Big UNISON presence as thousands march in York for a 'Better Way'

#betterwaydemo A large contingent of UNISON members from the Northern and Yorkshire & Humberside regions turned out at yesterday’s TUC organised protest in York at the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference. TUC regional secretary Bill Adams said that 'a strong message has been sent out about trying to find a better way to do things, rather than through austerity and attacking the most vulnerable.
We've reminded Lib Dem delegates that their party is complicit in that. We are saying that there must be a better way than pushing back workers, driving down living standards and attacking the poor’

Frosty northern reception planned for Fib Dems

#betterwaydemo The TUC’s Yorkshire and the Humber region has organised a demonstration in York today where the Liberal Democrats are holding their Spring Conference. The protest against the disastrous austerity measures of the Coalition government will highlight the impact on women in particular. With an impressive range of women speakers - including poet Kate Fox and TUC assistant general secretary Kay Carberry - to mark International Women's Day the floundering Liberal Democrats will get a clear northern message that as the general election approaches they can run but they can’t hide:  http://abetterwaydemo.org/2014/02/13/speakers-confirmed/

Lib Dems – only 42,000 members yet they rule over us

With only 55 MPs and 42,000 members Liberal Democrats are at the heart of the UK Government. Within the Coalition they have been the driving force to take ‘big money out of politics’ and staunch supporters of attacks on workers’ rights. No wonder that this almost virtual political party couldn't believe its luck in recent weeks with Ed Miliband repudiating collective trade union affiliation and the Lobbying Bill severely restricting ‘third party support’ in the year preceding a general election. Look out next for attempts to install the life support machine of state funding to guarantee them a long term role on the national stage regardless of their lack of viability as a UK wide political party:
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/07/lib-dem-money-woes-grow-party-membership-hits-new-low

August is Not the Quietest Month... This year

August is usually the quiet month in the political calendar, the sleepy summer season where our parliamentarians take themselves off to foreign climes for a spot of R’n’R, and re-acquainting themselves with their loved ones. Not only our ministers and MPs but the political correspondents, the Pollys and the Andrews, for whom politics is a spectator sport concentrated on the London Arena (sorry, Houses of Parliament).

Gateshead rallies against Liberal Democrat betrayal of NHS

Yesterday's rally organised by the Northern TUC and Public Service Alliance drew trade unions, community groups, Labour MPs, and campaigners to send a loud message to the Lib Dems' meeting in Gateshead. The broad range of campaigners shows the strength of feeling against the policies of this coalition government which are having a devastating impact on our communities.

Lib Dems tilting at windmills as free market tornado about to hit NHS

Nick Clegg once again demonstrates his disposable morals with a contrived letter co-signed with Baroness Williams purporting to defend the NHS. Whilst Williams has been a fierce and effective critic this latest stunt is merely to save Lib Dem faces as we approach the May election season. Is it also a coincidence that Clegg’s letter surfaces at the same time as a report by right wing think tank Reform? http://news.sky.com/home/politics/article/16178515

Rally Against the Lib Dems Gateshead 10 March

The Northern Public Services Alliance have organised a 'Rally for the Alternative' at The Lib Dems' Spring Conference at the Sage, Gateshead on Saturday 10 March. Assemble 11-11.30 Wesley Square, Newcastle Quayside with a rally at 12.30 at Baltic Square Gateshead.

'This is a prime opportunity to show them the strength of feeling that cuts are definitely not the cure – especially in the region with the highest unemployment in the country', says the leaflet publicising the rally (click here for a pdf copy). The Northern Public Services Alliance is led by trade unions including UNISON and the Northern TUC.

NHS Bill - its essence is to promote competition, stupid!

The Guardian reports that the deluded. Liberal Democrat health front bench in the Lords has 'tabled a series of amendments to the health bill, designed to constrain competition and maintain regulation over foundation trusts' http://m.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/feb/23/lib-dem-peers-amendments-health-bill-lords?cat=politics&type=article

Lib Dem MP's speak out against Regional Pay

The FT reports that a growing number of Liberal Democrat MPs are speaking out against plans to regionalise public sector pay. In his Autumn Statement Chancellor Osborne called on Pay Revew Bodies to examine the case for localised pay, a move which could take effect as early as 2013-14: http://m.ft.com/cms/s/0/cdefeb62-3f8b-11e1-ad6a-00144feab49a.html

IS THAT A CRACK IN THE COALITION? The Truth about the Bust Up

Even those for whom weekends are for more popular pursuits, like watching Celtic beat Hearts, or voting for Harry from McFly in the ‘Strictly’ semi finals, there has been no escape from the Big Euro Bust Up.

State funding life support machine proposed for declining political parties

As front line public services face drastic austerity cuts, the dithering Kelly Commission is proposing to introduce state funding for political parties - an option pushed hardest by the Liberal Democrat's which is otherwise hardly viable as a nationwide political force: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/28/political-parties-more-state-funding For background information on UK party membership read: http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/2010/07/inexorable-decline-in-membership-of-uk.html

The other 'occupy' movement - how corporate lobbyists have hijacked British politics

A Guardian analysis of links between government and corporations as well as a FT report on attendance at this year's conferences of the 3 main political parties shows beyond doubt that politics in Britain no longer serves citizens and party members but is a domain dominated by the vested interests of big business and its hireling politicians:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/
datablog/2011/oct/16/links-government-
data-business-data?CMP=twt_gu

The UK's neo-liberal revolution

Professor Stuart Hall analyses the agenda of the Con Dem Government which he sees as 'the most radical, far-reaching and irreversible social revolution since the war': http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/sep/12/march-of-the-neoliberals?cat=politics&type=article

UNISON exposes Edinburgh privatisation stitch-up

A packed public consultation organised by UNISON last night (27 June) heard calls for Edinburgh's Lib Dem/ SNP council to delay its £1 billion privatisation plans until the public is properly consulted.

Cable car crash lands in Brighton

The GMB union will have its own reasons for inviting discredited Con Dem business secretary Vince Cable MP to its annual conference in Brighton today.

NHS changes - dog eat dog & vice versa

For the ultimate in weasel words read Nick Clegg’s speech yesterday in which he attempted to distance his flailing Liberal Democrat Party from the Coalition Government’s proposals to fragment the NHS: “It’s not the same as turning this treasured public service into a competition-driven, dog-eat-dog market where the NHS is flogged to the highest bidder” http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/2011/05/27/major-coalition-rift-over-nick-clegg-nhs-speech-115875-23159565/

Response: Alternative Vote Referendum‏

I am sure UNISON will think long and hard before deciding whether or not to recommend to its members a position on the Alternative Vote Referendum. All of the technical reasons for and against have been laid out so I would not take up members time repeating them.

Divide and evaporate the Lib Dems

In contrast to the smiley happy people around the cabinet table, the Lib Dem leaders in local government have finally woken up and smelt the coffee.

Hapless Cable makes Mr Bean seem a paragon of tact‏

The political career of Tory patsy Vince Cable MP has been marked by duplicity. A Labour Councillor in Glasgow from 1971-74, subsequently in 1982 he defected to the breakaway SDP. As recently as 1997 he was Chief Economist for the Shell transnational oil company (renowned for human rights violations in Nigeria). In 2005, he was one of the 11 right wing Liberal Democrat front benchers who ousted Charles Kennedy as Party leader.

Lib Dems crushed in by elections

As the Lib Dem vote plummets in by elections and Labour picks up some councils, there must remain a real concern about any political turnaround with voters in some areas still staying home in their droves.