Several weeks ago came the somewhat surprising news – at least for some – that British GDP fell by half a percent last quarter. This is contrasted against economists’ predictions of growth between 0.2 and 0.6 percent.

In an attempt to quell fears that this heralds another dip back into recession, Tory and Lib-Dem ministers insisted this was largely due to the ‘cold snap’ we experienced in December last year. What nonsense! Surely a minor causal feature, but this drop in productivity is probably more likely connected with the coalition’s reckless austerity program; a program which is worryingly short-term and defensive.

The Socialist Party insists that cutting public services is in no way conducive to economic growth coming out a recession; the government’s messy half-baked plan puts millions of jobs and services in danger. Creation of jobs and investment in our services is what is needed, as a small starting point for a full-scale fight back against capital’s encroachment into our daily lives.

And in more recent news, it seems the bankers and mega-rich have come out on top yet again, in what the coalition has dubbed ‘Project Merlin’; a weak attempt at somehow addressing the popular anger at exorbitant bankers’ bonuses.

Under this new agreement, banks have a target – not at all an obligation – to lend to small business. Yet this lending will be at commercial rates of interests, making it unattainable for many of these small businesses.

Further, the banks actually approached the government for this deal – not, of course, out any kind of altruism – but to gain a deal best suited to their class interests, and due to the pressures of the market and competition. Their aim was to make way for millions of pounds of bonuses again. Bob Diamond said the period of ‘remorse and apology’ following the initial crash ‘needs to be over’.

In addition, the Bank of England is now under even more pressure to act on Britain’s rising inflation which, as announced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently, rose from 5.4% in February, to 6% this month. This is the highest it has been since November 2008.

Mervyn King, the head of the central bank, has warned that fragile growth may be put at risk by quickly lowering rates back down. And the ONS points towards new year’s VAT hike – from 17.5% to 20% – as a contributory factor to the rise. This, on top of raising fuel and general commodity prices, have all contributed to the hike.

In short, we are facing the biggest attack on living standards that has been for 80 years. Regardless of political ideology, governments have been forced to implement austerity and cut-back measures.

Of course, the rationale from the ruling class, that we ‘all must bear the burden’ – or something to that effect – makes no sense considering that working people did not cause the economic crisis. The old adage concerning capital accumulation, ‘the rich get richer whilst the poor get poorer’, is proved no clearer than in a period like this.

£1.5 trillion in financial aid and stimulus packages was used to prop up the banks in the UK. More generally, banks across the world have received bailouts and hand-outs from tax-payers equivalent to a quarter of global GDP. The working people of the world have been made to pay, big-time.

At a much more local level, we are already seeing – along with the cuts to housing, education, healthcare, welfare etc. – thousands of job losses at in councils across the country. The Socialist Party reproaches the opportunist Labour councillors who cry crocodile tears for these cuts; the Lib-Dems who have shamelessly capitulated to the Conservatives; and the Tories who would destroy our services anyway.

A vast movement uniting students, workers, the unemployed must be galvanised into action, as we are seeing already. The fight back must be linked to other struggles nationally, to struggles across Europe, in the Arab world and across the world. We do not just call for a mere reforms to solve these problems; crisis is born out of regulated capitalism as a well as neoliberal. As Trotsky wrote some 70 years ago: we ‘must face reality squarely’ and be ‘bold when the hour of action arrives’.

Youth Fight for Jobs (YFfJ), affiliated with the Socialist Party, were out in force on Thursday's demo

Last week, on Thursday 9, thousands of protesting students and workers hit the streets of London, also in all major cities across the UK, in opposition to the lib-con coalition’s cuts in education and rise in tuition fees. Unfortunately, the vote was passed to double fees, and in some cases treble, by 21 votes. But not without tension or disunity in parliament (and certainly not without mass opposition just outside). The lib-dems, as many commentators have already said, are a party split down the middle. And supporting a reform that will exclude much poorer students from a decent education – which is what this rise will do – is to be expected from the Tories. Further, New Labour offer no coherent alternative; they introduced top-up fees, under Blair, in the first place.

