Cost of Living Crisis: Enough is Enough Campaign

[Smokeandsteam]

Well, exactly. People on Twitter seem to think Twitter is the entirety of human discourse. But I hardly know anyone in real life who uses it. I have one friend who does (I introduced him to it, Bakunin forgive me), but that’s it.

Apparently the average time spent on Twitter is 4 minutes per day.

You’d think Twitter might have learned it’s lesson by now: an issue creates hysteria on the app, only to meet a ‘not arsed’ shrug in the real world.

In terms of EiE what’s been heartening has been the size of the turnouts at the rallies to date. 5,000 on a Tuesday night in Manchester is unheard of for leftie rallies. It’s already also helping to swell picket line number if Birmingham is anything to go by.

 

[Red Sky]

According to one of the speakers live on FB the cathedral was full and there was 5k outside

Manchester cathedral isn't actually very big.

 

[The39thStep]

I see this as the formation of a continuity Labour party in embryo. A degree of power grab in that for sure

At what point do you think this cunningly disguised secret will be revealed ?

 

[ska invita]

At what point do you think this cunningly disguised secret will be revealed ?

I dont see it as a secret - out in the open. But maybe you are reading too much into my brief post. All Im saying is it looks to me like the trade unionist part of the Labour Party asserting its power and organisation on an alternative pole to that from the PLP. It wouldnt have been necessary under Corbyn

 

[The39thStep]

I dont see it as a secret - out in the open. But maybe you are reading too much into my brief post. All Im saying is it looks to me like the trade unionist part of the Labour Party asserting its power and organisation on an alternative pole to that from the PLP. It wouldnt have been necessary under Corbyn

RMT aren't affiliated to Labour

 

[ska invita]

RMT aren't affiliated to Labour

fair point but its not just RMT is it? Its where the union-minded elements of Labour MPs and Union leaders are coalescing. Thats the impression Ive got

 

[Smokeandsteam]

fair point but its not just RMT is it? Its where the union-minded elements of Labour MPs and Union leaders are coalescing. Thats the impression Ive got

3 of the 4 unions so far affiliated to EiE (RMT, UCU and FBU) are not affiliated to Labour. Nether are any of the community groups.

 

[ska invita]

3 of the 4 unions so far affiliated to EiE (RMT, UCU and FBU) are not affiliated to Labour. Nether are any of the community groups.

okay good point well made

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Manchester cathedral isn't actually very big.

The old trick of booking a small room so it looks full clearly backfired on EiE when thousands turned up and had to listen outside?

 

[The39thStep]

Manchester cathedral isn't actually very big.

I'm not big on cathedral capacity comparisons but the main area in Manchester Cathedral holds 1100.

 

[LDC]

I'm not convinced at all it's some secret Labour (or Labour orientated) project or power grab. I think it's entirely possible some 'new' left party might come out of it though. I'm much more concerned about how it's acting now and how it is likely to act of things get more heated and confrontational. It drawing in thousands of people now is worrying if in a few months they're more openly condemning other projects and telling people to stay within the law etc etc. The happy acceptance of Burnham is a very bad sign to me, he should have been fucked right off.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

I'm not convinced at all it's some secret Labour (or Labour orientated) project or power grab. I think it's entirely possible some 'new' left party might come out of it though. I'm much more concerned about how it's acting now and how it is likely to act of things get more heated and confrontational. It drawing in thousands of people now is worrying if in a few months they're more openly condemning other projects and telling people to stay within the law etc etc. The happy acceptance of Burnham is a very bad sign to me, he should have been fucked right off.

Yeah, but Burnham isn't calling the shots is he. He's spoken at a rally and - predictably - used it for positioning within Labour. That's the sum total of his involvement.

For years, some of us have been calling for the unions to break with Labourism and to re-orientate away from obsessing over electoralism or trying to run the Labour Party. Finally, an attempt is made by some unions to seriously think about, co-ordinate and spark generalised strike action, to orientate towards working class communities and to build something outside of the death grip of labourism. It might fail or peter out, but it's unquestionably the right idea. Depending on what Truss says next week it could also be precisely the right time. So far, whilst slow, the engagement with it is on a scale we haven't seen for years.

Some of the posting on here in response is just odd...

 

[Red Sky]

I'm not big on cathedral capacity comparisons but the main area in Manchester Cathedral holds 1100

I'm not big on cathedral capacity comparisons but the main area in Manchester Cathedral holds 1100.

Was there for a gig recently, it's a 13th century parish church,rather than the Victorian neo gothic giga building you'd expect from a city of the Industrial Revolution.

