ABOUT THE PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY AGAINST AUSTERITY
This is a call to all those millions of people in Britain who face impoverishment and uncertainty as their wages, jobs, conditions and welfare provisions are under renewed attack by the government.
With 80% of austerity measures still to come, and with the government lengthening the time they expect cuts to last, we are calling a People’s Assembly Against Austerity to bring together campaigns against cuts and privatisation with trade unionists in a movement for social justice. We aim to develop a strategy for resistance to mobilise millions of people against the Con Dem government.
The assembly will provide a national forum for anti-austerity views which, while increasingly popular, are barely represented in parliament. A People’s Assembly can play a key role in ensuring that this uncaring government faces a movement of opposition broad enough and powerful enough to generate successful co-ordinated action, including strike action. The assembly will be ready to support co-ordinated industrial action and national demonstrations against austerity, if possible synchronising with mobilisations across Europe.
Get involved by joining a local group, volunteering or donating to the People’s Assembly.
The People’s Assembly Against Austerity was launched with a letter to the Guardian by the initial signatories below:
- Tony Benn President, Coalition of Resistance
- Len McCluskey General secretary, Unite the Union
- Mark Serwotka General secretary, PCS
- Christine Blower General secretary, NUT
- Michelle Stanistreet General secretary, NUJ
- Manuel Cortez General secretary, TSSA
- Dave Prentis General secretary, Unison
- Billy Hayes General secretary, CWU
- Bob Crow General secretary, RMT
- Mick Whelan General secretary, Aslef
- Kevin Courtney Deputy general secretary, NUT
- Paul Mackney Former general secretary Natfhe (now UCU)
- Vicky Baars NUS union development
- Kevin Donnelly Trade Union Council JCC
- Caroline Lucas MP
- Katy Clark MP
- Jeremy Corbyn MP
- John McDonnell MP
- Murad Qureshi London assembly member
- Dawn Butler Former Labour minister for young citizens and youth engagement
- Tariq Ali Author
- John Pilger Journalist
- Ken Loach Filmmaker
- Owen Jones Writer
- James Meadway Senior economist, New Economics Foundation
- Wendy Savage & John Lipetz Keep our NHS Public
- Merry Cross Disabled People Against the Cuts
- John Hendy QC Co-chair, People’s Charter
- John Hilary Director, War on Want
- Sam Fairbairn National secretary, Coalition of Resistance
- Imran Khan Solicitor, co-chair, People’s Charter
- Rachael Newton People’s Charter
- Romayne Phoenix Chair, Coalition of Resistance
- Zita Holbourne Co-chair, Black activists rising against the cuts
- Clare Solomon Vice-chair, Coalition of Resistance
- Andrew Burgin Vice-chair, Coalition of Resistance
- Colin Hampton Co-ordinator, National Unemployed Workers Centres Combine
- Anita Wright Secretary, National Association of Women
- Joginder Bains Association of Indian Women
- Shang Gahonia Indian Workers Association
- Carolyn Jones Director, Institute of Employment Rights
- Lindsey German Convenor, Stop the War Coalition
- Kate Hudson General secretary, CND
- Bruce Kent Peace campaigner
- Lee Hall Playwright
- Roger Lloyd Pack Actor
- Josie Long Comedian
- Iain Banks Author
- Arthur Smith Comedian
- Roy Bailey Folk singer
- Francesca Martinez Comedian
- John Rees Counterfire editorial board
- Natalie Bennett Leader of the Green Party England and Wales
- Fred Leplat Socialist Resistance
- Robert Griffiths General secretary, Communist Party of Britain
- Bill Greenshields Chair, Communist Party of Britain
- Richard Bagley Editor, Morning Star