photo Paul Mattsson

photo Paul Mattsson   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Nick Chaffey, Socialist Party national committee

Salford council has cut £211 million from spending since 2010.

What can be done to protect jobs and services and reverse the decade-long era of austerity that has wreaked damage to working-class communities? There is growing pressure on Labour councils to respond to Tory funding cuts.

But setting this year’s budget, Salford council leader Paul declared: “For the first time… I have presented a budget that will deliver no further cuts to the services our residents need.”

The budget was welcomed by public sector union Unison in Salford. Care workers in Unison, working for the council, will see their pay rise to £9 an hour in October.

The Socialist Party welcomes any steps taken to protect jobs and services. But what Salford Labour has voted through, robs Peter to pay Paul.

By increasing council tax by almost 4% – for what claims to be at best a stand-still budget – working-class families are being asked to pay for Tory cuts.

Dennett recognises this: “Council Tax is a regressive form of taxation, which hits the poorest people in our communities the hardest… we must raise local rates to pay for the deficit caused by austerity budgets from national government.”

The first rule for socialists is to tell the truth and propose a programme and strategy in the interests of the working class. Salford’s budget far from being a no-cuts budget actually includes “£9.8 million savings”.

This is a smokescreen that divides workers and undermines the possibility to fightback. Rather, Salford council should mobilise a fight to restore the stolen £211 million that unites workers.

Across the country, Labour councils control combined budgets of almost £80 billion. And hold over £14 billion in reserves.

The Socialist Party says setting no-cuts budgets is the means to mobilise a mass campaign of council workers, trade unions and local communities to demand the restoration of government funding.

On this basis in the 1980s the Militant (now Socialist Party) led Liverpool Council forced Thatcher to retreat and concede £60 million that funded a programme of building 5,000 council homes, leisure centres, nurseries and parks.

The Socialist Party says:

  • No cuts
  • No increases in council tax, service charges, council rent. No privatisation
  • Use reserves and borrowing powers to set no-cuts, needs-based budgets
  • Build a mass campaign of trade unionists, community activists and service users to demand the government restore the 60% funding stolen from councils since 2010