Havering council cuts

Right attempt hijack

"IT IS all cost, cost, cost-putting money before people's wellbeing." That is how GMB union member Bill Quinn described the threat from Havering Labour council in east London to sell off the borough's elderly people's homes. He was one of 300 people who marched through Romford in east London on Saturday in protest.

Havering UNISON members, who face the threat of over 200 redundancies, also joined the march. Trade unionists and community activists made up the bulk of the march. But the right wing UK Independence Party came with Union Jacks. Its slogans called for "Labour out" and even blamed the European Union for the cuts. The Tories tried to put themselves at the head of the march.

Roger Evans, the Tory recently elected to the Greater London Authority, said, "I'm proud to stand with the trade unions on this." "It's sheer cheek from Tories, who destroyed the NHS," one GMB member commented. The Tories and UK Independence Party also tried to link the threats to the homes with the Labour council not flying the Union Jack flag on the town hall. Unfortunately that message did find an echo among some people. The Tories want to try to turn anger at New Labour into electoral gains. That makes it vital that local trade unions head the campaign and call action.

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