Regional anti-cuts organising

[Vintage Paw]

UCU & NUS demo 10th Nov - Staff cuts & Fees- UCU called for an urgent review of higher education funding after the head of Universities UUK, Steve Smith, warned that universities could face a £4.2billion cut in teaching and research grants in the forthcoming spending review, over 50%. Alongside lifting the cap on tuition fees the proposals will deepen the class divide that already exisists. http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?arti...5064&from=5047

Just booked a place on a coach to come down to this from Keele Uni. Anyone else going to be there? It's not being publicised very well, so I'm going to have a word with the local NUS president and postgrad association president to try to up its profile. Not sure if Staffs Uni is doing more, will try to find out.

 

[Streathamite]

Balls! The poll tax was scrapped because it was massively unpopular electorally, even amongst Tory voters. Nothing to do with the protests.

I'd have to say, my recollection is different; there was a HUGE protest movement which crystallised and focussed the nature and extent of the widespread anger over it. Thatcher was known for ramming through unpopular changes. The protest movement got the popular momentum which made her back down, and gave people confidence she could be stopped.

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

do you think http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/ are worth getting involved with, or is it too likely to end up as another swappie stitch up?

In the North East it is run by Counterfire (Rees and Co) from what I can see, there are also a wide variety of anti cuts groups which are fairly independent but loosely affiiliated through the PSA, plus the Shop Stewards Network, Socialist Party etc, certainly up here there is no need to get involved with the CoR. Elsewhere I have no idea.

 

[Idaho]

I'd have to say, my recollection is different; there was a HUGE protest movement which crystallised and focussed the nature and extent of the widespread anger over it. Thatcher was known for ramming through unpopular changes. The protest movement got the popular momentum which made her back down, and gave people confidence she could be stopped.

My recollection is of Thatcher defending the poll tax to the Tory conference* and being met with deathly silence. It was then that the whispering in the party started and leadership challenges came.




*I saw on TV I hasten to add!

 

[Nigel Irritable]

My recollection is of Thatcher defending the poll tax to the Tory conference* and being met with deathly silence. It was then that the whispering in the party started and leadership challenges came.




*I saw on TV I hasten to add!

Your recollection was wrong. What killed the poll tax was 18 million people not paying it.

 

[Idaho]

Your recollection was wrong. What killed the poll tax was 18 million people not paying it.

Well my recollection isn't wrong. There is nothing I have said that didn't happen. But being a shouty type, you like to charge in there and make a bold contradiction.

Yes the non-payment was critical. As was the political movements within the Tory party. What wasn't that significant was protests. The 80s were full of protests about all kinds of stuff that never amounted to anything.

 

[Streathamite]

Well my recollection isn't wrong. There is nothing I have said that didn't happen. But being a shouty type, you like to charge in there and make a bold contradiction.

Yes the non-payment was critical. As was the political movements within the Tory party. What wasn't that significant was protests. The 80s were full of protests about all kinds of stuff that never amounted to anything.

ermm...isn't 18 million non-payers simply a Very Large Protest?

 

[Streathamite]

My recollection is of Thatcher defending the poll tax to the Tory conference* and being met with deathly silence. It was then that the whispering in the party started and leadership challenges came.

and why? because they - the delegates - were face-to-face with the popular mood in a way Thatcher never was, and they could see the anger out there,and that response reflected that.
Also, it was the continuing row over Europe, the resignations of Howe and Lawson, and Howe's famous resignation speech which really did for Thatch, IIRC.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Well my recollection isn't wrong. There is nothing I have said that didn't happen. But being a shouty type, you like to charge in there and make a bold contradiction.

Your recollection that the "Poll tax was scrapped because it was massively unpopular electorally, even amongst Tory voters" was wrong. But being a fucking idiot it's unlikely that you will back down from that stupid statement.

 

[Threshers_Flail]

There seems to be two protests in Manchester tomorrow, the one smokedout just posted about from 11am at St. Peter's square, and another from 12pm at the BBC, are they in any way linked? Bloody stupid if not.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

There seems to be two protests in Manchester tomorrow, the one smokedout just posted about from 11am at St. Peter's square, and another from 12pm at the BBC, are they in any way linked? Bloody stupid if not.

As I understand it the second one is an SWP thing. But the organisers have arranged some sort of deal where people will be encouraged to go on to the second demonstration after the first. Could be wrong though.

