Don’t Trust Labour on the Bedroom Tax

As April grows ever closer, resistance to the despised Bedroom Tax is spreading across the UK as tenants step up the fight to save their homes.

In Bootle, Merseyside this week, hundreds of people – many of them tenants and claimants who will be hit by the tax – held a furious  demonstration.  Up to 660,000 people face eviction and homelessness due to the changes in the way housing benefits are paid – which will manifest in a weekly tax paid to local authorities or Housing Associations that along with other benefit changes, could see vital support for the very poorest virtually wiped out altogether.

The millionaires in Government have glibly suggested people should downsize if they can’t afford the tax – completely ignoring that there is nowhere to downsize to.

Many claimants will also face having to pay Council Tax for the first time in April, whilst London Boroughs are preparing for mass forced re-locations due to the upcoming Benefit Cap.

Liverpool has shown the way.  A huge turn out is also expected in Glasgow on March 30th for a protest against the tax.

There has also been a day of action organised by Labour Left, a group within the Labour Party.  The same Labour Party that introduced similar measures to the bedroom tax for private tenants when they were in Government.  The same Labour Party who refuse to reject workfare and the Work Capability Assessment, the brutal regime for claiming sickness and disability benefits that they designed.  The same Labour Party that has completely by-passed the successful tenant’s movement in Liverpool and is urging people to gather under their soiled banner instead.

Labour Left was founded by Eoin Clarke and represents a few of the Labour Party members who still call themselves socialists despite being members of a neo-liberal party.  The group have produced a Red Book (pdf)*, which they hope will influence Ed Milliband in an ‘ethical socialist’ direction.  Eoin Clarke edited the book and contributed some interesting proposals for the housing sector.

Clarke correctly points out that the UK needs more houses, and that private sector rents are out of control.  He is also a keen advocate of the Right To Buy schemes that created this problem, stating: “I have no criticisms to make of the main principle of the RTB scheme.”  He even praises Thatcher herself for the initiative: “Right to Buy [RTB] scheme launched by Margaret Thatcher in 1981 was initially a good thing.”

Clarke’s objection to Right To Buy is that not enough homes were built to replace those sold.  To address this he proposes a mass house building scheme, designed to build 1.8 million homes over 18 years.

Whilst this is far too little way too slowly, it is the type of houses Clarke proposes to build which are of most concern.  Clarke wants these houses to be built by a Non Profit co-operative as opposed to local authorities, no doubt similar to the unaccountable Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) that Labour brought in to run many Council Estates.

These new houses are only to be made available to “people who were not eligible to receive housing benefit and who had demonstrated a willingness and ability to pay private rental market prices for the previous 12 months. This scheme would not prejudice any other housing scheme in which the government and social housing sectors participate. It is exclusively for hard working individuals or families who cannot afford to buy their own home.”

These are the only houses Clarke wants to build in a housing strategy that can be roughly summarised as fuck the poor.

Labour Left initially planned 16 protests around the UK to oppose the Bedroom Tax.  This number has now grown and it is unclear whether they are all organised by the Labour Party.  No doubt many claimants and tenants will want to attend even if they are should one happen in their area, which is completely understandable.  With such a crisis about to explode in people’s lives almost anything is better than nothing – and Labour’s voice can be diluted or drowned out at these protests should people choose to show up.

But it will be tenants and claimants who will beat this tax, not fake friends from the Labour Party, Housing Associations or charities.  And we should be wary of any attempt to hijack our suffering for the political opportunism of a party that deserted those with least a long time ago, if it ever really cared at all.

* Clarke’s piece is called “Private renters, the forgotten millions who abandoned Labour” and begins on page 96.

Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid

Streets of Lewisham Filled With Protesters Over Hospital Cuts

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Lewisham today in protest at the decision to close Lewisham Hospital’s A&E, children’s and maternity services.

