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From The Socialist newspaper, 23 January 2019
Enfield North CLP backs no-cuts budget - now councillors must act
Protesters in Haringey marching against privatisation, photo North London SP (Click to enlarge)
Socialist Party reporters
Enfield North Constituency Labour Party (CLP) has demanded that Labour-led Enfield council pass a no-cuts budget. A resolution passed at the party's January all members meeting calls for a legal budget drawing on reserves and a "grassroots" local campaign to get the money for vital services from the government.
One councillor pledged not to vote for further cuts at the same meeting.
The Socialist Party, which has long campaigned for a mass, no-cuts strategy to resist Tory austerity, welcomes this positive development and looks forward to working with all willing Labour Party members, councillors and trade unions to fight to implement this.
Enfield Labour council plans to implement £18 million of cuts on top of the £178 million cut since 2010. As the resolution warns, imposing Tory cuts will "risk bringing the party into disrepute" and damage Labour's electoral prospects.
According to the End Child Poverty coalition, 39% of children in the borough were living in poverty last year. It has the highest eviction rate in London, yet the council prosecuted no dodgy landlords at all in 2015, 2016 or 2017 - reflecting the impact of cuts. There can be no doubting the acute social needs in this outer London borough.
The local Labour party will be calling on the two other Enfield CLPs for support and it aims to mobilise trade unions and community groups in opposition to the cuts.
It also calls for a national campaign; other Labour parties and trade unions should contact Enfield North to express solidarity for the stand.
Unions with members in local authorities, such as Unite, Unison and GMB, have conference policy in line with Enfield North's stand. Now is the time to turn good resolutions into a mass campaign.
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In The Socialist 23 January 2019:
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Socialist Party news and analysis
Nationalise big pharma: end this profit-driven NHS crisis
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Socialist history
Cuban revolution at 60: defend the gains and fight for workers' democracy
Workplace news and analysis
Birmingham: hostile Labour council attacks striking workers
Mass strike wins historic step towards victory in Glasgow equal pay battle
John Lewis workers count the cost of the retail crisis
Unison union higher education conference: a missed opportunity to develop a fighting strategy
Bristol Deliveroo workers walk out
PCS union: re-elect Chris Baugh for assistant general secretary
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Enfield North CLP backs no-cuts budget - now councillors must act
Leeds: don't let the far right divide us
International socialist news and analysis
Europe: school students strike against climate change
Poland: thousands mourn death of murdered mayor
Opinion
Theatre: Rouse, Ye Women to tell story of 1910 chainmakers' strike
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