UK Newswire Archive
We are at WAR. Political arrests and state terrorism
05-12-2010 21:13
Public Meeting at Cambridge Student Occupation attended by hundreds.
05-12-2010 20:51
Notts Cuts Watch #8
05-12-2010 20:23
The news this week has been dominated by snow which has rendered the north of the Nottinghamshire and much of the country almost inaccessible. But a little frozen water isn’t going to stop the important business of cutting private services and there’s no shortage of material for this week’s Notts Cuts Watch. All of it brought to you in a new, shorter format which is hopefully easier to use and more interesting .
As before, this is derived largely from the local press and blogs. If you’ve got a story which hasn’t been picked up elsewhere, email nottssos+watch [at] gmail.com.
Benefits
An unemployed father staged a protest outside Newark Job Centre on Tuesday after his job seekers’ money was stopped without notice. The DWP alleged that Andrew Allam had been insufficiently active in his search for a new job.
Campaigning
Notts Save Our Services have produced the second issue of their newsletter with more information on anti-cuts activities around Nottinghamshire. On Saturday, they organised a protest against tax avoiders, which merged seamlessly into a student protest.
Colleges
A consultation on the merger between South Nottingham College with Castle College began on Wednesday. According to the Post, "The board of Castle College voted in principle to merge earlier this year in light of a £6m deficit. Support for the plan is needed from the Skills Funding Agency. It will require the approval of the Secretary of State for Education. It is hoped that any decision on the merger will be made by March 2011, with a view to the merged college being in operation by April 1, 2011."
Councils
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles has suggested that councils should tap into their reserves to protect frontline services. Locally, the Post reports, "Nottingham City Council has £61 million saved up in the bank, 11 per cent of its annual expenditure. Notts County Council has around £105 million set aside, 10 per cent of its annual budget... Ashfield district council had £8.6 million in reserve, while Mansfield had £15 million. Meanwhile Broxtowe borough council had £2.5 million and Gedling had £5.3 million. Newark and Sherwood district council had £5 million."
Following the remarks, deputy leader of Nottingham City Council described the minister as "very silly". Chapman argued, "Eric Pickles just doesn't understand local government finance. He has frontloaded cuts to council budgets over the next two years and now he is looking to councils to paper over the cracks in his sums."
Gedling Borough Council
It has emerged that a cost-saving restructuring at Gedling Borough Council will cost the council almost £188,750. Chief executive Peter Murdock is due to retire at the end of December, while Sue Sale, head of democratic and community services, will finish in May 2011.
Newark and Sherwood District Council
It looks likely that NSDC will lose £500,000 it invested in Sherwood Energy Village E-Centre, Ollerton. The E-Centre, offering office accommodation and community facilities, was the centre-piece of the energy village, which was created on the former colliery site and went into liquidation in August. This comes as the council tries to save £7.5m over 4 years.
Nottingham City Council
The city council has managed to secure a judicial review into the cutting of funding for the Building Schools for the Future PFI programme. This announcement was welcomed by the head teacher of Trinity School, Aspley, one of the institutions which had money for planned improvements taken away.
Surprisingly, the council has thrown its weight behind the protest against fees. Councillor David Mellen, the portfolio holder for education, is to propose a motion at the next full council meeting on 13th December requesting that the government "review and change" their policies to avoid "leading to a wasted generation in Nottingham and the UK." The council has also this week come out criticising government plans to Working Neighbourhoods Fund and schools sports funding.
It is to be hoped that this is a principled shift and that the council is going to join the struggle against the cuts. Of course, in reality this is highly unlikely. Recall that this is the same council which has made it clear to campaigners that it has every intention of implementing the swingeing cuts mandated by the coalition government. They may well moan about it, but that is a very different thing to actually opposing the attacks on local communities.
As if to underline this point, the council has just announced that it is to begin charging for the use of computers in libraries from January. This will hit the poorest in society whi already face a growing "digital divide" at a time when all levels of government are looking to push more services online in order to save money.
Nottinghamshire County Council
The council has announced plans to cut its main offices from 23 to 8 in order to save costs. According to the Post, "The building sell-off plan would save the council £2 million a year from 2014/15. About £8.5 million would be generated from the sale of the buildings themselves, but the changes proposed would cost £10 million to put in place."
Among the buildings to be axed is Chancery Court, which houses Retford's register office, as well as children's and young people's services. A council spokesman told the Retford Times that staff would instead work at one of the retained offices, and the authority would look for another venue in Retford for weddings to be held.
The council meanwhile, is currently consulting on plans to reduce the opening hours of local libraries, but don't worry, the Big Society will sort everything with volunteers being sought to mitigate the impact of cuts.