The huge turn out filled the streets from Lewisham Shopping Centre to Mountsfield Park in Catford well over a mile away.  The demonstration comes ahead of an expected announcement on the closures by Tory dimwit Jeremy Hunt this week.

The passionate and emotional protest drew huge support as people stood outside shops businesses waving flags and cheering, whilst motorists stuck in traffic due to the demonstration honked their horns in encouragement.

Should the brutal cuts to the hospital go ahead then almost a million people will be dependent on just one A&E.  Today’s protest showed the rage locally at the decision, whilst many people travelled from across London in solidarity.

The Tory Government lied that the NHS would be safe in their hands, whilst behind the scenes they planned hospital closures, job losses and privatisation.  More marches are planned and direct action has been announced should Hunt not be an end to the plans this week.  The strength of today’s march shows that the fight to protect the NHS and local hospitals everywhere may be the biggest fight this toff Government has faced to far.

Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid

Protest at the Tory Party Conference

I was going to write something about the Labour Conference but it’s just so fucking dull I can barely bring myself to bring it up.  Here’s a plug for the protest outside the Tory Conference on Sunday instead.

From Birmingham Against The Cuts

On Sunday 7th October we’ll be welcoming the tories to Birmingham for their annual conference, with a TUC organised demonstration marching through the town centre to a rally at St Marks Place:

Assemble: Victoria Square at 10.30 and march moves off at 11.00am

The tories are leading the neo-liberal charge to destroy the gains won through class struggle over the past century, with benefit cuts looking to take us back to the victorian age of workhouses and poverty, the NHS being run down in preperation for being flogged off or outsourced to tory donating private health companies, free schools and academies combine with budget cuts to undermine our education system and legal aid cuts remove access to justice for civil cases from any ordinary person.

Austerity is sold as being a solution to the deficit problem, but the deficit is rising as double dip recession it created causes tax income to fall and welfare payments to rise. Alongside the destruction to our economy it destroys our communities and our lives.

The neo-liberal’s answer to this is more cuts of course, and to get rid of employment rights and health and safety legislation, next up will be the minimum wage (already undermined by £2.60/hr apprenticeships and workfare) and more restrictions on trade unions.

From pensions to youth centres, sure start to libraries, forests to street cleaning, the cuts to services affect us all, so if you’re out this weekend and friends are moaning about the government, about the economy or the services they’ve lost, make sure they are coming out on Sunday 7th to march with the rest of us plebs calling for the alternatives to austerity.

Please share, tweet etc and spread the word.

Above pic from West Midlands IWW

Ruin the Lib Dem’s Conference Weekend: Shut Down Workfare in Brighton

For the latest info visit the facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/events/451566338217041/

Saturday 22nd September – Brighton – Noon

The Liberal Democrat conference is being held in Brighton on Saturday 22nd September 2012 – there will be a large demonstration organised by Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition and Brighton Trades Council.

To coincide with this, Brighton Solidarity Federation, Brighton Benefits Campaign and Brighton Uncut are calling for a day of action in Brighton against workfare – instead of ineffectually “having our say” and being ignored by the junior coalition partner, we should physically shut down a high profile coalition policy.

We are aiming to use a diversity of tactics on the day – from static or roving pickets outside shops, to UK Uncut style occupations, to whatever anyone else fancies getting up to.

We will distribute a list of workfare targets and their locations – when the march ends we will head into town and try and shut down as many of them as we can for as long as we can.

Spread the word!

Police Violence Mars Successful Day of Action Against Atos

One wheelchair user suffered a broken shoulder yesterday after police indiscriminately attacked a peaceful protest held by disabled people and supporters outside the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

Several hundred people had earlier gathered outside the London headquarters of Paralympic sponsor Atos as part of the week of action against the company.  Atos carry out the Work Capability Assessment, a computer based test which has been used to find hundreds of thousands of disabled and seriously ill people ‘fit for work’.

Tragically several people have committed suicide after Atos and the DWP have connived to cut their benefits, whist many more have had conditions worsened by the endless and traumatic assessment regime.  Astonishingly Atos are also sponsors of the London Paralympic Games.