On to the protest and anti-cuts movement itself. Many students, from primary school up to uni, took the day off and travelled long distances to be in London on the day, myself included. The enthusiasm and readiness to fight the government’s harsh austerity from youth is very encouraging – anyone who says our generation is lazy or apathetic should open their eyes! Many, teachers, trade-unionists and workers were also out for the day, with the RMT and NSSN officially giving their support to the students. All this is a positive step forward, but we must keep spreading the word and building the movement where we can, gently giving advice and political direction where it’s needed.

The metropolitan police were out in force, and especially aggressive and antagonistic. A few friends and I were stuck in Parliament Square for about 4 hours, trying to get out through rows after row of curt riot police, keeping thousands of increasingly frustrated protesters in the cold and dark. Far too much focus has been given, by politicans and the media, to the purported violence of the protest, with the prime minister describing the youth on Thursday as “feral”.

The violence that I saw, in fact, was overwhelmingly that caused by riot shields and police batons. Roughly 40 protesters had to have hospital treatment after last week’s demo. Alfie Meadows is one of the worst cases; he had receive emergency brain surgery after a police-officer hit around the head with his truncheon. Another particularly bad case was that of Jody McIntyre, a 20 year-old with cerebal palsy, who was forcibly removed from his wheelchair and dragged across the pavement on two separate occasions. If somehow you weren’t convinced already, this completely affirms the assertion that police tactics are deliberately engineered to incite violence from protesters. We say: resist police brutality and solidarity with injured protesters!

As mentioned, some newspapers and politicians have whined about over-the-top student violence, particularly Charles and Camilla’s royal car being attacked. What if it was either of them who ended up in hospital having to have a 3-hour brain operation? I suppose some think they are more important than “feral” demonstrators.

And in condemning the violence and destruction caused by angry students – which was really only to buildings – we de-emphasize the real violence and destruction that should be condemned: that wreaked by billions of pounds of cuts to our services, hospitals, schools, local councils. We should be condemning the tripling of uni fees; the cutting of EMA; youth unemployment at 1 million (20%); teaching grants slashed by 80% and in uni subjects like English – degrees that the government deems of little or no ‘economic value’ – even seminars are being totally done away with. These cuts are far more dangerous and malicious than a few angry protesters.

But we need to make the point that rejecting cuts in education does not just mean fighting back in our colleges and universities; rejection of education cuts means rejecting cuts across the board, because slashing the education budget half less would mean doubling spending cuts in health or housing instead.

In short, then, this is only the beginning. In totality, a rise in fees is a small part of the coalition’s much larger package of austerity and assault on the living standards of workers, youth and the unemployed, that hasn’t been seen since the ’30s. The poor are being made to pay for the utter failings of capitalism, whilst bankers and the rich make millions of our backs.

Education is a right: not a commodity; not a privilege! Free education for all!

The Somerset Socialist Party condem all the cuts the government and thier stooges in the local councils are making. While we simpathise with individual councillors who feel pressured into following the ConDem strategy (and who are legally obligated to do so) the Socialist Party believe that it is better to break the law than break the poor. And breaking the poor is exactly what these cuts will do. Using the excuse of the supreme debt crisis the millionaire cabinet are launching attacks against the working class, families, youth and the most vulnerable of society. No area of the public sector is safe and this has repercussions for all people, whether they work in the public sector or not.

Unfortunatley however, locally and nationally none of the establishment parties have reject the cuts. Even Labour under “Red Ed”, who represents no real substantial change from New Labour, accept cuts are needed. Therefore it is down to ordinary working people to fight back. Throughout the country workers, youth and communities have gathered together to fight the cuts and have shown that an alternative is possible.

See below a number of events organised by different groups and individuals:

Sat 24th October 11.00am
Demonstrate against the Cuts.
Assemble at Castle Park, Broadmead Bristol
Organised by Bristol and District Anti-Cuts Alliance

Mon 1st November 9.00-11.00am
Campaign Against 100% Art Funding Cuts
Assemble at SCAT, Taunton

Sat 6th November 10.30am
March and Rally to defend public services
Assemble at French Weir to march at 11.00am
Organised by Taunton Trades Council

Tues 9th November 7.00pm
Public Meeting Against the Cuts. Speakers include John McInally (PCS) and Phil Bialyk (RMT)
Exeter Central Library.
Organised by Exeter Anti-Cuts Alliance

The question now is what to do after the demonstrations and protests? It is clear communities and trade unionists need to join together and establish democratic, bottom-up anti-cuts alliances. If we have missed any event, please let us know.