Schools
Unions have warned that cuts to County Council services will have a negative impact on schools. The comments were made by the Joint Union Committee (JUC), made up of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT).
Efforts to save Geling School have continued, with the Save Gedling School campaign sending councillors a campaign briefing "to assist their debates and representations in what is likely to be the most important decision affecting the Gedling area in this current election cycle." Meanwhile Local scientists from BioCity and Nottingham Trent have joined the chorus of opposition to the closure. In 2009 the school received the best GCSE science results in Nottinghamshire.
Universities
It's been a busy week for student campaigners. Tuesday was the second day of action against fees and cuts. There were rallies at both a the University of Notttingham and Nottingham Trent University. Students at Notttingham University followed their protest by beginning an occupation of the Great Hall in the Trent Building.
The occupiers were joined by for dance lessons, Venezuelan activists and even musician Billy Bragg. Students ultimately agreed to leave on Friday afternoon with an open meeting about the students concerns agreed with university authorities for Monday.
Upcoming
The following is a run-down of the anti-cuts events happening over the next week.
- Monday 6th December, 2.30pm. Rally outside the Great Hall in conjunction the Vice Chancellor meeting that the occupation successfully negotiated.
- Monday 6th December, 3.30pm all students are invited to join an open forum discussion with the Vice Chancellor over the raise in tuition fees and cuts to the university, which is taking place in the Great Hall. All students are allowed to come, even if you weren’t in the occupation; even if you’re unsure about your position.
- Monday 6th December, 6.15pm, Bakersfield Community Centre, Sneinton. At this Nottingham City Council “We Asked, You Said” event, the council will tell us the results of a recent survey sent out in the arrow about which services should be cut, Sneinton Against the Cuts are urging people to come along and "make your voice heard!"
- Tuesday 7th December, 7.30pm,The 3rd meeting of the Nottingham 'Anarchists Against the Cuts' non-group will take place at the Sparrows Nest.
- Wednesday 8th December, protest against Nick Clegg in Sheffield. University of Nottingham Students' Union are putting on coaches, leaving the university at 10am. It isn't clear if this is open to non-students.
- Wednesday 8th December, Defend ESOL: a meeting about a cut to funding for ESOL (English for speakers of other language), called by UCU (Universities and Colleges Union) and NNRF (Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum). This cut to ESOL will affect both service users and teachers.
- Thursday 9th December, MP’s will vote in the commons to raise tuition fees. NSACF have organised coaches to take students, staff and supporters down to London for the National Day of Action. The suggested donation for the coach is £5, but whatever you can afford. If you are interested, email: nsafac [at] gmail.com with your name. Coach leaves 9am from Portland Building steps, University of Nottingham.
Transition to Local Food
05-12-2010 18:41
Wikileaks hounded?
05-12-2010 18:17
"This is the first time we have seen an attempt at the international community level to censor a website dedicated to the principle of transparency. We are shocked to find countries such as France and the United States suddenly bringing their policies on freedom of expression into line with those of China. We point out that in France and the United States, it is up to the courts, not politicians, to decide whether or not a website should be closed.Meanwhile, two Republican senators, John Ensign and Scott Brown, and an independent Joe Lieberman, have introduced a bill that would make it illegal to publish the names of U.S. military and intelligence agency informants. This could facilitate future prosecutions against WikiLeaks and its founder. But a criminal investigation is already under way and many U.S. politicians are calling vociferously for Assange’s arrest."
What are they so affraid of? Good reason to support Wiki!
Full article | 1 addition | 3 comments
New social centre opened in Oxford!
05-12-2010 18:13
As of today the Fox and Hound pub on the corner of Abingdon and Wiers road, derelict since July 2009, has reopened for the use of the local community as a space for free cultural expression and the growth of solidarity in a climate of austerity.Walthamstow Stadium: Greyhound protection group urges L&Q to stand firm
05-12-2010 18:11
Report And Photos From Anti Cuts Demo 5/12/10
05-12-2010 17:22
Today again saw Bristolians take to the streets to protest the ConDem's cuts to education.Almost as soon as 300 or so protesters had gathered at College Green at midday, the first attempt by the police to kettle them began as a cordon formed along the bottom of Park St. However the protesters were alert to Police actions, and moved quickly up the street to prevent being surrounded. Walking briskly up Park St, while chanting 'No Ifs, No Buts, No Education Cuts' and 'Tory Scum' they avoided a second cordon that began forming across the top of Park St, and then turning back from a third cordon which was formed at the Whiteladies Rd end of Clifton Triangle and running into a kettle outside Natwest bank partway back along the Triangle.
