The Tory-LibDem Coalition is a government of millionaires for the millionaires: 18 out of the 24 cabinet ministers are millionaires. Last year, they told us that we are “all in it together”. Now, they let banks set aside £7 billion for bonuses. It really is “them and us”.
The state-owned bank RBS will pay out £1 billion in bonuses to its top bankers including £7 million to boss Stephen Hester. Bob Diamond, the boss at Barclays, will receive £8 million and has pocketed £75 million since 2006! No wonder he’s just told the Treasury select committee that the period of “remorse and apologising” for banks was over!
The Coalition government has launched a programme of cuts and privatisation designed to destroy the welfare state and bring poverty to millions. Notices have been issued warning that 130,000 council jobs are at risk of redundancy. In Manchester, 2,000 jobs are to go – that’s 17% of the non-teaching staff! The NHS bill will denationalise healthcare services in England and cost £1.7 billion on restructuring rather than on patient care.
Instead of cuts, we need investment in jobs, homes, transport, public services, and a sustainable economy. And it is those who are responsible for the crisis, the speculators, tax-dodgers, and the rich, who should pay for it.
We have to meet the Con-Dem attack with a wave of demonstrations, occupations, and strikes powerful enough to stop the cuts and defend public services. The students have shown the way. Now we have to unite to carry on the fight.
The Coalition of Resistance is organising a week of action from the 14 to the 19 February.
That is the time to rally together everyone in your town for demonstrations and meetings, to organise against all cuts in jobs and services, and to start filling the coaches for the TUC demonstration on 26 March. This can be the start of resistance by millions to defend our welfare state and the day we begin to turn the tide on the Con-Dem Coalition of millionaires
Tamworth Alternative Blog
