“Keep fighting – forward to the progressive solutions we need”
Maxine Looby, UCU President
Hundreds from across the country took part in a review of Labour’s First Budget, hosted by Arise – A Festival of Left Ideas and the Trade Union Co-Ordinating Group, with a panel from across the movement analysing the policies outlined in the budget and the next steps in fighting for real positive change, reports Ben Hayes
Chair and UCU President Maxine Looby opened the discussion on whether Labour’s Budget had delivered the change we need by outlining the union’s approval of the raise announced in the minimum wage, whilst also criticising the proposal to further raise the cap on tuition fees as “both economically and morally wrong”.
MP for Leeds East Richard Burgon welcomed a move away from the “slash and burn” economic policies announced in last year’s budget, and argued that this should be seen as a reflection of campaigning work from trade unions and anti-austerity activists. At the same time, he stressed the need for an economic policy which actively invests in communities, as opposed to not simply cutting more from already depleted services – noting that the Resolution Foundation argued the government “has not yet delivered a decisive shift away from Britain’s record as a stagnation nation”.
Warning that measures announced in relation to the Winter Fuel Allowance and tuition fees are alienating voters, Burgon called for a strong focus on poverty reduction, including the introduction of a “triple lock” for social security and meetings with disabled people’s organisations to clarify the government’s plans in relation to the Work Capability Assessment.
Mark Fairhurst, National Chair of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) outlined the context of what members had experienced over recent years – “higher numbers of prisoners with less staff in prisons” with over 7,000 staff losing their jobs. He echoed the welcoming of the government’s proposed raise in the minumum wage but expressed concern over the goal of 2% “efficiency savings”- warning that “we have nothing left to cut”. Fairhurst indicated that the union would be looking to the next spending review for more funding and stated that without investment the sector risked “lurching from crisis to crisis”.
Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) National President Martin Cavanagh said members had “mixed feelings’ on the budget. Noting the relief felt at plans for further staffing cuts being abandoned, he also argued that a 1.7% uplift in social security payments “just doesn’t cut it” in the context of higher prices and fares for everyday goods and services, and that this would be a huge issue for those reliant on the work done by PCS members.
Professor Özlem Onaran of the University of Greenwich emphasised the importance of a focus on expanding public ownership and control, alongside calling for more investment in public services as well as infrastructure projects. She offered her backing to calls for the government to introduce wealth taxes. She also strongly argued in favour of funding of “education from cradle to grave” in contrast to the further increases of tuition fees.
Questions from those tuning in covered Topics including impact of budget for people dependent on social security, the reality of proposals for “efficiency savings”, whether the government should prioritise the aim of economic growth in itself and Higher Education funding.
Concluding the event, Looby urged all in attendance to “keep fighting – forward to the progressive solutions we need”.
- ‘Labour First Budget – Does it Deliver the Change We Need‘ was hosted by Arise Festival and supported by the Trade Union Coordinating Group on 4 November 2024.
- You can watch the full event or listen back on the Arise Festival podcast.
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