© Cambridgeshire Socialist Alliance 2000, 2001

The Cambridgeshire Socialist Alliance was formed in 2000, a coalition between independents and established radical groups, formed to campaign on current issues, both local & national, and therewith to supply an active, credible, socialist alternative to New Labour - and not only at Election time. We are affiliated to the Eastern Region Socialist Alliance and to the Socialist Alliance movement nationally.

• What we stand for
• Who we are
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• News & Minutes
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What We Stand For:

• The protection of the public housing stock, the building of more such council homes and also entry-level private homes to combat the chronic housing shortage and overpricing that persists in Cambridge
• The reassertion of employees' right to form a staff association and affiliate to a trade union and the clear mention of this right in our written contracts
• A pro-active stance against the racism in Cambridgeshire which yearly feeds off the irresponsible, cynical opportunism in Whitehall and the tabloid press
• Election candidates the people want, a democratic alternative to the repeated imposition of unrepresentative candidates by New Labour from Millbank
• For the restoration of the link between earnings and pensions
• The renationalisation of the railways to ensure a safer alternative to private mismanagement and the ever-increasing traffic burden on our roads

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Who we are:

1. Private individuals, from disaffected and disenfranchised Labour supporters to Anti-racists and Environmentalists
2. Concerned representatives from established socialist traditions including the SWP, Socialist Party, CPGB et al., setting factionalism aside to promote a 'Broad Church' electoral and campaigning platform
3. We also encourage participation from local trade unions, as demonstrated by the decision of the Fire Brigades Union in Essex to affiliate to their Regional Socialist Alliance.
4. More specific interest groups, both social and environmental can also affiliate to us

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Join us:

£5 per month waged

£2 per month students and unwaged

Union branches & groups: £20 per month minimum, £50 per month suggested.

Remember, if setting up a standing order with your bank, you can stipulate which day of the month it goes out

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Contact us:

If you have E-mail: cambs_socialist_alliance@yahoo.co.uk

Phone Chris: 01223 709629

Write to us at:

Suite 313
48 Regent Street,
Cambridge CB2 1FD

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News & Minutes:

Bulletin Board of Cambridgeshire Socialist Alliance

• MEET US 1! Public Meeting: Meadow Community Centre, Kings Hedges, Cambridge; Wednesday 4th April at 8pm - "Why Labour Sells Us Out" - Main speaker: Howard Senter, your Socialist Alliance Parliamentary Candidate.
• MEET US 2! Public Meeting: Emmanuel Church Hall, Trumpington St, Cambridge; Wednesday 11th April at 8pm - a vital meeting for trade unions and working people.
• Mass Canvas: We are canvassing in Cambridge every weekend. Come and help us!
• Campaign Meetings: Every Tuesday, 7.30pm; old and new enthusiasts all welcome!
• The Flying Picket: most Saturdays (and some weekdays) the Socialist Alliance Flying Picket takes on anti-union low-paying bosses, sweatshop outlets like GAP, corporate nasties like McDonalds, and New Labour or Tory politicians on topical issues (eg bombing children!).
• In addition to this website we have set up a bank account with The Co-operative Bank
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• Report on Peterborough Cutbacks

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Links:

• Eastern Region Socialist Alliance
• London Socialist Alliance
• Commission for Racial Equality
• Cambridge Trade Union Council
• Anti-Nazi League
• Stephen Lawrence Campaign
• Socialist Workers Party
• CPGB
• The Socialist Party

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Peterborough Cutbacks:

• Peterborough City Council has to find £7 Million in savings in less than six months. The most likely place that the axe will fall is in the two biggest spending areas, Social Services and Education.
• The majority Tory group is determined to avoid raising council tax beyond 5% instead preferring to cut back on services. The Labour group while expecting some cutbacks has appealed for the cuts not to fall on so called 'frontline' services.
• This is despite the fact that it is a Labour government that is denying the council funding. The crux of the problem arises from the fact that the council borrows 88% of its budget thus central government can cut back on its borrowing, boast about the reduction at Budget time and pass it on to local authorities. The problem is not eliminated it is merely passed sideways.
• Another high profile case of this was in Hackney that has recently been rescued narrowly by an emergency package of measures. The way some money is allocated ensures that it can only be used for areas and tasks that central government decides this makes the local council effectively without use, it is totally by-passed. The people in any given locality therefore have no control over how this money is spent. The solution is not however on a purely local level; this problem exists up and down the country and has its origins in the way central government operates and indeed the whole organisation of society.
• We are constantly told about the alleged vibrancy of the British economy though it is quite clear that some sectors (notably manufacturing) are in crisis. The core problem is that the gains that this brings are not reflected in investment in services. The logic of capitalist society dictates that the priority is not providing anything other than a minimal standard of living but the accumulation of money in the hands of the few. The logic of the system makes any short-term solution exactly that; this crisis will arise again and again because of the nature of the way society is organised.
• However this is not going to change overnight and so we fight for an immediate solution to ease the crisis this need not involve hiking council tax bills in fact we would propose that instead of council tax being raised the council raises business rates whom are quite happy to use our community but not put anything back. Also we feel that all those councillors whom have overseen this crisis resign and a new council be elected to implement the above policy to ensure the continued provision of services the community needs.

Darrell Goodliffe