Whilst speeches and angry chants condemned the company outside their own front  door, other disabled activists had joined up with UK Uncut outside Caxton House in Westminster, the home of the DWP.  Several people gained entrance to the building, with two wheelchairs users locking themselves in the doorway.  A line of people formed in front of the doors with banners effectively closing the building down.

After several minutes of confusion on the part of G4S security staff, scores of police arrived and pushed past the line of people into the building.  As more and more police arrived a tense stand off took place with growing numbers of police both inside and outside the building.

Luckily help was at hand as the demonstration at the Atos HQ ended and over 200 people came to join protesters outside the DWP.  A lively crowd gathered outside the building whilst another line of wheelchair users formed in front of the door.

The police response became increasingly aggressive as groups of officers repeatedly attempted to push through lines of people and clear the space.  At one point police charged out of the building, lashing out at disabled and non disabled protesters like.  This caused several people to be pushed onto the line of wheelchair users, with one man suffering a fractured shoulder as a result, whilst another protester was pushed out of their wheelchair.  When one man objected to this wholly unnecessary use of violence by police he was arrested.

Disabled activists have expressed outrage at this reckless and irresponsible police response which could easily have resulted in far more serious injuries (or even worse).  No thought seemed to be given at all to the large numbers of disabled people, or those with serious health conditions, who were present at the demonstration.  Many in the crowd expressed disbelief at such unnecessary violence at an entirely peaceful occupation of the lobby of a public building.  With the recent acquittal of Simon Harwood, the police officer who killed Ian Tomlinson at the G20 demonstration in 2009, it appears the police have new confidence in using violent tactics to suppress peaceful protest.

As police finally managed to secure the front doors of the DWP, ironically blockading it themselves, the mood eased slightly and people began to make speeches telling of their experience at the hands of Atos and the DWP.  Eventually those protesters remaining inside the building were allowed to leave and emerged to large cheers from the assembled crowd.

Whilst the day was marred by the police’s use of unnecessary force, it was still a great success with the largest demonstration so far outside Atos and a creative, and ultimately hugely successful direct action at the DWP.  Whilst just a few miles away Paralympics were being celebrated, the events taking place in Central London showed the true face of this Government’s attitude towards disabled people.  Paralympians are handed medals for the cameras in front cheering crowds whilst hundreds of thousands of disabled people face benefit cuts and poverty.  Yesterday’s events revealed that those who complain can expect to be violently attacked by state thugs.

Disabled People Against Cuts, who called the protest, have vowed not to be deterred with more actions and protests planned.  Other groups are also mobilising to resist this toff Government’s endless war on those with least. A National Day of Action Against Workfare has been called by Boycott Workfare for next Saturday 8th September.

Paupers’ Picnic at House of Commons – July 17th

From Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC)

DISABLED PEOPLE AGAINST CUTS, ARE HOLDING THEIR LATEST DIRECT PROTEST ACTION OF DELICATE DISRUPTION ON 17th JULY ON COLLEGE GREEN AND IN THE CENTRAL LOBBY OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

There will be an alternative Picnic On The Commons on Tuesday 17th July 2012. The aim is to Lobby MP’s in the Central Lobby and then go onto a Paupers Picnic consisting of Bread and Water as a symbolic gesture.

The time to start going into the Central Lobby to see your MP is 2pm onwards, so please give yourselves enough time to go through Security and be guided by House Of Commons Guides to walk you to the Central Lobby. Meet for 1.45pm on College Green opposite Parliament if you want to go in a group.

As Tuesday 17th July is the day that Parliament goes in Recess and all the MP’s rush off for their 2 month paid holidays, by lobbying them we will be keeping them back a bit and maybe  inconvenience them as they must see their constituents if a signed Green Slip is submitted.

