PROTEST AGAINST BEDROOM TAX
On the 16 March, Labour Left has initiated 40 Bedroom Tax Demonstrations throughout the UK.
Manchester’s protest will be held in Piccadilly Gardens from 1pm to 3pm. You can view the details of all protests on Labour Left’s website here.
The protests call for the Bedroom Tax to be scrapped, and anyone who supports this policy position is welcome to attend. The lead organiser and founder of Labour Left Dr Éoin Clarke explained the decision to commence this wave of campaigning.
“The bedroom tax affects nearly 700,000 people the majority of whom are disabled. One quarter of those affected are lone parents. Other people hit with this penalty include carers, terminally ill, foster children, families with children fighting in Afghanistan, and many more besides. The great majority of British people think this is unfair. Not even a majority of Tory voters support this cruel policy”.
Throughout the UK, campaign organisers have been busy preparing for the big day.
The events are intended to be family friendly occasions.
Organisers wish to make clear that people of all political persuasions are welcome, but we would ask that anyone with anything other than peaceful intentions stay away.
Labour Left members are not the only people organising the events. In some cases, key organisers include supporters and members and of none.
We also wish to acknowledge the supportive role Trades Councils and Trade Unions such as Unison have played.
We wish to thank all parties for maintaining a broad united front on the Bedroom Tax issue.
The objective of the protests is to send a clear and unequivocal message to Downing Street. David Cameron’s Poll Tax moment has united the nation in opposition to his cruelty.
We oppose the Bedroom Tax in principle, and detail.
We are calling for the tax to be axed.
It is utterly unworkable and will cost more than it saves.
Britain does have an overcrowding problem and it has a housing shortage problem but this is not the solution.
In David Cameron’s own County of Oxfordshire, 25,000+ social homes have been sold and not replaced since 1994.
Successive governments have failed to build adequate social housing stock.
What’s more, more than 6,400 properties in Oxfordshire, and 997,000 homes nationwide lie vacant.
The government needs to develop policies to fix these problems instead of targeting the vulnerable.
As Labour Left’s Chairperson, Grahame Morris MP, put it “At the same time prisoners get off and millionaires are getting a massive tax cut. How can that be right?”
Further details of the campaign can also be found on the following Facebook page here.
Pat McDonagh
Branch Secretary
