Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/1106/31511
From The Socialist newspaper, 21 October 2020
Southampton: Coxford community condemns racist attack
Sue Atkins, Southampton Socialist Party and former TUSC candidate in Coxford
On 8 October, two people walking in the residential area of Coxford, Southampton, were surrounded by six people on mopeds who taunted them with racist abuse, stole the woman's phone and injured her, and then stabbed the man. Fortunately he survived.
Coxford Labour councillors, Tammy Thomas and Barrie Margetts, organised an anti-racist rally at short notice in the local shopping centre. 40 people attended.
Tammy Thomas said: "It was important to us as ward councillors to send a clear message to the family: we support you and walk with you. And to the perpetrators: we will not tolerate racial hatred in our community.
"We acknowledge the underfunding and overstretched police, the lack of youth services and provisions, we want to create community cohesion."
The Socialist Party believes that 'community cohesion' between all sections of the working class can be forged by fighting for decent jobs and pay, affordable and secure housing, fully funded healthcare and free education. When these basics are denied, it opens the door to racist division.
This is not an isolated incident. Serious knife crime has more than doubled in Southampton since 2013. We're experiencing in sharp relief the effects of ten years of austerity.
The only youth club in the area is no longer supported by the council, but was handed over to a charity 20 years ago. In April, its funding will come to an end and the youth centre will close. 35% of Southampton children are growing up in poverty.
Tammy and Barrie rightly point to the cuts imposed by Tory governments, but they are part of the local administration that has cut 1,000 jobs and £124 million from the budget since Labour came to power in Southampton. The Labour council has 'saved money' by handing over local services to the precarious world of volunteers and charities.
If Tammy and Barrie are serious about their opposition to the further cuts, they should join forces with the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) in demanding that the council use its reserves and borrowing powers to provide the services we need, while building a campaign to demand the return of the millions stolen by the government. This would gain them unstinting support in our community and help cut across racist divisions that arise.
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The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
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In The Socialist 21 October 2020:
Lockdown
Health before profit - Work or full pay
Wales 'firebreak' lockdown fails to protect workers
Liverpool lockdown: suspicion and anger
Newcastle lockdown: stress and breakdowns
Leicester lockdown: disillusionment and anger
Unison
Why the Socialist Party is backing Hugo Pierre for Unison general secretary
International
Nigeria protests: 'This movement needs to fight the whole rotten capitalist system'
Horrific murder in Paris: fight intolerance and racism!
South Africa: Mass day of action for permanent jobs and a living wage
News
Tories reduce winter homeless funding: reverse the cuts,use the empty homes!
World capitalism's terrified strategists abandon austerity - for now
Coronavirus
Test and Trace U-turn on stopping local case reporting
Oxbridge gets private Covid tests: pool resources to test us all!
Millennials disillusioned with 'democracy'
Workplace
RMT: Programme to fight redundancies and cuts
Action on Covid transmission in schools now
FCC dismiss Unison activist Tony Smith
Optare workers strike over pay broken 'promise'
Solidarity with Deliveroo Couriers in York
Campaigns
Students: Give us our money back
Fight for your future at the online rally
Southampton: Coxford community condemns racist attack
Socialism 2020: Will you help our finance appeal?
Selling the Socialist: increase in NHS anger
Truth about Zane: Cover-up Tories crack
Kent: Chaotic privatised asylum process
Teignmouth hospital closure threat ... again!
Readers' opinion
Books that inspired me: For Whom the Bell Tolls
Beware the billionaires bearing gifts
Disabled students let down by "rotten education system"
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