The long march against the cuts

Heather Wakefield, UNISON’s head of local government, writing for the Public Finance blog, reviews Saturday’s mammoth demonstration in London: ‘Carnival-like marches might win the short-term psychological battle, but they won’t win the political war. For sure, they keep spirits high, build solidarity and remind us that there are millions out there who want an end to Coalition cuts, but alone they are not enough. There is much more to do.’

‘We intend to develop local organisation throughout the UK which can come together in a truly Big Society, but a Big Society Against the Cuts. It must be long-term and sustainable to make sure that politics changes forever and that Labour too is forced to address the real needs of the poor and the ‘squeezed middle’, acknowledge the contribution of public service workers and the ravages of privatisation.

'We must see off Coalition and anti-public sector candidates in the forthcoming local elections and vote instead for those who recognise that the welfare state exists not just for comfort, but as an essential ingredient of a strong economy and a cohesive society.’