UK Public sector cuts Newswire Archive
Squeezing us until we squeak
03-12-2010 11:40
As the economic crisis deepens, we are being constantly bombarded by a message from almost everyone with power - that we’ve been ‘living beyond our means’ and therefore must face massive cuts. The question is usually framed simply as what should be cut, rather than if there should be cuts.
Assault on the public sector
The government has immediately trained its sights on two groups of people - public sector workers, who provide supposedly wasteful services such as education and health, and anyone on benefits. The government have unleashed £11bn in benefit cuts, slashing tax credits and housing benefits while freezing child benefit. Meanwhile they will continue the previous government’s punitive workfare schemes, aimed at forcing the unemployed to work for benefit levels. In this assault they evoke wild tabloid tales of ‘benefit scroungers’ supposedly bleeding us dry - though recent figures show that only 1% of all benefit payments are fraudulent.
Goldsmiths Art Staff/Student declaration. Very good.
03-12-2010 11:35
Goldsmiths Art Dept. Staff and Students Against the Government's Attack on Education - declaration.Protest Outside Sarah Teather's Surgery, Friday 5.30pm - Today
03-12-2010 08:52
Call out to demo outside surgery of Sarah Teather MP (Lib Dem for Brent Central) and Minister for Children and Families. Previously very supportive of axing all fees, Sarah Teather has become suddenly very quiet. Local residents want her to vote against raising tuition fees and keep her pre-election pledge. 5.30pm this evening in Cricklewood, NW London.Virtual occupation of Government ministers' offices
03-12-2010 02:47
Contact details for Ministers involved in the proposed cutsNational Day of Protest Against Welfare & Housing Benefit Cuts
02-12-2010 17:43
Take action now to defend the Welfare State on the 15th of December 2010. We will not pay for their crisis.The National Day of Protest Against Welfare & Housing Benefit Cuts aims to begin by focusing on the Housing Benefit cuts so why not organise a sit in, protest or demonstration in your local Civic Centre or Town Hall.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=181074851903167& Cops red-faced in Bologna: A new tactic?!!
02-12-2010 15:52
These days the crisis of the Italian government, that is living an agony since the last two months, was spread over the country: students’ protests, occupations everywhere are unfolding the political crisis. We are facing a multiplication of its dimensions, of its temporalities.
Greek police clash with students at British solidarity demo
02-12-2010 15:39
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek police fired teargas on Thursday in clashes with protesting university students and at least three demonstrators were injured, Reuters witnesses said.Over 1,000 students tried to break through a police cordon to march to the British embassy in Athens, in solidarity with British students who oppose plans to increase tuition fees, and against austerity and education reforms in Greece.
Sat 04/12 - 11am - Fight Corporate Tax Dodgers at Wood Green Shopping City
02-12-2010 15:16
Protest at Wood Green Shopping City, Haringey, against Corporate Tax Dodgers.the student revolts - reflections on leeds university occupation.
02-12-2010 13:43
the current occupation at leeds university has recently 'voted to ban autonomous actions'. questions on the SWP and the left controlling free spaces.Lewisham: Town hall riot?
02-12-2010 12:48
Secondly, the militant nature of the demo meant that it was the first time the riot police were called to defend a town hall meeting that was about to vote to implement Tory cuts. It was our own Millbank Tower moment, and it almost worked.
UEA students occupy!
02-12-2010 09:15
At approximately 8.15am a group of UEA students rushed into the council building of the University of East Anglia and began a peaceful occupation to protest the government’s plans to raise tuition fees and cut funding to higher education.Grolsch tax avoidance
01-12-2010 23:43
Anti-Cuts to the next level: Block The Economy
01-12-2010 23:16
Sheffield University: Occupation Demands
01-12-2010 21:43
We are a peaceful and non-violent occupation. We see ourselves as part of a broad and united movement that has sucessfully mobilised against the ConDem attack on education and the rest of the public sector.D Day - March on Parliament - 9th December
01-12-2010 20:28
This is IT people! The day has come!The date for the parliamentary vote on fee increases has been announced!
