Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/1118/31916
From The Socialist newspaper, 27 January 2021
Save Our Square from New Labour gentrification
Nancy Taaffe, Waltham Forest Socialist Party
Community campaign Save Our Square E17 has successfully resisted Waltham Forest Labour council's plans to build a monster block in Walthamstow town square for six years. Now, disgracefully, under the cover of the pandemic, the council wants to drive the plans through.
They think that by scheduling a virtual planning meeting for Wednesday 27 January they will finally put an end to the campaign. They are wrong.
On hearing of this planning committee, Save Our Square jumped into action. Our supporters bombarded the council with objections and requests to speak against the plans on the night.
We produced a model letter to send to councillors and a short video. We also had a banner drop outside the town hall calling on the council to 'unmute democracy'.
We are not against regeneration and housing provision - we want jobs, homes and services. But this model for regeneration, building unaffordable private flats on public land, is a disaster and does nothing to solve the housing crisis, it makes it worse!
These plans, and other similar developments around London, represent an abject failure of Labour councils to fight austerity. They believe that the council tax revenue from these schemes will make them financially self-sufficient and compensate for the loss of the central government funding. They think that the odd Pizza Express can substitute for the loss of the youth or library service they closed down!
Save Our Square is calling on everyone to watch the planning meeting on the council's YouTube channel at 7pm on Wednesday 27 January - youtube.com/
CouncilWalthamForest. If the plans go through we will turn our campaign to the Greater London Authority where these plans have to be rubber stamped.
The Socialist Party will be standing in the elections in London, as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), to fight against all cuts, austerity and gentrification. I will be standing as part of the campaign to save our square!
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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.
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In The Socialist 27 January 2021:
News
Covid spreading, poverty rising, rich get richer, fight for socialism!
Health, Covid and the vaccine: It's a class issue
Poverty wages: When workers can't afford to self-isolate
Fees frozen at £9,250 a year, fight for free education
DVLA Covid outbreak: They only care about output and productivity
Jaguar Land Rover: West Midlands superspreader
Schools
Schools: 'We have to fight for everything'
Martin Powell-Davies for NEU DGS: "We need to use our collective strength"
What we think
Biden, Labour, and the need for a new mass workers' party
Workplace news
Sage care workers strike again: Billionaires refuse to pay up
Unison NEC elections: United left challenge needed to fight slaughter of jobs and services
Steel site scaffolders strike for the 'rate of the job'
Merseyside: DHL workers at Burton's Biscuits strike against half-baked pay deal and bullying bosses
British Gas engineers continue strike against fire-and-rehire plans
Low-paid hospital workers strike
NHS
Overwhelmed, underfunded, underpaid, and still fighting for safe PPE
Health worker cooperation in the face of the pandemic
Arab Spring
Ten years since the 'Arab Spring'
TUSC
TUSC is up and running for May elections
Come to the TUSC local elections conference - 7 February
Why I'm leaving Labour and campaigning for TUSC
Councillors in Surrey resign from Labour and look to stand independently
Campaigns
Solidarity meeting with Mohamud Hassan
Save Our Square from New Labour gentrification
Help fund a challenge to austerity at the ballot box - donate today!
International socialist news and analysis
Mass protests in Russia against Putin regime
Review
TV review: The Hidden Story of Disabled Britain
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