move was annonced just before the Tory conference in order to appease the rabid right.
All schools in the boroughs monis • as opposco to tic national programme of one in four over a year. It represents an intensive and unprecedented intrusion.
Why Waltham Forest and Lambeth?
Both are city areas with high levels of unemployment Whitn UES OTHO do well in exam league tables.
More importantly. they have both been tagged with the "loony left" label by the O 000S Hackney Downs school has been taken over by an Education Association • a motley collection of governmient appoinico moustanses and education "experts", including Michael Barber a former NUT bureaucrat and key player in the formulation of Labour's education policies.
In cases like this they have two options: either close the school Sacking an thc stait, ou "save" it as an opted out school. Hackney Downs is to be closed - fully supported by ers. lection. Will unions respond? Labour's education spokesperson Estelle Morris. has only attacked the timing If the offensive is not ex- of Lambeth and Waltham posed for the political sham it Forest inspections, not the is, then the inspectors will be principle or the motivation behind them. forced to expose more and more "failing" schools.
cal NUT branches has beer Kick-start determined, but calls upon the national union to support noa.
This whole exercise is a compliance have been met cnide attemot to kick start the governments stalled opting- with stoney silence. out programme in two vulocrable areas where parent and inspections blitz, and only teacher opposition to Grant supports members after the inspections are completed. particularly effectively.
If this tactic works then it this test they will put thouwi oe cacausca sands more of their members against areas that have already suffered from chronic at risk, along with the locally accountable comprehensive underfunding of education. combined with the social education system which they problems caused by governposed to be defending.
A strong and effective response is needed. By Bob Yet the Labour Party Whitehead THIS time the Tories have gone in for the kill: £70m from the budget, a The response from the lo- cut of 15 per cent in Sun res More is threatened in the following year. In 1996/7 it would mean over t20m goIng from social services. The leadership limits itself The leader of the council has called the prospects "appaling", but has assured the minority parties that Labour will be setting a legal budget. In other words, cuts. if the teaching unions fail This is on top of the attempt to close three homes for the elderly in the current financial year. A vibrant campaion has begun against the closures. moved out and staff are re.
fusing to be redeptoyed. The combination of hand. wringing and cutting is being opposed in the Labour Party as well, thanks to the prodding by sort sooncuors and the Birmingham Community There will be an outdoor rally on December 16, with speakers, stalls and music. Left concillors are beginning to draft a needs-based alternative budget. They are hosting a public meeting supported by the Labour Party cil House on the day the setOf course it is possible that the cuts may be scaled down - there is talk of selling But the end result is unavoldEven it the cap is removed. and an unacceptabin Increase in the Council tax is Alec McFadden a decent home; the right to a life-long education: the right t health care free at point of use; or the right to dignity In July Tony Blair annonced that the shour Party was eneared in a CHUC 'root and branch reform of welfare state policy . in which there are no 'no go" areas.
Yet this year's Labour conference agenda featured a mass of resoluwelfare state: three large unions. GMB, TGWU and UNISON have strong conference policies.
It is vital that they and all those affected by the Tory attacks add their demands for the rebuilding of the welfare state by the next abour govto continuc the light, ine marca ers and the Welfare State Network Imposed, there will still be unorecadented cuts. with the likelihood of the first compulsory redundancles since the war. The "dented shield" polIcy has come to this. Even the equal opportunity unit and the womens" festival are "being looked at". However, after seing the problems the council is having with closing just three homes for the elderty this will be much greater resisBirmingham Community Conference will try to coordinate resistance from the unthe left in the Labour Party. health and other public sector issues. Its first bulletin is being distributed around the city already. are combining in a Budget Day Lobby of Parliament on November 28. A big tum out will strike a further blow at those who would cut welfare or allow the Tory onslaught to conSocialist Campaign Group Supporters SATURDAY November 18 10.30-4.30pm MANCHESTER Town Hall