“This is the struggle of the 99% against the billionaire class.”
Richard Burgon MP
By Matt Willgress, Labour Assembly Against Austerity.
A packed Tories Out rally of over 200 people hosted by the Labour Assembly Against took place alongside TUC Congress on Tuesday, as part of the ongoing national Stand with Corbyn – Unite to End Tory austerity tour.
The event received greetings from Jeremy Corbyn, and Shadow Minister Richard Burgon MP argued that the key task for our movement, once we’ve ensured a No Deal Brexit has been prevented over the next few weeks, is not a referendum but a General Election where we can kick the Tories out by Christmas, saying that the current struggle against Boris Johnson “isn’t just a vital struggle for democracy… this is the struggle of the 99% against the billionaire class,” which must culminate with getting “a socialist Labour Government led by Jeremy Corbyn.”
Other speakers were also clear about the true nature of the Johnson administration with CWU General Secretary Dave Ward saying Boris Johnson “was born to serve the 1 or 2% richest people in this country that’s what he’s doing right now.” FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack added that, “”When they robbed us of our pensions, when they froze our pay, when they cut our social services, when they attacked our trade union rights – Boris Johnson was there.”
Morning Star and Institute of Employment Rights speaker Carolyn Jones said that we had to get ready for the fight of our lives in the forthcoming months, and be bold in our ambition, arguing that after decades of attacks. “We’re past fiddling round the edges,” and need “to see revolutionary change to employment rights”
The event was united in arguing that only a party led by Jeremy Corbyn, and with a transformative agenda, can defeat the Tories. Speaking about Jeremy Corbyn’s time as Labour leader, writer Liam Young said “I’ve never seen someone show such strength and leadership, despite being under hourly attacks.”
As UNISON Assistant General Secretary Roger McKenzie said, “change is coming… [and] it is us, collectively, who are going to make the change that the country needs.”
