can only make recommendations. This has to change! Councillors should be held democratically accountable to the anti-austerity Labour membership and the unions. Where they vote for cuts they should be removed from office and replaced with those who will fight!
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In The Socialist 7 November 2018:
International socialist news and analysis
Worldwide walkout at Google against sexual harassment
Pittsburgh Synagogue shootings: Unite to fight anti-Semitism and far right
Mexico: The movement of 68 and the massacre of Tlatelolco
Opinion
Nae Pasaran: a film about working-class solidarity
What we think
Tories out - we need socialism!
News
Labour councils should use £14bn reserves to fight all cuts
University bankruptcy threat - kick the market out of education
Stand up against abuse - justice not racism
Workplace news
PCS Left Unity: Back Chris Baugh and Marion Lloyd for a fighting, democratic, lay-led union
Arriva Rail North strike hits 34 days of action
Cable workers' Halloween picket line attempts to 'scare' management into talks
Royal Bolton Hospital: Another victory against NHS privatisation
Occupy and demand nationalisation to save Devon shipyard
Unison HE ballot: Anti-union rules block action
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Hundreds march to save Blackwood leisure centres
Crowds turn out for Corbyn in Rugby
Thousands march against overnight closure of Shropshire A&E
Protesters drive far right out of Liverpool
Unions and campaigners challenge Southampton cuts inside Labour and out
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