Green councillors joined hundreds of residents, campaigners, council staff and trade unions from Brighton and Hove at the weekend to protest against the £68m cuts proposed by the Labour Council over the next four years.
The protest comes just weeks before a decision will be made by Brighton & Hove Council on where the axe will fall. In response to protests, Labour leader Warren Morgan called on protesters to take the fight “to the Government, not the town hall”, as central government is responsible for a massive cut in grants given to local government.
Greens have welcomed the response and extended an invitation to all local Labour councillors to join their scheduled protest at the Treasury in Whitehall on Saturday 13th February.
Convener of the Green Group, Councillor Phelim Mac Cafferty said:
“We have always been clear that the blame for the cuts facing local government rests with the Conservative central government. The cuts are the result of the Tories’ ideological austerity agenda which simply doesn’t work.
“Our criticism of the Labour council has been focused on their lack of strategy and failure to listen to consultation, but above all their lack of resistance to government-imposed cuts. As such, we would be delighted if they would join us on February 13th in taking the message to the heart of central government. A week ago we decided to take this action to say to Government minsters at the Treasury that their austerity agenda is failing.
“Labour have cited meetings with ministers as an example of their resistance, but what have they achieved? By joining us in a visible protest they could help provide a powerful symbol for other local politicians and the communities they represent, that will show central government that we won’t sit idly by while it destroys local services. It’s time for Labour to put their money where their mouth is.”
More details about the schedule protest at the Treasury are available here: http://bit.ly/Treasury13thFeb