 

[The39thStep]

Was there for a gig recently, it's a 13th century parish church,rather than the Victorian neo gothic giga building you'd expect from a city of the Industrial Revolution.

The Partisan Collective in Salford was booked

 

[ska invita]

Yeah, but Burnham isn't calling the shots is he. He's spoken at a rally and - predictably - used it for positioning within Labour. That's the sum total of his involvement.

For years, some of us have been calling for the unions to break with Labourism and to re-orientate away from obsessing over electoralism or trying to run the Labour Party. Finally, an attempt is made by some unions to seriously think about, co-ordinate and spark generalised strike action, to orientate towards working class communities and to build something outside of the death grip of labourism. It might fail or peter out, but it's unquestionably the right idea. Depending on what Truss says next week it could also be precisely the right time. So far, whilst slow, the engagement with it is on a scale we haven't seen for years.

Some of the posting on here in response is just odd...

You've edited your post, but my impression was based on the involvement of several labour mps (and mayor), Barry Gardiner, Ian Byrme, Andy Burnham, Zarah Sultana...other Socialist Campaign Group MPs are supporting more from the sidelines.



Left MPs alongside union bosses is what ye olde Labour Party should be , which is what I was getting at with 'continuity LP'. Surely they are campaigning to influence the Labour Party. Who else is going to implement the 5 demands?
I dont claim to have any amazing insider insight or killer analysis, my comment was more an impression of how it looks from where im sitting

 

[LDC]

Yeah, but Burnham isn't calling the shots is he. He's spoken at a rally and - predictably - used it for positioning within Labour. That's the sum total of his involvement.

For years, some of us have been calling for the unions to break with Labourism and to re-orientate away from obsessing over electoralism or trying to run the Labour Party. Finally, an attempt is made by some unions to seriously think about, co-ordinate and spark generalised strike action, to orientate towards working class communities and to build something outside of the death grip of labourism. It might fail or peter out, but it's unquestionably the right idea. Depending on what Truss says next week it could also be precisely the right time. So far, whilst slow, the engagement with it is on a scale we haven't seen for years.

Some of the posting on here in response is just odd...

Yeah, but he's been welcomed with open arms, when it was obvious he was going to do what something like he did. And then silence from the rest of EiE about it. I agree with lots of what you say, and I hope very much I'm wrong, but the signs aren't great so far.

I think the idea is broadly right, I'm just not sure this is the right vehicle or way to be going about it. But like I said, will be very happy to be out of step with it and totally wrong.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

You've edited your post, but my impression was based on the involvement of several labour mps (and mayor), Barry Gardiner, Ian Byrme, Andy Burnham, Zarah Sultana...other Socialist Campaign Group MPs are supporting more from the sidelines.

View attachment 340418View attachment 340420

Left MPs alongside union bosses is what ye olde Labour Party should be , which is what I was getting at with 'continuity LP'. Surely they are campaigning to influence the Labour Party. Who else is going to implement the 5 demands?
I dont claim to have any amazing insider insight or killer analysis, my comment was more an impression of how it looks from where im sitting

The only edit was to add the names of the unions supporting EiE!

I'd personally prefer it if the Labour Party - including the campaign group - weren't involved. Given that this is a project based on industrial activity and community organising I'm not sure what they add in practice. But, I also think it's unrealistic to expect the trade union movement to bar supportive MPs at this point. Criticizing it or not getting involved because Zara Sultana and others are supportive seems a bit churlish too. Plus, if their involvement at rallies gets more people involved then that's fine by me too.

As I said above, the priorities of EiE - an the stated methods of achieving them - are a breath of fresh air. I don't doubt that there will be errors or steps that I don't personally agree with. But, this is the first step by trade unions in any significant way, to do something outside of the dead structures of labourism or by getting involved in cobweb left vehicles like PA or LU. Even if the whole thing ends up a disaster the ideas driving it are the right ones and worth defending.

 

[hitmouse]

According to one of the speakers live on FB the cathedral was full and there was 5k outside

The cathedral was definitely full, spoke to someone today who reckoned there was 1,000 inside and 1,000 outside, which fits with what 39th said above about the capacity being just over 1,000. It was definitely big, I'm crap at estimating big numbers though.

3 of the 4 unions so far affiliated to EiE (RMT, UCU and FBU) are not affiliated to Labour. Nether are any of the community groups.

Interesting that Egan spoke, dunno if that indicates Unison may be coming on board or if it's just purely personal capacity though.

