What the Socialist Party says:
As has been explained in previous issues of The Socialist, this economic crisis was not caused by working class people and they should not pay for it.
To stop the debilitating and even murderous effects of this budget requires a powerful movement in defence of jobs, homes and services.
A first step must be a massive national trade union-led demonstration and the building of local anti-cuts unions to organise solidarity and action to stop cuts.
See ‘Build united action to stop the cuts’.
We demand:
- No cuts in wages, jobs, services and benefits. For a living income for all.
- Make the bankers and the rich pay for their crisis. Tax the rich.
- Nationalise the banks and major companies under popular, democratic control. Compensation to be paid only on the basis of proven need.
- End privatisation of public services. Take all sub-contracted services back in house. End the profiteering from our public services.
- An immediate 50% increase in the state retirement pension as a step towards a living pension for all pensioners.
- Annual increases to be linked to average earnings.
- Increase the minimum wage to £8 an hour and abolish all exemptions to it. For an annual increase in the minimum wage, and all wages, linked to average earnings or above.
- For investment in training and job creation in social care, child care and health care.
- For investment in a massive programme of house building and refurbishment to create decent public housing and jobs.
