“Growing numbers of Labour members, affiliates and MPs are rejecting Shadow Minister Wes Streeting’s support for privatisation.”
Matt Willgress, LAAA
By Matt Willgress, Labour Assembly Against Austerity
March’s demonstration for the NHS comes at a vital time for our most beloved national institution, NHS workers and indeed all our public services, threatened even more by Hunt and Sunak’s commitment to never-ending cuts and austerity.
It also comes at a time when growing numbers of Labour Party members, affiliates and MPs are rejecting Shadow Health Minister Wes Streeting’s support for privatisation in the NHS, an anti-democratic stance which blatantly ignores democratically agreed party policy.
Backed by a broad and growing coalition of campaigns, the demonstration will call for the funding the NHS needs, an end to ruinous privatisation, and will support the NHS Workers who are striking for fair pay.
Below activists can find a model motion to take to trade union bodies, student unions, CLPs and others to back this vital initiative.
We in the Labour Assembly Against Austerity are working with Momentum and other supportive NHS Workers, MPs, left groups, publications and others to call a Labour bloc on the demonstration, and have written to a range of organisations asking them to support the bloc, which us all the more important in light of Wes Streeting’s recent policy shifts.
Be there – together we can save our NHS!
SOS NHS Demonstration End the Crisis: Support the Strikes
Support the demonstration motion:
This branch notes:
• The current crisis in the NHS is without precedent and is impacting the lives of the whole nation but also the desperate working conditions of our NHS staff who are stretched to breaking point.
• The crisis is not ‘accidental’ but is a direct result of chronic underfunding by this government over the last decade. We note that low pay and poor working conditions are a major aggravating factor in the current crisis, especially in terms of the staff crisis in both the NHS and care sector.
• This branch also welcomes the creation of the SOS NHS coalition which has brought together over 50 different supportive organisations, including 18 national unions, and together SOS NHS is doing all within its power to save our NHS.
This branch believes:
• The NHS was created by the Labour Movement and it remains our responsibility to fight for it.
• The SOS NHS coalition with its unprecedented cross-union and movement support, alongside the work of individual unions, workers, campaigners and patients, is the right vehicle with which to mount our defence of the NHS. The SOS NHS National demonstration is a vital moment to bring all these groups together to show our support for all striking workers at the present time and demand the Government acts now to end the crisis and save lives.
This branch resolves:
• To circulate information about the event to all our members
• To make a donation to the organisers of the demo
• To consider booking or joining transport to the event from our area
• To Invite a speaker from SOS NHS to our next meeting
- Join the Labour Bloc on the SOS NHS National Demonstration: “End the Crisis – Support the Strikes”, 11th March at 12pm – details here.
- You can donation to the costs of the SOS NHS demonstration by clicking here. For payments, please use the above link if possible, or if you wish to set up your own BACS payment please use: Keep Our NHS Public; Sort Code 08-92-99 Account no. 65280535.
- You can follow and support SOS NHS here.
Streeting’s support for privatisation of our NHS is just one reason why I won’t be voting Labour at the next election.