Worcestershire campaign Betrayed By Their Trust (BBTT) aims to make NHS managers accountable for abusive behaviour which is wrecking the lives and careers of workers. Socialist Party members play a leading role in the group.

There is a climate of fear and intimidation in the NHS. It is now functioning only by overstretching frontline staff who work under great stress. They know that if anything goes wrong, they will carry the can.

Some of us have been campaigning for nearly three years against Worcestershire NHS management. They used bogus allegations to ruin the career of a psychiatric nurse, who as a union steward had been resisting attempts to pile extra duties on overworked nurses. And this only one of many victims.

Since being formed a few weeks ago, BBTT has revealed details of bullying at Redditch A&E department. A government-backed inquiry has already been proposed. We await the details.

Nigel Gilbert

■ BBTT would like to establish links with campaigns elsewhere. Contact Nigel on 01562 829 398 or [email protected]

Derbyshire lollipops

Thirty-five school crossing patrols face losing their jobs due to Derbyshire's Labour council austerity measures. All 189 workers are under threat.

A young campaigner in Chesterfield, Lisa, has launched a countywide campaign to save the patrols. She came to Chesterfield TUSC's launch meeting. Lisa has the full support of prospective parliamentary candidate Matt Whale, and council candidates.

Brian Loader

EDL countered

Manchester anti-racist protesters outnumbered supporters of the far-right English Defence League (EDL) by around two to one on 7 March.

Around 20 member of Socialist Students joined the peaceful protest. Even local police officers outnumbered the EDL marchers from across the country. There were only four arrests, all apparently EDL members.

The EDL tagline for the demonstration was "There Can Be No Surrender". Manchester begs to differ.

Emma Clark

Manchester NHS

Greater Manchester campaign group Keep Our NHS Public has joined the groundswell against the 'devolution' proposals agreed by the Tory-led government and Labour local authorities.

A precondition of the agreement is the discredited 'Healthier Together' scheme for swingeing cuts to hospitals across Greater Manchester. It means a centralisation of social care away from local authorities to a less accountable Greater Manchester authority.

Hugh Caffrey

■ March against "Devo Manc" NHS cuts: Sunday 29 March at 10.30am, Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester.

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Finance appeal

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.