Backing the March for the Alternative this Saturday
22nd March 2011
Alan Whitehead warns that the government’s reckless approach to the economy threatens growth and opportunity in Southampton.
In advance of the TUC’s national demonstration in London, 26 March, Alan Whitehead along with the south-east's other Labour MPs has called on the Tory-led government to put forward a strong plan for growth in the region.
Dr Whitehead said:
“The Tories’ reckless pace of cuts will damage public services and put at risk the jobs of more than a hundred thousand people in the south east.
“We need a plan that puts growth first. George Osborne should repeat last year’s levy on banker bonuses, and use the proceeds to invest in supporting jobs and growth. It cannot be right to cut taxes on bankers bonuses while household bills are going up because of the Tory VAT rise.
“We’ve set out proposals to use the proceeds from the banking levy to boost the construction industry and apprenticeships; boost the regional growth fund and create a new £600 million fund to help young people into work.
“This plan would help get our economy going again and protect public services from deeper cuts down the line. We know that public services play a vital role in supporting the wider economy. And more fundamentally than that, they are integral in keeping alive the British Promise- that every generation should do better than the one that came before.
“We’re proud to be standing up for growth and opportunity in the south-east; proud to be standing up for the difference public services can make to our communities; and that’s why we’re proud to support the TUC’s March for the Alternative in London on March 26th.”
Notes for Editors
A report by Price Waterhouse Cooper, published 13 October 2010, estimated that the public expenditure cuts would directly cause 112,000 job losses in the public sector in the south east. In parallel, PwC calculated that the Government’s expenditure cuts would cause almost half a million job losses in the private sector by 2014/2015, many tens of thousands of which would be in the south east.
http://www.ukmediacentre.pwc.com/News-Releases/Private-sector-jobs-could-be-significantly-affected-by-public-sector-spending-cuts-but-will-not-cause-double-dip-recession-says-PwC-research-f35.aspx
- If you'd like to book a coach place from Southampton for the march, please contact Unite on 023 8063 7373 or Unison on 02380 83 2740.
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