“These cuts will mean misery”- a quote from a member of the public from Yeovil last week. And she was right. Members of the Somerset Socialist Party are getting prepared to fight against the up-coming Com-Dem cuts and are appealing to everyone; workers, youth, pensions, to get involved.

It is clear that the cuts planned with hit ordinary working people the hardest; we will face job cuts, cuts in benefits, cuts in pay, cuts in vital services and cuts in pensions all within a context of tax hikes and rising inflation. In short, the government plan on making working class people foot the bill, when we had nothing to do with the economic crisis! If these planned cuts are implemented, they will literally cripple millions of families and individuals across the country.

What is more outrageous is the lie that the Con-Dem government is spinning; the idea that cuts are necessary. However, this is nonsense! The amount of money clawed back after the cuts will make no sizable difference to the sovereign debt that Britain holds. Nor is it true that cuts can be made in a “nice” way. Ask anyone who works in the public sector; it is under-staffed and over-stretched already. Millions of people rely on these services and any cut in any area will threaten this. In the short term, measures like the scrapping of Trident, cutting the £25 Billion worth of tax evasion and making the banks pay for their crisis could help. However, this crisis is a crisis of capitalism. In the short and medium term it look unlikely that capitalism will find an easy way out; there are no new markets to export to, there are no new bubbles being inflated. Capitalism has shown itself to be utterly bankrupt, bringing misery to millions, but more importantly this misery will probably be protracted over a long period. Therefore we need a socialist plan of production to replace this moribund system which would put the needs of people before the needs of profit.

However in the short term we urge everyone to join the fight back in Somerset and nation-wide. A united, federalist and grassroots campaign can win. Campaigns of this nature have been successful before, like the anti-Poll Tax movement, and can be successful this time as well.

The branch discussed the attacks on education that the Con-Dem Coalition are determined to push through. Naturally, the discussion focussed on academies. A detailed explanation of our postion can be found in the previous post.

The business section of the meeting focussed on activity over the summer, new branch arrangements, meeting venues and the formation of a new branch programme.

It was agreed that there would be no more branch meetings in Bath and Somerton until September. Experience has shown that the Summer months are particularly difficult to organise in. It was agreed that public activity would be kept up in Yeovil throughout the summer.

As National Union of Teachers representative at a school which is “looking into” acquiring academy status, I am extremely worried about the future for my members and the education of my students. However, this is not just an issue for trade union members or teachers. This is a fight the whole community needs to win.

By a National Union of Teachers Rep, Somerset

It is very concerning to see how many schools have been seduced by the Government’s ill-thought out scheme. It is further worrying that a number of schools that were unfortunately not graded “Outstanding”, are also chasing after academy status. These schools, unlike the “Outstanding” ones, need an external sponsor; either a private company, a charity or the church. The ability of external sponsors to stipulate increased selection of pupils, thereby eroding the ideals of comprehensive education is very dangerous. Selection predominantly means students from working class backgrounds miss out. Moreover, the external sponsor has unrivalled power over the school; with little democracy or accountability to parents.

A further worry is that of pay and conditions for staff. While it is true that TUPE regulations will protect staff in the first instance, some academies have employed new staff on different contracts or failed to improve the pay or conditions of existing staff over time. Moreover, not one academy has continued to implement national pay and conditions. An open pay structure is fair and rewards staff for experience and dedication to the profession. Instead, academies often operate using secrete and unfair pay structures. Recent national agreements have reduced workload for teachers in many areas, but academies can opt out of these. However, academies fail to realise that fairly paid teachers who have more time to devote to their students clearly means an increase in the learning and enjoyment of pupils.

