Labour and the Cuts - Statement by Revolutionary Praxis

LABOUR AND THE CUTS

It was the reckless folly of speculative bankers that in 2008 necessitated a bail-out of £86 billion by the Labour Government to prevent big banks failing.  If this had not been done the collapse of banks would have sparked off a major economic depression.

LABOUR’S ROLE

Even so, Labour has some responsibility for the banking crash.  In 1998 the Labour Government relaxed regulations on banking and other financial activities.  This made it easy for unscrupulous bankers to engage in risky financial deals using other people’s money.  Also the Labour leaders, such as Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson, were fawning at the feet of the big bonus bankers, praising them as “wealth creators” when in fact they are a bunch of exploiting parasites.

PUBLIC SPENDING CUTS

All of the main political parties—Conservative, Labour and Lib-Dem—are in favour of massive cuts in public spending.  This is so the Government can pay off the loans it took out  to prop up the banks.  In March 2010 the Labour Government announced big reductions in public spending for the coming years but could not implement them because it lost the General Election in May 2010.

The new Con-Lib/Dem Coalition Government is imposing much the same sort of cuts that Labour would have brought in.  These hit low income and deprived people the most.  The main difference between the Coalition and the Labour Party is the period of time, shorter or longer, over which they want to spread the torture of a thousand cuts.

CUT THE CRAP

Neither the Coalition Government nor the Labour opposition are willing to cut the things that are of no benefit to ordinary people.  Massive amounts of money are spent on armaments and war.

The Trident nuclear missile system will cost around £28 billion to run until 2023 and if it is upgraded the total cost in the coming years will be around £115 billion.  Even some of the generals think that Trident is useless.  It should be scrapped now. The war against Afghanistan, which is being lost, drags on at a cost of £4.5 billion per year and £2 billion per year is still being spent in Iraq.  Cutting this wasteful military spending would remove the need for the present public spending cuts.

LOCAL COUNCILS

It is local councils which are required to implement many of the cuts, especially ones which reduce services for children, old people and very vulnerable groups.  Many local councils are controlled by the Labour Party.  Yet there is not one council in the country which is refusing to resist the cuts by declaring a state of emergency and adopting a deficit budget.  Labour-controlled councils are cutting public services just as much as Con/LibDem  ones.  If even a few local councils stood up to the Government it would create a political crisis and Cameron and co. would have to think again.

CUT THE CUTTERS!

Revolutionary praxis

Contact: mail@revolutionarypraxis.org