Labour Assembly Against Austerity’s Co-Chairs, Diane Abbott MP and Steve Turner, Assistant General Secretary of Unite the Union, alongside Vice-Chair Lucy Anderson MEP, comment on Jeremy Corbyn’s re-election as Labour Leader with an increased share of the vote. Commenting on Jeremy Corbyn’s victory in the Labour Leadership election today, Lucy Anderson MEP, Vice-Chair of the Labour Assembly Against Austerity said: “The Labour Assembly Against Austerity welcomes Jeremy Corbyn’s re-election as Labour leader, staking out how a Labour government would deliver a £500bn public investment programme to build our infrastructure, manufacturing, and new industries of the future, moving us to a low carbon economy, delivering good jobs and tackling the housing crisis. This is the credible – and transformative – economic strategy that Labour needs for General Election victory and will raise living standards in Britain.” She added, “Austerity has not eliminated the government deficit, contrary to Conservative promises. Instead, because of their policies, the economy has stagnated. In contrast to this, Jeremy Corbyn clearly understands that the priority must be achieving economic growth that fairly shares wealth. We look forward to working with Jeremy in campaigning against the Conservatives and for a Labour victory in the months and years ahead.” […]
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Emergency rally with Diane Abbott & Richard Burgon: Unite to Fight Tory Austerity – #KeepCorbyn
Tuesday, July 12th, 2016With: Diane Abbott MP, Shadow Health Minister Richard Burgon MP, Shadow Justice Minister Lucy Anderson MEP Councillor Maryam Eslamdoust Christine Shawcroft, Labour Party NEC member Mike Hedges, Unite London & Eastern Region Political Committee Murad Qureshi, former London Assembly member Marsha Jane Thompson, Momentum Matt Willgress, National Organiser, Labour Assembly Against Austerity Chris Williamson, former MP & candidate for Labour NCC After the #Brexit vote the Tories are threatening a wave of massive further cuts. We have called this rally in support of taking the fight to the Tories and uniting behind the progressive investment-based alternative proposed by Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership team.
[Read more]The Corbyn effect: How apathy became hope – by Steve Turner of Unite
Tuesday, March 1st, 2016Recently Tony Blair professed bafflement at the rise — on both sides of the Atlantic — of popular movements by people who in Blair’s view choose to “rattle the cage”. I think this is a mischaracterisation. Those who have been energised into supporting Sanders, Corbyn and movements such as Podemos and Syriza want to break the cage, ending the failed policies that continue to dominate and distort so much of our national discourse. What these movements represent is a desire and hope for something better. I don’t think that is baffling at all. In two weeks the Budget will see another repeat of the regular farce of Chancellor George Osborne announcing old targets missed (again), new targets no-one expects to be met and earnings growth forecasts that will fail to materialise. There will be a series of promises in his speech that will make headlines and prove to be empty, claiming a “march of the makers,” that the economy will be rebalanced and there will be higher wages. The reality is that manufacturing output is significantly lower now than in 2008. Jobs are being sucked into London, where employment is nearly 12 per cent higher than it was in 2010. […]
[Read more]Pre-Budget Rally: Better Off With Labour
Tuesday, February 16th, 2016Better Off With Labour – the Alternative to Osborne’s Cuts 7pm, Wednesday, 9th March 2016 House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA >> Register for free on eventbrite Speakers: John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor, Diane Abbott MP, Shadow International Development Secretary, Cat Smith MP, Shadow Minister for Women Helen Goodman MP, Treasury Select Committee Maya Goodfellow, writer for ‘The Independent’ & ‘LabourList,’ Shelly Asquith, Vice-President (Welfare,) NUS, Steve Turner, Unite the Union & People’s Assembly Against Austerity. >> Register for free on eventbrite On the evening of March 9th, the Labour Assembly Against Austerity will host our annual pre-budget meeting, analysing the current situation regarding austerity, and seeking to build support for both the People’s Assembly Against Austerity Movement (including its April 16 National March for Health, Homes, Jobs & Education) and support for Labour’s alternatives to austerity. >> Join the event on facebook
[Read more]A Labour Assembly Against Austerity
Thursday, October 15th, 2015A Labour Assembly Against Austerity 10am – 5pm, Saturday 14th November Institute of Education, Bedford Way, Central London REGISTER: Tickets available for £7 unwaged and £10 waged A vital event to discuss how Labour can win the argument against austerity and we build the anti-cuts movement in the period, with: John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor Plus speakers Diane Abbott MP Lucy Anderson MEP Shelly Asquith, Vice-President (Welfare,) National Union of Students Mick Burke, Socialist Economic Bulletin & Economists Against Austerity Victoria Chick, Emeritus professor of economics at University College London Sabby Dhalu, Stand up to Racism Betsy Dillner, Director, Generation Rent Siobhan Endean, Unite the Union Councillor Maryam Eslamdoust, Camden Andrew Fisher, Left Economics Advisory Panel (LEAP) Carol Hayton, Labour Party National Policy Forum Councillor Emine Ibrahim, Haringey Clive Lewis MP Andrew Murray, Stop the War Coalition & Unite the Union Councillor James Murray, Islington, & Labour Party National Policy Forum Professor Özlem Onaran, Professor of Workforce and Economic Development Policy, University of Greenwich Ann Pettifor, Labour’s Economic Advisory Council and PRIME Tim Roache, GMB Yorkshire & North Derbyshire Christine Shawcroft, Labour Party NEC Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary Dave Ward, CWU General Secretary Peter Willsman, Labour Party NEC […]
[Read more]The People’s Assembly goes to Labour conference
Thursday, October 1st, 2015This year’s Labour Party conference was truly a turning point in the anti-austerity movement, writes Steve Turner. That day when I introduced Jeremy Corbyn on stage at the huge People’s Assembly march in June he was greeted like a rock star- so while many of us were optimistic about how his leadership campaign would unfold over the Summer I am not sure many of us guessed how successful it would be. Securing an election mandate of nearly 60% is of course just the start. But on Monday conference listened to a Shadow Chancellor in John McDonnell who was putting forward the clear anti-austerity arguments and the alternative to what has been happening in this country. It is something that the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, the trade union movement and many, many others have been campaigning for and have laid the ground for. We have all been arguing for the deficit to be shrunk by dynamically growing our economy, not punishing people. Economic growth through investment that delivers for all our local communities, builds homes, provides good working standards, and action to tackle low pay and the gender pay gap – in short an economic policy that delivers for society. It […]
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