End austerity now, photo by Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)
London local government workers’ representatives have agreed to support Enfield North Constituency Labour Party’s no-cuts campaign.
Reps in general union Unite backed the demand for Labour-run Enfield council to refuse to pass a cuts budget. (See ‘Enfield North CLP backs no-cuts budget – now councillors must act‘.)
Instead, the call is for the council to pass a no-cuts budget, making use of reserves and borrowing powers. Meanwhile, the council should demand that central government immediately restore funding to at least pre-austerity 2010 levels.
The north London borough council is preparing a further £18 million worth of Tory cuts to jobs and services, on top of £178 million of cuts since 2010.
The chair of Unite’s regional industrial sector committee (Risc), Socialist Party member Danny Hoggan, stated: “Our Risc wholeheartedly supports the position of Enfield North. The only way to defend local government services is to take the road taken by Enfield North Labour Party.
“We call on all those who want to fight cuts to join with this struggle. The consequences of not doing so are dire. This is about vital services, it’s about the future of local government.
“We call for a campaign, uniting anti-cuts councillors with trade unions, service users and communities, to demand much-needed funding for our services.
“We could spread the campaign to other Labour councils, which in turn would give us the best opportunity to get rid of this Tory government who have spread such misery across the country.”
