Socialist Party Wales Socialism In Wales
By Gareth Bromhall
Socialist Party members took part in the Swansea Trades Council lobby of the Swansea City Councils budget setting meeting on the 28th February, along side trade unionists from across the city.
The council, a labour administration once again waved through tens of millions in cuts to jobs and services in the city, whilst praising themselves for a job well done.
Our history of protesting these council meetings has had an obvious effect, with the council moving the start forward to 3pm, effectively cutting off participation from working people.
The council also attempted to undemocratically fill the public 10 minute question time with pre-determined questions, including one scaremongering question about the “dangers “of not setting a “balanced budget” a direct attack on our call for a legal no cuts budget.
Our call though was echoed from the public gallery by a representative of Unison local government who called on the council to set such a budget in line with Wales TUC policy.
An intervention by Alec Thraves, calling on the council to fight back against austerity, and not make the £24m in cuts or sack the 145 teachers and 126 social care workers as set out in the budget, garnered cheers and applause from the public gallery.
The budget was passed, the cuts and job losses are to continue, but activist on the ground are commuted to fight every cut and continue to challenge the labour administration in its continuing participation in the Tories austerity agenda.