 

[The39thStep]

You've edited your post, but my impression was based on the involvement of several labour mps (and mayor), Barry Gardiner, Ian Byrme, Andy Burnham, Zarah Sultana...other Socialist Campaign Group MPs are supporting more from the sidelines.

View attachment 340418View attachment 340420

Left MPs alongside union bosses is what ye olde Labour Party should be , which is what I was getting at with 'continuity LP'. Surely they are campaigning to influence the Labour Party. Who else is going to implement the 5 demands?
I dont claim to have any amazing insider insight or killer analysis, my comment was more an impression of how it looks from where im sitting

What happened to those Anarchists for Corbyn/Anarchists for Labour groups that you used to promote?

 

[hitmouse]

Just had a look to see how the MSM BLACKOUT is covering it, ITV are just saying "thousands" which is not that precise?

'Enough is Enough' rally held in region over cost of living crisis | ITV News

Campaign group Enough is Enough is rallying in Manchester and Liverpool over soaring cost of living. | ITV News Granada

www.itv.com

 

[Calamity1971]

Here's my cunt of an MP .
' I can keep warm in Durham jail'
I need to buy this woman a drink.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Interesting that Egan spoke, dunno if that indicates Unison may be coming on board or if it's just purely personal capacity though.

Be very significant if Unison affiliated: both in terms of where it’s been politically under Prentis and also in terms of its size and where it’s organised. Hopefully their NEC will sign up

 

[hitmouse]

Yeah, I would imagine the current NEC majority would probably be supportive but we'll see. May or may not be significant that it was Egan (President, elected by the left-leaning NEC) rather than McAnea (Gen Sec) speaking.

 

[MickiQ]

Here's my cunt of an MP .
' I can keep warm in Durham jail'
I need to buy this woman a drink.

Must have been no fridge nearby to hide in

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Yeah, I would imagine the current NEC majority would probably be supportive but we'll see. May or may not be significant that it was Egan (President, elected by the left-leaning NEC) rather than McAnea (Gen Sec) speaking.

Can’t imagine McAnea rocking up to an event tbh but it’ll be interesting to hear each trade union top explain their decision making re EiE

 

[The39thStep]

Yeah, I would imagine the current NEC majority would probably be supportive but we'll see. May or may not be significant that it was Egan (President, elected by the left-leaning NEC) rather than McAnea (Gen Sec) speaking.

According to Socialist Worker, " Egan announced that unions are taking the government to court over incoming anti-trade union laws. But she added, “It’s not legal action that will save us. It’s strike action—coordinated strike action.”. They also note that Unison hasn't called for strike action against the pay curbs in the public sector.

 

[hitmouse]

According to Socialist Worker, " Egan announced that unions are taking the government to court over incoming anti-trade union laws. But she added, “It’s not legal action that will save us. It’s strike action—coordinated strike action.”. They also note that Unison hasn't called for strike action against the pay curbs in the public sector.

Yeah, and Unison is putting forward a motion to the TUC for coordinated action: UK's biggest unions propose co-ordinated strikes this autumn
Hard to say whether that's an actual change to the left from the Prentice years, or if it's just a continuation of the classic Unison style of being willing to talk big in the abstract and then shitting themselves whenever anything actually happens? Anyway, looked up that article and the wording is:
"But she didn’t mention any strike moves by Unison to smash the curbs on the pay of council workers, health workers and many more." - Which is a bit of an odd way of phrasing it, Scottish council workers in Unison have been out striking this week, they're currently running a consultative ballot for local government workers on the NJC (although they're not making a recommendation either way which is a bit weak), and there's a health ballot due to start in October. I can't say whether Egan mentioned any of that or not, but there is stuff happening, although anyone's guess how many branches will get over the threshold.

 

[oryx]

3 of the 4 unions so far affiliated to EiE (RMT, UCU and FBU) are not affiliated to Labour. Nether are any of the community groups.

I didn't think the RMT was affiliated.

Which is strange as Lynch and Dempsey have been so vocal (which is a good thing, they're both excellent speakers).

But happy to stand corrected if anyone knows different.

 

[LDC]

Bit depressing, they Tweeted specifically about the energy crisis and didn't mention Don't Pay. Hard not to see them as already being quite sectarian.

 

[moochedit]

Well, exactly. People on Twitter seem to think Twitter is the entirety of human discourse. But I hardly know anyone in real life who uses it. I have one friend who does (I introduced him to it, Bakunin forgive me), but that’s it.

Apparently the average time spent on Twitter is 4 minutes per day.

The press pay (too much) attention to twitter because it's the one that's used by journalists, mp's and "celebrities". But i think facebook has far more "normal" users.