Carlisle Greens joined trade unions and other members of Carlisle & Penrith Public Services Alliance at a rally held on Wednesday 29th September in Carlisle city centre against the proposed cuts to our public services. The aim of the rally was to emphasise to the public that there are credible and ethical alternatives to the coalition Government's proposed cuts to our welfare system and public services.
Image (c) CN Group
The Carlisle public's response to the rally was positive. Carlisle & Eden Green Party produced a leaflet making our case against the cuts, which we distributed to passers-by. The text of the leaftlet is below:
The coalition Government has declared war on the public.
Their proposed cuts to our public services threaten to make 600,000 people unemployed. The scale of the cuts they propose are only possible by means of a mass jobs cull on the lowest paid - teaching assistants, school cooks, road sweepers and the people who collect our refuse and recycling.
65% or our public service workers are women.
The proposed £11bn cuts to our welfare system will hit the most vulnerable members of our society hardest.
There is a Green alternative:
- End 'casino' banking. Keep our money in our local economy by nationalising banks and running them as democratically and community controlled credit unions.
- Cut tax abuse. Every year over £120bn of tax goes uncollected - evaded or avoided by large companies and weathy individuals. By collecting this tax that is rightfully ours, we can avoid cuts to our public services. Raise income tax to 50% to those on £80k and above, introduce a 'Robin Hood' tax on financial transactions.
- Invest in green jobs. Create jobs in renewable energy, manufacturing, public transport, agriculture and education to reduce unemployment, boost tax revenue and combat climate change.
The rally attracted positive coverage from the News & Star and Carlisle Greens were proud to share a platform with other groups committed to an ethical alternative to the cuts proposed by the coalition Government.