Last Thursday, 21 October, trade unionists, socialists, council workers and local parents stood shoulder to shoulder protesting outside a meeting of the city's councillors. We were calling on them to reconsider not only the cutting back of Connexions services but also the closure of the Bright Start nursery and the transformation of Portslade Community College into an academy.
Alex Richards of Unison City Council Branch was quoted in the Argus saying: "The issues of Connexions and Sure Start did shine through in what people were saying today. We heard a lot of heartfelt stories about how this is going to affect ordinary people. But people are also concerned about the wider cuts and how they are going to affect a place like Brighton which is extremely expensive to live in."
Despite the efforts of the lobby the council group did not appear to listen to any of the protests, Bright Start nursery is still set to be shut and PCC is set to be hived off to privateer Rod Aldridge with our councillors' blessings.
It is becoming ever clearer that our so called representatives do not reflect the views of their constituents and have no stomach to fight for our public services. For all their fine posturing the "opposition" of Green and New Labour have done nothing to oppose Tory privatisation.
What is needed is an alternative political party to represent working class people, one built by ordinary people that takes up their issues and campaigns on their behalf.
Alex Richards of Unison City Council Branch was quoted in the Argus saying: "The issues of Connexions and Sure Start did shine through in what people were saying today. We heard a lot of heartfelt stories about how this is going to affect ordinary people. But people are also concerned about the wider cuts and how they are going to affect a place like Brighton which is extremely expensive to live in."
Despite the efforts of the lobby the council group did not appear to listen to any of the protests, Bright Start nursery is still set to be shut and PCC is set to be hived off to privateer Rod Aldridge with our councillors' blessings.
It is becoming ever clearer that our so called representatives do not reflect the views of their constituents and have no stomach to fight for our public services. For all their fine posturing the "opposition" of Green and New Labour have done nothing to oppose Tory privatisation.
What is needed is an alternative political party to represent working class people, one built by ordinary people that takes up their issues and campaigns on their behalf.
Visit http://www.cnwp.org.uk/ and http://www.tusc.org.uk/ for information on one way we can make our working class voice heard in the corridors of power.