Academies can also move away from the National Curriculum and deny students the holistic, wide range of skills that they need. Moreover, when there is an external sponsor (church or business) they can choose what to teach. Furthermore, as the think-tank Civitas has shown, in an attempt to make academies look academically successful they often prioritise less demanding subjects. There is nothing wrong with a broad curriculum, it should be encouraged, but it should reflect the need of the students and not the desire to either gerrymander results or to promote the external sponsor’s aims.

The financial incentives are far from clear. Short term gains may look appealing but there are hidden costs and uncertain benefits. For example it has reported by the NUT that in many cases the transfer costs have been £75,000. Whilst schools would not need to pay for Local Authority services, others would still need to be bought in. This would include payrole, IT support and legal advice. The Local Authority also pays for materiality leave, redundancy pay out and Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision. Academies have to pay for these costly items themselves. It is true that having a sponsor could mean an increase in funds, but it is important to recognise that Britain is still in recession and experience has shown that academy sponsors have often cut back school budgets throughout the country, obviously to the determent of the students.

I urge readers to find out whether their local school is “interested” in academy status. If so, the community must fight this creeping privatisation. Schools are for learning and not for profit, indoctrination or the prestige of a “board of trustees”. The community need to mobilise and fight. Anti-academy campaigns need to be established which demand that governing bodies hold open public meetings. The feeling of the community, of parents, of students and of staff must be listened to by the governing bodies.

At the time of writing the “Outstanding” schools who have registered interest, and therefore automatically meet the criteria are:

Holyrood Community School Somerset
Huish Episcopi School Somerset
The Kings of Wessex School Somerset

Axbridge Church of England First School Somerset
Cutcombe Church of England First School Somerset
Huish Primary School Somerset
Somerton Infant School Somerset
St Vigor and St John Primary CE School Somerset
Timberscombe Church of England First School Somerset
Trull C of E VA Primary School Somerset
Weare Church of England First School Somerset

Other schools who have registered interest are:

Ansford School Somerset
The Redstart Primary School Somerset ,
Crispin School Somerset
Danesfield Church of England School Somerset
Hambridge Community Primary Somerset
Horsington Church of England Primary School Somerset
Maiden Beech School Somerset
Middlezoy Primary School Somerset
Minehead Middle School Somerset
Othery Village School Somerset
Preston School Somerset
Sexey’s School, Bruton Somerset

On Thursday 24th of June the Socialist Party, in alliance with Youth Fight For Jobs, Somerset NUT and the Yeovil Trades Council, successfully held their first ever public meeting in Yeovil. Around 20 attended the meeting in where the main speaker was John McInally, Vice President of the PCS.

By Will Adams, Somerset Socialist Party

Somerset and Bath branch built extensively for the meeting, holding stalls throughout the weekends and during the week, handing out hundreds of leaflets, encouraging the public to attend. Without the work of the Socialist Party this meeting and subsequent campaign would never have started.

The meeting was opened with a blistering speech by the John McInally. He warned of the effect of the recent budget on the public sector and the effects on the hundreds of thousands of people who will be forced into poverty and homelessness as a result of the heartless and unnecessary benefit cuts being forced upon us by the current Coalition. John rightfully likened the current Tory plans to the conditions faced in the 1930s with people being left without the support of their government during periods of mass unemployment and widespread anguish. He warned us we faced a period of attacks on employment, on wages and conditions. He emphasised the importance of a joint militant fight back, not just from the PCS but from all of the unions in partnership with one another. “Fight separately and we will be broken separately” he said, “Fight together and we will not be defeated!”

NUT member and Somerset and Bath Socialist Party branch secretary Jim Thomson then took the floor, speaking about the plans to attack the education sector. He explained the effects of the “Academy” scheme. Schools will no longer be run for the purposes of teaching. Instead, if the Coalition has its way, they will be run for profit, meaning the education, care and learning of the next generation will be decimated.

Viv Willis of the Yeovil TUC continued the discussion talking about the cost of the financial crisis and making it clear who is to blame. Billions of pounds have been wasted, not in public spending but in bailing out the banks and asking for very little in return! A vast majority of the wealth of this country is held by the few and it is as always the working class that are being forced to feel the pain of their mistakes.

