Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/1109/31616
From The Socialist newspaper, 11 November 2020
Covid and poverty rising - Welsh lockdown ends with little progress
Joe Fathallah, Cardiff East Socialist Party
Wales emerged from a two-week lockdown on 9 November. There is little evidence that the 'firebreak' introduced by the Welsh government had much impact on the spread of the virus.
Case numbers are still rising. Seven local areas have a positive result in at least 20% of tests, and nearly a third in Merthyr Tydfil. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says restrictions should be maintained until the figure is less than 5%.
Over 1,300 people in Welsh hospitals have the virus. NHS workers report intense pressure on their ability to treat patients.
First Minister Mark Drakeford was pressured to introduce restrictions in the hope that they will be enough to allow a normal Christmas in Wales. But once again the Welsh government has opted for half measures which won't contain the spread.
Maximum profits
Drakeford focuses on limiting personal freedoms while leaving maximum freedom to make profits. The firebreak was not used to accelerate the development of mass testing.
A properly functioning publicly funded 'test and trace' system would probably have meant the second lockdown wouldn't have been needed. The Welsh government should have broken with the Tories' nepotism on this.
Once half term was over, schools were open to all but the oldest children. These measures are to make sure parents of young children are kept working, but do significant damage in containing the virus.
On the other hand, far-lower-risk environments, like small shops, have been forced to close. The restrictions were imposed in crude top-down fashion.
In an attempt to pacify small business owners - forced to shut their shops and on the verge of bankruptcy - Drakeford announced supermarkets would only be allowed to sell 'essential items', so they didn't cut across sales from local shops.
This led to a significant backlash. People pointed out that a can of beans isn't much use without a tin opener.
If small businesses genuinely need assistance to survive the restrictions, then this should be provided directly from the Welsh government.
Socialist Party Wales demands:
- A massive Welsh government investment in test and trace
- Publicly owned and accountable test centres and labs to replace the failed Lighthouse Lab scheme
- Re-open public labs closed by cuts
- 24-hour test results for all who need them
- Full pay for all forced to self-isolate or furloughed
- In schools...
- Weekly onsite testing of staff
- Return to blended learning
- No classes larger than 15
- Government resources to help home learning
- In universities...
- Refund student fees
- Cancel hall rents
- Provide resources to allow students to return home safely if they wish
- Free education
- Workers' control of workplace safety
- Stop privatisation of NHS and public services, under cover of Covid
- Nationalise firms threatening redundancies
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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.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
In The Socialist 11 November 2020:
News
Capitalists vs working class - not in it together
Tory U-turn: Free school meals
Tory U-turn: Furlough extended - not enough to save jobs
Covid and poverty rising - Welsh lockdown ends with little progress
Covid law used against striking workers - for workers' control of safety measures
Schools need union action for safety
US election
After the polarised elections - what way forward?
Trump out! But mass workers' struggle needed
Trump is out - our readers react
Spycops
Spycops inquiry : why the capitalist state feared and continues to fear socialism
Workplace news
Rolls-Royce: Lancashire workers' strike shows the way to fight aerospace cuts and job losses
RMT union AGM votes to defend union democracy
Sainsbury's and Argos: Closures, cuts and soaring sales
Fight the witch-hunt of Corbyn and his supporters
Campaigns
Donate to the Socialism 2020 appeal now!
Solidarity with Manchester students - fight for democratic control of campus safety
Southampton trade unionists demand: "We won't pay for Covid"
Labour movement conference to defend Corbyn and discuss new party
The struggle for a new mass workers' party
Review and readers' opinion
Trotsky's ideas live on in the CWI
Readers of the Socialist react to effects of lockdown
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