Everyone attending will be wanting to lobby their MP on their local disability issues in their constituency or they will be lobbying them in supporting DPAC in their aims of direct action to raise the harm that the Welfare Reform Act has caused many of us in the UK Disabled Community.

After we have seen our MPs, we will invite them to join in with our alternative picnic, so bring along a blanket, food & drink.

21 Locations Lined Up For Week Of Action Against Workfare

Protests and actions against workfare are set to take place in 21 different locations next week as part of the National Week of Action Against Workfare called by Boycott Workfare.

Keep an eye on their website for the latest details at: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=1154

These actions have been announced so far:

Birmingham – Join our workfare counter-conference on 10th July in Birmingham from 10am – 5.30pm at the Unite Building, Transport House, 211 Broad Street, Birmingham B15 1AY (Disability access provided). More info.

Brighton – 11am 7th July – Workfare walk of shame. More info.

Edinburgh – 12 noon 14th July. More info.

Hastings – 11.30am 7th July Station Plaza. More info.

Leeds – Planning page for the week of action, with workfare walks of shame on Wednesday and Thursday. More info.

Liverpool – Weekly pickets culminating in a 7th of July action! More Info.

London, Central – 7th July – 12 noon, near Goodge Street station. More info.

London, Blackheath and Brixton – Actions on 7th and 14th July. More info.

London, Hackney – Action on 14th July. More info.

London, Islington – Action on 7th July. More info.

London, Wood Green – 12-1pm, Saturday 7 July, 12 noon at Holland and Barrett, 129-131 High Road, N22 6BB and may end up somewhere else before 1pm. (Call 07817 483 167 if you can’t find us on the day.)

Poole – 1pm 7th July – Kingland Crescent Holland and Barrett. More info.

Rhondda Valley – Contact via Facebook event comments.

South West – July 7th will see our campaign take to the streets of Bristol again. The following week will see a variety of action across the region. We currently have news of pickets of workfare providers taking place in Bath, Yate, Wells, Stroud, Swindon and again in Bristol. More details to follow. More info.

York – Fountain Parliament Square 1pm 7th July. More info.

Take The Class War to the Toff’s Front Door – Tomorrow!

The privileged elite will be trembling beneath the dreaming spires of Cambridge tomorrow (Saturday 16th June) as a fearsome mob of working class heroes and animal rights activists descend on the town to avenge the mutilation of of a local swan.

The local swan, Mr Asbo, had his wings clipped and was removed from his natural habitat along with his partner, after members of the chinless rowing set complained about his presence on the river.  Several toffs were attacked by the swan who objected to the landed gentry invading his rightful home.  This led to a order being sought to remove both swans from the river during the Cambridge boating season and viciously clipping their wings so they could not return.

Appalled by the outrage, veteran Class War anarchist Ian Bone called a demonstration to defend the mighty beast.  Hordes of the proletarian unwashed will descend on the city tomorrow during the Cambridge Bumps, a sickening display of elitism during which the effete upper classes race rowing boats up and down the River Cam.

The demonstration will begin at Senate House, Cambridge on June 16th from 11am.  The march will target the “elitism of Cambridge University in all its many guises” and could see the Pimms drinking classes facing hecklers along the river bank.  A fifth column of working class Cambridge students are set to burn their gowns in disgust at the vile activities of some of their fellow students on the river, which are believed to include the murder of innocent ducklings.

Despite the protest having been agreed with police, there have been several threats of violence made by the lily-livered Cambridge toffs hiding behind a cloak of anonymity on internet forums.  Ian Bone’s blog is also believed to have been illegally hacked, whilst a series of slurs have appeared in the local University press.  Despite these provocations the protest will continue as planned.

Take the Class War to the streets and rivers of Cambridge tomorrow.  We are all Mr Asbo!

UK Uncut’s Great London Street Party

Cold lager, sunshine, bit of argy bargy with the Old Bill, what’s not to like?

