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we need unity to fight austerity

W
hen even the Lib Dems leader Nick Clegg is arguing that the Tories are being pulled to the right by UKIP you know there must be trouble on the horizon. Whatever the outcome of Thursdays local elections it is becoming increasingly clear that the Tories are prepared to do anything to stop their votes slipping into the hands of UKIP. They dont mind if that means hardening up their own anti-migrant rhetoric or putting a ballot on EU membership on the agenda. And in every country governments and the bosses are making the same argument. They say we are all in this together and so we all have to tighten our belts. In practice that means the rich keep getting richer, while workers face plummeting living standards. In Bangladesh weve just seen a horrific disaster with several hundred workers killed when a factory collapsed.
Striking together

As the Tories chase after UKIP

Those workers were making clothes for the Western market, including Britain. Workers in Britain who face everything from pay cuts to the bedroom tax dont benefit from the horrible conditions workers suffered in Bangladesh, but the bosses who exploit us here as well certainly do.

Divided

Simple

UKIPs agenda is simple. They want us to blame migrant workers for an economic crisis caused by the bankers and politicians. They want to divide and rule. In many ways they echo the rubbish that comes from the likes of the Nazi BNP leader Nick Griffin. The Tories are quite happy to go along with this rubbish. If workers are blaming each other for the economic problems we all face then we might forget who is really to blame for job cuts, wage freezes, attacks on pensions, the privatisation of the NHS and of education. Its the Tory government and its austerity agenda who are responsible. Sadly the Labour party havent stood up against this shift to the right theyve given ground to it. Ed Miliband has been talking about the mistakes Labour had made in office on immigration. He means they werent nasty enough. This doesnt help combat the rubbish coming from UKIP and the Tories it throws fuel on the fire. Weve just had international workers day, May Day. Around the world there were protests and rallies as people celebrated the one day in the year when the workers who create the worlds wealth at least get a mention! But its workers who are being asked to pay the price for the economic crisis.

Whatever UKIPs loony leader Nigel Farage or the likes of the BNP say we cant let ourselves be divided in the face of the attacks from the Tory government. Its the bosses, not migrant workers, who are to blame for the economic mess we are in. On every picket line and protest, in every community, we need unity if were to save jobs and services and beat back Tory austerity.

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

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

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