THE BBC reported last week that spending cuts will ‘hit the north harder’, with Middlesbrough being ranked as the “least resilient” local authority.
Elaine Brunskill, Newcastle
Local news programmes have also highlighted the plight facing the north. One-in-three north-east jobs are in the public sector (the highest in England). Around 28,000 public sector jobs are under threat in the north-east.
The north-east only became so reliant on public sector jobs because of the decimation of mining, shipbuilding and the steel industry.
The report also asserts that a clear north-south divide is evident.
I was phoned by BBC Radio 2, who wanted to know if I could go on air to argue that workers in the south should be taking more of the brunt of job losses – a blatant attempt to set one group of workers against another.
However, when I outlined the Socialist Party’s stance – that it’s the bankers, big business and the capitalist system that got us into this economic mess and they’re the ones who should pay the price – I was no longer wanted on their show!
This Con-Dem government is living in cuckoo land if they think workers are going to roll over and accept a public sector massacre.
And New Labour councillors will not be forgiven if they try to hide behind the excuse that there is no alternative but to accept cuts.