Tomorrow – May 26th – Central London

 

Meeting Points at 11am:

Welfare Block – Waterloo Station Concourse

Womens Block – 1 London Bridge

NHS Block – Opposite University College Hospital, Euston Road

Real Democracy Block – Parliament Square

For more details on meetings points visit: http://ukuncut.org.uk/blog/meeting-points-for-london-action

On facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/events/232452506855123/

Events also planned in Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, York, Crawley, Deby and Bournemouth – full details at: http://ukuncut.org.uk/actions

Spirit of May Day Flickers Back to Life

Anti-workfare protesters brought chaos to London’s West End yesterday after the annual Trade Union May Day march and demonstration.  A roving mob of around 350 people successfully shut down countless shops and businesses who use forced labour under the Government’s workfare schemes.

Mcdonalds, Pizza Hut, Greggs and Holland & Barrett all faced protests and pickets with police scrambling to protect them as protesters thronged the entrances to their premises.  McDonalds on Oxford Street even managed to break their own door as they rushed to prevent anyone entering.

Occasional scuffles broke out, with police becoming increasingly violent and flustered as the day went on.  One woman was thrown to the ground outside British Home Stores, whilst one copper took it upon himself to grab one protester and punch him in the face.  Even the usually docile FIT Team Police photographer Niel raised his fists at one point in an unruly temper tantrum.

Earlier in the day the annual TUC march was joined by London Occupy who had marched from Paternoster Square outside the Stock Exchange.  The TUC March seemed disappointingly small, but the sun was out and spirits remained high.  A brief flashpoint came in Trafalgar Square when Occupy laid out a few tents.  This drew a bizarrely stroppy response from the Heritage Wardens who are employed to police the pigeons in the Square.  Waving about copies of a bye-law they demanded the tents be removed and the old bill were only to happy to help.  Once it was even the tiniest portable sound systems that sent the Met into hysterics on May Day marches, now it appears to be tents that are the target of their fury.

At 4pm protesters converged on the posh Bond Street shopping mall.  On the busy pavement banners were unfurled and megaphones led chants demanding companies pull out of workfare and pay their workers properly.  With police blocking the entrance to the shopping centre, effectively closing it down, the demonstration headed down Oxford Street.

British Home Stores, owned by tax dodging billionaire Philip Green, was briefly closed with scuffles outside, whilst the protest then proceeded to mob the first McDonalds of the day.  Ever increasing numbers of police were outwitted by the fast moving and growing crowd, with every known workfare using business on Oxford Street shut down at some point.

Protesters then moved onto Charing Cross Road, where Holland & Barrett and Pizza Hut were both closed, before heading to The Strand where McDonalds were once again the target.  Finally it was up to Covent Garden with one group breaking away to picket Holland & Barrett and another heading to Pizza Hut.

The day ended with many Occupy protesters heading back into the Square Mile where they were finally able to temporarily occupy Paternoster Square.  Tents went up and they remained in occupation for several hours before police moved in.  Reports last night on twitter suggest several people were arrested.  There are also reports of a couple of arrests earlier in the day although it’s not clear so far what they were for.

North and South London Solidarity Federation deserve a medal for seizing the initiative and calling for the day of action on May Day.  Whilst the turn out didn’t match the glory days of May Days past,  it was by far the most fun and successful May Day in almost ten years.

Boycott Workfare, Occupy LSX and UK Uncut also took part in the day which could mark a turning point in the fightback against the toff Government.    Things have been quiet on the streets of London since last year’s riots and the glorious March 26th, when almost every bank in Central London (and The Ritz)  was attacked and given a facelift. But yesterday showed the mood for militancy is still alive and as anger against austerity re-ignites across Europe the battle is far from over.

Pic above via @unitonehifi.  More pics and timeline on London Indymedia at: http://london.indymedia.org/articles/12161

There’s more to come this month with the greedy planet fucking energy  companies being targeted tomorrow (May 3rd) whilst there’s action against bankers planned for May 15th and UK Uncut will be holding street parties across the UK on May 26th.