Fighting The Cuts In Liverpool
On Wednesday pensioners, trade unionists, the unemployed, musicians and campaigners descended on Liverpool town hall to protest against cuts in services in the city. Liverpool is ranked the 4th most deprived local authority area in England. As it was International Women’s Day women from The Merseyside Pensioners Association led a march from the Walker Art Gallery down to the town hall.
The Council agreed budget cuts of £90 million over the next three years. It takes to £420 million the amount of central Government spending cuts since 2010, equivalent to a 68 percent reduction in funding. Three hundred jobs will be lost over the next three years and the Council Tax will be increased by 4.99% in 2017 /18. The future of the library service is uncertain and closures are now likely. All services will be impacted by the cuts.
In his book ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists’ Robert Tressell writes: “Every man who is not helping to bring about a better state of affairs for the future is helping to perpetuate the present misery, and is therefore the enemy of his own children. There is no such thing as being neutral: we must either help or hinder.”
To great applause Julie called on the Council to implement a budget based on the needs of the people of Liverpool.
None of the protesters were allowed into the Town Hall to watch the debate.
You can support a feature length film I’m helping to make here: ‘Austerity Fight’