Contributions were made from the floor with speakers agreeing that this campaign needs to focus on a joint and militant fight back led by the workers who of course, the cuts affect the most. The discussion covered Trident, the role of the Lib Dems, pensions and the private sector.

Now is the time to prepare the fight back, to gain support for the militant action that we know will be forced upon us. We cannot just sit back and let this government erode the rights that workers have fought to win. We need to build strong links with activists throughout the country, like we have done in Yeovil, to create clear and concise campaigns to fight the cuts both locally and nationally. With the guidance and leadership of the Socialist Party we can and will defend our services.

The discussion was led off by Archie and revolved around the question of the whether the Maoist organisations in India and Nepal offered a credible alternative for the oppressed masses. Archie started by giving the historical and political context of the two countries. It was made clear that in both countries there were material and justifiable treasons why Moaiosm had taken hold: In Nepal it was amongst a backdrop of repression and autocracy while in India it was partly due to the Indian ruling class uniting with international capitalism and pillaging resources and displacing the indigenous peoples.

The discussion also covered the key differences Marxists have with Maoism; These included the central role of the peasantry in Maoism compared to the reason why Marxists believe only the working class can play the decisive role in struggle. Comrades also discussed the role of workers in industrialised capitalist countries and the need for industrialised countries to rise against capitalism as well as looking at what the best route of struggle was; revolutionary guerilla warfare or mass workers involvement. The meeting agreed that while we understand why Maoism still has a large following in many countries and are sympathetic to its followers, Marxism is the most effective theory for the campaign against capitalist exploitation.

The meeting then discussed business, including the public meeting that the Somerset and Bath Socialist Party have called alongside the Yeovil and District Trades Council. The meeting is on the 24th June, in the Unity Hall, Yeovil with John McInally, Vice-President of the PCS confirmed to speak. The meeting also discussed arrangements for the branch after August.

On 29th May, David Laws, Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the man who would have been responsible for the most vicious cuts to the public sector in decades, was forced to resign after he was found misusing £40,000, thereby becoming the most recent victim in the MPs expenses scandal. This issue further questions the Tory-Lib coalition and their “strong and stable” government.

By Jim Thomson and Will Adams, Somerset Socialist Party

Laws, who is MP for Yeovil, one of the main areas that the Somerset and Bath Socialist Party works in, was found to be giving hundreds of pounds per month from his expenses in “rent” to his partner, a practice which is illegal and which many believe could have easily found its way back into Laws’ pocket. He maintains that declared it as rent in order to hide his homosexuality from the reactionary media. While Socialist Party members will understand Laws’ fear and while the Party fights strongly against homophobia, Laws nevertheless used this as an excuse to exploit and misuse thousands of pounds worth of tax-payers money. This incident further shows the greedy and cynical nature of the capitalist politicians that inhabit Westminster.

Many workers and trade unionists will be glad to see the back of Laws from his cabinet position. Laws, alongside the Tory axe-men Cameron and Osborne, clearly relished the opportunity to cut the public sector to Victorian standards. Laws is on the hard right of the Liberal Democrats, more a Conservative neo-liberal than a social-liberal. He is the co-author of the Orange Book, full of vicious anti-working class dogma and was a high-flying City-banker before becoming an MP. Laws was wringing his hands at the opportunity to create thousands of redundancies, to sell off thousands of schools, nurseries and care homes, to privatise the Post Office and to cut public sector pay in real terms. Unfortunately for Laws, his dodgy dealings caught up with him. The combination of his planned attacks on the working class and his lining of his own pockets show the type of politics that Laws and the rest of the Cabinet represent.

Laws has now been replaced by the rather hapless character of Danny Alexander. However, a change in person will not mean a change in policy. The Tory-Lib coalition will continue to inflict massive cuts, causing misery for millions, while letting off the bankers who still receive their massive bonuses despite causing the current crisis.

The Socialist Party in Somerset calls for Laws to resign his seat in Westminster as well as hi Cabinet position. We call for all MPs to only take the average wage of a skilled worker in their constituencies and demand that all expenses be open for the constituents to see and scrutinise.