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From The Socialist newspaper, 11 August 2021
Starmer's faithful Guardian
London riots 2011, photo Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge)
As part of its anniversary coverage of the 2011 summer unrest, The Guardian newspaper conducted a survey of council funding of youth services in the years since, looking at the five areas of the country where 49% of recorded crimes during the 2011 events took place.
All of the areas had seen a cut equal to or greater than the national average 73% reduction in youth services funding, which informed the article's heading, 'A tinderbox of tensions still in place, ten years after riots'.
As the national election agent of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), I wrote to The Guardian's letter page pointing out that "all the councils are Labour-controlled and have been since 2011".
Responding to the justification for cuts that some Labour councillors make when they say 'there is nothing else we can do' (which they never put on their election leaflets of course!) I argued that they were wrong: "councils can refuse to implement Tory austerity and we need councillors who will do so".
That really would "give a voice to the voiceless and provide hope that 2011 won't be repeated" the letter concluded. But it was never published.
That the Guardian shields right-wing Labour politicians' complicity with Tory austerity will be less surprising to readers of The Socialist than news about bears' toilet preferences. But there is no harm in recording yet another example.
Clive Heemskerk, TUSC National Election Agent
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In The Socialist 11 August 2021:
NHS
Defend the NHS. Fight the Tory pay insult. Prepare strike action!
NHS: Kick out the privatisers, Fight for funding, Build for strike action
News
Tory government nationalises Sheffield steel plant
Tory cuts worsened crime and Johnson 'blitz' won't help
Thanks to the miners - an example of workers' struggle and solidarity
Comment
Olympic 'success' masks cuts and inequality in sport
Campaigns news
Capitalism = climate catastrophe
Rising against a rigged and rotten system - Socialism 2021
London Pride cancelled - pandemic shows protest Pride is necessary
London: Hundreds protest for trans rights
Save Newham's theatres from Labour council cuts!
Socialist Party young members summer school
A day in the life of a young hospitality worker
West Midlands: austerity and capitalism offers no future for young people
Why I joined the Socialist Party
Don't privatise Dudley libraries
Socialist Party: Solely funded by the working class
Review - The Struggle for World Socialism
Housing
Waltham Forest: Fighting for a home for Nadia and homes for all
History
August 1991 - The aborted military coup in the 'Soviet Union'
Workplace news
Ballot majority essential to continue DVLA strike action
Night tube strike suspended to allow talks - scrap compulsory duties!
RMT strike solid on East Midlands rail
You need a union when the time comes to fight
Unions protest at exploitative Leicester company Food Attraction
Over 3,000 votes for fighting socialist programme in CWU
International news
Beirut's devastating port explosion one year on
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2021