Councils must use resources now for emergency response to Covid-19

The following is an edited letter sent by Southampton Socialist Party to the Labour leader of Southampton City Council. We have had a reply to say he is in the process of discussing our proposal with the council officers.

Our experience tells us that senior council officers are likely to enforce the rules in favour of the Tories and the bosses. But this crisis has shown that these so-called rules are not worth the paper they are written on.

We will keep up the pressure. Labour councils need to use all of the resources at their disposal now to save workers, not the capitalist system.

Southampton Socialist Party members and trade unionists protest against cuts (Click to enlarge)

The devastating impact of coronavirus is exposing the impact that austerity has had on all of our public services, and particularly the NHS. It also reveals that the number-one concern for Boris Johnson and the Tory government is looking after the bosses' profits as they face an economic crisis bigger even than that of 2007-08.

We need to fight for policies that put the health and livelihood of workers first. Our local councils could have a role to play in using all of the resources at their disposal to organise the response locally.

In Southampton, the Labour-run council has huge spending power, and the capacity to borrow much more. It currently plans to borrow £200 million to develop a private property portfolio and build offices.

A council-led campaign, with the support of the trade unions, must be launched for the government to back up council funding. If Southampton leads the way, this could be taken up in other areas around the country.

Southampton Council should:

Establish an emergency fund, potentially worth hundreds of millions of pounds, using borrowing powers and existing reserves. This should be spent with the oversight of workers and their trade unions
Demand that all employers in the city pay workers full wages when sick or self-isolating
Launch a campaign for recruitment to the trade unions for workers to hold their employers to account, for full pay, full protective equipment, and healthy practices at work
Demand that the city's landlords give 'rent holidays', writing off rent payments, to tenants who need it; stop collecting council rents where necessary; and ensure no evictions in the city
Stop collecting council tax from those unable to pay due to coronavirus
Requisition empty homes to house the homeless and those escaping domestic abuse
Take control of private health and social care facilities in the city for the planned use of anyone who needs it
Give financial backing to schools providing vital care for children, as well as delivering free school meals for children and others in the community that are in need
Stop all council budget cuts, and demand full funding from the government

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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.