Motion passed: Austerity Demo resolution

This branch notes: 

  1. Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have announced massive cuts to public spending, targeted particularly at Personal Independence Payments for the disabled and Universal Credit for the poorest 
  1. These measures are coming off the back of 15 years of Tory austerity, and Labour maintaining the two-child benefit cap, cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners and betraying the WASPI women 
  1. This new austerity comes with huge numbers of job cuts in the civil service, the NHS and other public services, such as our own sector in Higher Education 
  1. These cuts are being made to directly fund a huge increase in defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027 – £13 billion – with a view to raising it to 3% in the next Parliament 

This branch believes: 

  1. Starmer’s Austerity 2.0 is an attack on working-class people still bearing the brunt of a cost-of-living crisis 
  1. Austerity is a political choice and Starmer’s government is choosing to impoverish the most vulnerable people in society instead of taxing the richest 
  1. Our public services are in dire need of funding – not more cuts: our NHS is in the worst state it’s ever been in , our schools are crumbling, and transport and infrastructure are dilapidated 
  1. The decision to increase military spending only makes the world a more dangerous place, shows that our government is prioritising the prospects of war instead of striving for peace, and is directly diverting money away from working people and public services that need it 
  1. That the arms industry and defence sector are the least labour-intensive industries in the country and any increases in jobs from public spending will be minimal 
  1. That the only beneficiaries of this attack on living standards will be the far right who will capitalise from people’s fears on losing jobs and benefits while demonising refugees, benefit claimants and protesters  
  1. We need to rebuild a mass anti-austerity movement that confronts the government over these cuts  

This branch resolves: 

  1. To build the People’s Assembly No More Austerity 2.0 national demonstration on 7 June and to join the march with our banner 
  1. To make a donation of £100 towards Bristol coach costs to the demonstration 
  1. To affiliate our branch to the People’s Assembly