A new alliance of campaigners, trade unionists and councillors has launched today, vowing to build a movement to reverse 16 years of ‘misery and decline’.
The Anti-Austerity Coalition has its roots in a summit hosted by Hackney Council in September, which was attended by Council administrations from across England, as well as hundreds of political figures, trade unionists and activists.
The new Coalition will take forward the five demands of the summit, and will mobilise behind them. Its first act was to support the ‘eve of Budget’ demonstration outside Downing Street this evening, at which Zack Polanski and Jeremy Corbyn will speak.
In the coming weeks, the Coalition will form a Steering Group, with cross-party support and representation from the trade union movement and wider civil society.
A spokesperson for the Anti-Austerity Coalition said:
“After 16 years of cuts, public services are on their knees and we have a cost of living crisis, with benefits and wages not having kept pace with the basics. Now, many councils are facing yet more cuts.
“This is a result of a failed economic model which sucks wealth upwards. Ending that model means not only stopping austerity, but reversing it, strengthening and funding the public sector.
“It is welcome that the Prime Minister recognises austerity as a fundamental mistake, but we must see decisive action. The Anti-Austerity Coalition will build a movement for an alternative to misery and decline.”
The demands of the Coalition are as follows:
- More government funding: Restore and replace Local Government Financial Settlements to at least pre-2010 levels, with guaranteed funding for both statutory and non-statutory service delivery. This should be determined primarily on the basis of need, with structural changes made to meet that need.
- Cancel local authority debt: Break the cycle of local authorities scrambling to get back on their feet, and let them start a new chapter that ensures residents benefit first.
- More funding for more council homes: Provide capital funding to significantly increase the number of council homes built and put to use every year, and ensure a long-term financial commitment to high-quality, accessible and sustainable provision. This must entail ending right-to-buy, and ending the developer-led model.
- New, fairer ways to raise money: Reform council tax and introduce new ways for councils to raise funds, that ensures wealthier property and land owners pay a fairer share.
- Strengthening our public sector: From increasing powers to local councils; bringing in national regulations to systematically end outsourcing and privatisation practices; funding new models of work such as 4 day working weeks and reduced working hours; restoring and increasing public sector pay; ending pay disparities across demographics and seniority; and improving working conditions.
ENDS
NOTES
- For more information please email info@antiausteritycoalition.org or ring 07964791663
- The website for the coalition is here: www.antiausteritycoalition.org