 

[weepiper]

Scotland's teaching union now joining the STUC rally in Edinburgh tomorrow. link Heard it on the local radio earlier

 

[Threshers_Flail]

As I understand it the second one is an SWP thing. But the organisers have arranged some sort of deal where people will be encouraged to go on to the second demonstration after the first. Could be wrong though.

Might pop along to both. Why can't they just have one big one? Seems very stupid to me.

 

[Idaho]

ermm...isn't 18 million non-payers simply a Very Large Protest?

Nice try While non-payment can be counted as a protest I don't think it counts as a protest/demonstration/march in the sense we are talking about.

Your recollection that the "Poll tax was scrapped because it was massively unpopular electorally, even amongst Tory voters" was wrong. But being a fucking idiot it's unlikely that you will back down from that stupid statement.

Shouty man, stop shouting. Life isn't made better by spittle-flecked rants and battles with people on the internet who have no interest in fighting

 

[Streathamite]

Nice try While non-payment can be counted as a protest I don't think it counts as a protest/demonstration/march in the sense we are talking about.

EH? It certainly does in the only definition of 'protest' which makes sense to me i.e. active dissent. 'Protest' isn't just going on a march - consciously and overtly disobeying the law for political reasons is just about as full-on protest/dissent as you can get - there's a clear lineage between that and the Liverpool councillors!

 

[Citizen66]

Balls! The poll tax was scrapped because it was massively unpopular electorally, even amongst Tory voters. Nothing to do with the protests.

According to which tabloid?

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

Can people please take the poll tax discussion to another thread?

Cheers.

 

[AKA pseudonym]

Belfast 1 pm Arts College

There will be free buses from Derry (Foyle Street) from 9am to 11 am on Saturday morning to the Belfast Protest, there is also one from Dungannon contact Unite the Union for more details....

Prob at this late stage anyone interested should post questions at the FB events page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156927414329350

 

[treelover]

crap weather for them all but good luck all!

 

[ddraig]

about 300 maybe 400 at Cardiff march and rally passing 1000's out buying shit they don't need.

meeting on Monday 8 Nov at Transport club on Tudor St to build campaign

 

[treelover]

Yorkshire rally was massive, but basically a LP event, no service users spoke, GP banned from speaking, outrageous

 

[ddraig]

video of crap turnout at Cardiff and Wrexham
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11610665

 

[grogwilton]

There is a save our services planning meeting at the friends meeting house on church street in Reading Tomorrow night. It starts at 7pm.

If you are searching Church Street on google maps, the one what comes up is in Caversham, north of the river, not in Reading. The Church Street you want in Reading is south of the oracle, just off Southampton Street.

 

[Streathamite]

Nice try While non-payment can be counted as a protest I don't think it counts as a protest/demonstration/march in the sense we are talking about.

actually, I thionk we have been talking at x-purposes. Yes, you're right; The type of protest seen so far - theodd rally with humdreds there, protest march ditto - can't do much. But as part of a broader, integrated campaign, they can empower protesters, serve as an exccellent propaganda vehicle, and get people motivated. It is the wider protest campaign that can get the results.

 

[AKA pseudonym]

Belfast 26th Oct....

ICTU are calling for a protest outside the conference being run by Agenda NI tomorrow - please meet at Grosvenor Conference Centre at 8.30 am and bring banners. More info on conference: http://www.agendani.com/events/rethinkingGovernment/ Please circulate to your contacts

 

[weepiper]

20,000+ out in Edinburgh. There was a video up on the BBC site but I can't find it now.

 

[Coffee]

One been organised here in brighton for sat 30th will post more details when I can. X

 

[smokedout]

just came across this, all a bit vague and strange

http://theircrisis.wordpress.com/2010/10/24/call-out-wednesday-9-30am/

The cuts have come and we need to get to work opposing them fast. This Wednesday we will take direct action against a target to expose the lies that these cuts are necessary or fair.

The target has to stay secret until Wednesday morning but we need as many people as possible to join us. We’ll be meeting outside the Ritz (right next to Green Park tube) at 9.30am. Look for the person with the orange umbrella. Be prompt: you’ll be briefed quickly and then we’ll move to the target.

 

[Streathamite]

One been organised here in brighton for sat 30th will post more details when I can. X

yes please do.

 

[Coffee]

On Saturday 30 October a Brighton March Against Cuts demonstration is scheduled to assemble on The Level at noon before marching through the city to protest against cuts.

Cut and pasted from the Argos web site. X