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From The Socialist newspaper, 16 January 2019
North Tyneside council cuts: march to save our footbridge
(Click to enlarge)
Peter Robson, North Tyneside Socialist Party
The second meeting of the Save Borough Road Footbridge campaign took place at the Magnesia Bank pub in North Shields on 12 January and was very well attended by around 40 people.
The Labour council's footbridge demolition plan will cause serious hardship to disabled and vulnerable people accessing the town centre.
The meeting was convened not only to decide campaign tactics but also to promote the demonstration and march through the town the following Saturday 19 January, 11am, starting at the same location.
What was disappointing at the meeting was that Socialist Party members, who have been active in the campaign from the outset, discovered that a steering group had been set up behind closed doors to exclude us from a role in building the campaign.
When I and another member challenged the chair on this, we were in effect shut down. From the start a lack of democracy has permeated this campaign, which has been run by Momentum and Labour Party supporters who are determined to monopolise it.
However, we proposed helpful suggestions for the march which were well received in the room. Copies of the Socialist were sold, with people coming up to us asking for the paper.
North Tyneside Socialist Party members will continue to involve ourselves in this campaign, and are confident of gaining support for our programme.
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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
In The Socialist 16 January 2019:
What we think
May facing Brexit vote catastrophe
Socialist Party news and analysis
After Grenfell, thousands still in high-rise firetrap blocks
Universal Credit: robbing the working class
30% of English secondaries in deficit
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
A key task - strengthen Tamil Solidarity campaign
Council cuts
Glasgow: huge turnout to fight closure of Whitehill pool
Surrey: save our children's centres
Caerphilly: right-wing Islwyn Labour councillors fight to impose cuts
Nothing to declare? Dodgy councillors hide vested interests
North Tyneside: march to save our footbridge
Socialist history
The 1979 'Winter of Discontent'
International socialist news and analysis
USA: federal workers without pay - but immediate mass action can end shutdown
India: biggest general strike ever
France: union-led action and assemblies can defeat Macron
Mexico: police silence on horrific attack on CWI member
Workplace news and analysis
Unions must fight and demand nationalisation to save thousands of car industry jobs
Hundreds join Manc RMT picket line in solidarity after far-right attack
UCU: Vote Yes and Yes in the higher education pay and equality ballot
Opinion
Sorry to Bother You: "Socialist film Botox that made me feel young again"
Brexit: The Uncivil War - an interesting but inaccurate portrayal of EU referendum
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