9 DECEMBER 2010
Voices from occupied Nottingham
01-12-2010 18:23
I popped down to the University of Nottingham today to see how the student occupiers were getting on. I found a well organised group making use of the space for workshops, meetings and catching up with their coursework. In between these activities a few of the occupiers found time to chat about what it's all about.
As soon as I arrived at the Trent Building the enhanced security presence was obvious. Two guards were stood outside the main entrance (near the VC's office) and a few more were prowling about.
In spite of the snow some of the occupiers were enthusiastically handing out flyers for their 1pm general meeting and encouraging groups of students to come and check out the space.
The Great Hall is a great space for the students to have taken. It is just down the corridor from the offices of the main administrators of the university, including the Vice Chancellors office. It is also mainly used for corporate functions so a) the students aren't disrupting much teaching and b) they're hitting the university where it hurts, in the pocket.
The occupiers are well organised, taking it in turns to do door duty, which mainly involves keeping security away. Security seem to be keeping a low profile at the moment, although one guy did turn up when he saw some lads from Beeston come in for food. He seemed very concerned that they were going to nick all of the occupiers' stuff!
The occupation is well stocked for food and other provisions. Apparently one lecturer turned up with a shopping trolley full of stuff for them. They say they have had a mixed reception from the student body, who are mostly apathetic, but have had a great reception from members of staff.
There is a whiteboard on the wall which is being used to timetable events. While I was there there were a number of workshops scheduled including a speaker from Venezuela, activism and the media and one about staff involvement with the campaign. There was also a general meeting planned which was to be a decision making forum about how to continue the protests and the occupation.
Yesterday the students had a march and rally before starting the occupation. They said it was several hundred strong and included local sixth formers and students from Nottingham Trent.
The occupiers would really like more people to come and support them, so please come along and keep the space occupied!
Uni of Nottingham Occupation: Update
01-12-2010 18:23
‘Nottingham Students defy the freeze to continue their fight for Higher Education’
Despite the snow and the heating being turned off, Nottingham Students are occupying the Great Hall in the Trent Building of Nottingham University, for a second day since Tuesday afternoon. Following a general meeting at 1pm today, the students are organising a programme of alternative education, film screenings, workshops and talks, while encouraging regular classes to continue within the space. The occupiers claim that they have doubled in number over the past 24 hours.
This action is part of a larger national student campaign taking place on campuses across the country, against proposed cuts to HE funding and fee hikes. The students are demanding that their university lobby the Russell Group and the government to change their stance and to issue a statement condemning all cuts to Higher Education, EMA and the rise in tuition fees. They have also demanded that The University implement a complete open book policy with regards to existing budget constraints, and ensure no redundancies for teaching, research or support staff.
After an unsuccessful attempt by the campaign to have a face to face meeting with university management last week, the students decided that they had no alternative but to pursue further action in an effort to defend Higher Education and the right to education for all. Since the Registrar made a statement yesterday, no further communication from the university management has been received, despite ongoing attempts by the students to initiate a dialogue.
They have been joined by students from Nottingham Trent University, Bilborough College, Djanogly City Academy and Sixth Form, and New College Nottingham. Tom Anderton from Bilborough College said that he is here because “I’ve received hundreds of emails from students on EMA who are afraid that without it, they will be unable to go to college and tuition fee rises to £9,000 would make it impossible to go to university.”
Ends
Email: nsafac@gmail.com
Website: nsafc.wordpress.com
Facebook: Nottingham Students Against Cuts and Fees
Twitter: @nsafc
Hundreds take to the streets of Cambridge on Tuesday (Part 2)
01-12-2010 17:24
Hundreds take to the streets of Cambridge on Tuesday (Part 1)
01-12-2010 17:03
It is a tale of two opposing, elemental forces, one of a ruling elite who thinks they know what is best for their subjects, and then there is a select few of their 'subjects', who have other ideas about what is best for them.
What I saw yesterday in Cambridge was the overwhelmingly creative, but also angry response to the decisions that the ruling elite are currently making.
