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Put an end to Thatchers legacy

I
n the week of Margaret Thatchers funeral we had it confirmed that Thatcherism is alive and well. The funeral (a state funeral in all but name) saw 10 million of tax payers money spent to see off the ex-Tory leader at St Pauls Cathedral. She may be gone but her legacy of unemployment and attacks on working class people is alive and well. Latest figures show that unemployment rose by 70,000 in the three months before the end of February. Some 2.56 million are out of work. Thats almost eight percent of the workforce. And there is a massive squeeze on pay with workers getting an average one percent pay rise while inflation stands at 2.8 percent. up rights at work in exchange for a voluntary payment in company shares. Alongside attacks on benefits and cuts to services Thatcher must have been proud of David Camerons government carrying on her mission to make the rich richer.
Its time to put Thatcherism six feet under

After the 10 million funeral...

Resistance

Ease

Even the bosses club the International Monetary Fund is calling on Tory chancellor George Osborne to ease austerity measures and try to go for growth. But just like Thatchers famous statement that the ladys not for turning the Cameron government wont change course. Not unless we force them to. In the last few days the government has moved to attack more workers rights. They are going to make it even easier to sack us. They may force us to give

We desperately need a fightback. Thatchers government faced massive resistance from the year-long miners strike to inner city riots. She was finally defeated by the anti Poll Tax campaign. She could have been booted out years before if Labour and the union leaders had put up a more consistent fight. Its the same today. Millions of workers want to see a fightback. At the end of 2011 more than 2.5 million went on strike to defend pensions. Today mass protests are being organised against the bedroom tax. But Labour wont lead resistance. Labour leader Ed Miliband says cuts have to be made the only problem

with the Tories is that they are cutting a bit too fast. Our union leaders are not leading the kind of fightback we need. How long can we put up with pay cuts, job losses and the destruction of services? We need to get organised to push for real resistance to Thatchers legacy. Last years TUC Congress voted to look at the practicalities of a general strike. Union leaders like Unites Len McCluskey and Mark Serwotka of the PCS have called for a 24 hour general strike against austerity. Thats great. But its time all the words about resistance were turned into action. We need mass protests and mass strikes to stop the Tories.

CAMPAIGN FOR BENEFIT JUSTICE 2nd SUMMIT, Saturday 11 May, London Cant pay wont pay Cant move wont move Cut rents, not benefits No evictions
For more information, go to benefitjustice.wordpress.com

Marxism 2013
11 - 15 July, Central London A five day political festival Hosted by the SWP Speakers include Billy Hayes, Louise Raw, Samir Amin, Judith Orr, Gilbert Achcar, Alan Gibbons, Paul le Blanc and Alex Callinicos Book online at www.marxismfestival.org.uk

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Thatchers legacy 18/04/13

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