Protesters linked arms and tried to walk through police lines, arguing that they held a right to free assembly and peaceful public protest, but were met by a flurry of police fists which drove them back. While some protesters were allowed to leave, about 150 were kept on the triangle for about 45 minutes, before being marched in a moving kettle back down to College Green where they were detained until 3pm, when they were allowed to leave in small groups. While being detained for over two hours in temperatures just above freezing, several protesters complained to police about needing the toilet, but were refused to leave the kettle to alleviate themselves.
The protest was the third this week which has seen Bristolians take to the streets to protest the ConDem coalition's proposed cuts to education which will see university fees rise from £3000 per year to £9000, making them among the highest prices for a university education anywhere in the world. Alongside this proposed rise in student fees, the rate of interest paid on the dramatically increased student debts will be significantly increased, state funding for social sciences, humanities and arts departments will be cut by 100% (ie it will be removed entirely) and the EMA, a benefit targeted at 16-18 year olds from poorer backgrounds will be scrapped.
small acts....
05-12-2010 17:22
while the demo today started off quick and moving well, it was soon kettled up in clifton.... a few folks managed to avoid the kettle, found each other on the other side of a police line that wasn't looking to move anytime soon and decided to join up and stay on the move and vocal regardless. after failing to break through a police line below college green, they took to the back streets and moved off towards broadmead.though small, there was support from passersby and shoppers - and a successful (and quite comic) shutting of the main vodaphone store.
as the doors to the vodaphone store were firmly locked an impromtpu piece of guerilla theatre commenced, with some great engagement and joining in of passersby..... even the cops realised that a ratio of 4 of them to each actor, who were gathering a crowd, smiles, laughs, support and banter from shoppers, made them look just a little bit ridiculous, and a few skulked off.
interestingly it wasn't only vodaphone primed and ready to lock their doors at the sight of a few disgruntled taxpayers.... there was a fair bit of security on the doors of top shop too... phillip green must be starting to feel the heat after occupations of his stores on saturday.
so yeah - a small roving ragtag protest might look a bit shit. and the main protest suffered what was tantamount to a mass arrest and detention out of sight of most of those in bristol city centre today. but it was a good example of folks keeping on their toes, spirits high, staying creative and refusing to suffer the disempowerment that kettling tactics are meant to bring about.
there's more demo's planned in the lead up to the vote on education cuts due for thursday, and it would be great to see some targetted affinity group actions too.... and the organising and bridge building between groups needs to keep its momentum as the country prepares to face the impact of benefit cuts coming into force in early 2011, ongoing threats to advice services and legal aid funding, proposed changes to housing legislation to decimate social housing and narrow the safety net for homeless people and on and on and on.... it was also noted that we could do with a few more chants that really bring all of these together... bring your ideas out to the streets...
More Photos from 5/12 Demo
05-12-2010 17:22
More photos from Sunday's demoMore photos from Sunday's demo
Third Anti Education Cuts Demo this Week Hits Bristol
05-12-2010 17:22
Peaceful Protest Kettled by PoliceToday again saw Bristolians take to the streets to protest the ConDem's cuts to education.
Almost as soon as 300 or so protesters had gathered at College Green at midday, the first attempt by the police to kettle them began as a cordon formed along the bottom of Park St. However the protesters were alert to Police actions, and moved quickly up the street to prevent being surrounded. Walking briskly up Park St, while chanting 'No Ifs, No Buts, No Education Cuts' and 'Tory Scum' they avoided a second cordon that began forming across the top of Park St, and then turning back from a third cordon which was formed at the Whiteladies Rd end of Clifton Triangle and running into a kettle outside Natwest bank partway back along the Triangle. Protesters linked arms and tried to walk through police lines, arguing that they held a right to free assembly and peaceful public protest, but were met by a flurry of police fists which drove them back. While some protesters were allowed to leave, about 150 were kept on the triangle for about 45 minutes, before being marched in a moving kettle back down to College Green where they were detained until 3pm, when they were allowed to leave in small groups. While being detained for over two hours in temperatures just above freezing, several protesters complained to police about needing the toilet, but were refused to leave the kettle to alleviate themselves.
The protest was the third this week which has seen Bristolians take to the streets to protest the ConDem coalition's proposed cuts to education which will see university fees rise from £3000 per year to £9000, making them among the highest prices for a university education anywhere in the world. Alongside this proposed rise in student fees, the rate of interest paid on the dramatically increased student debts will be significantly increased, state funding for social sciences, humanities and arts departments will be cut by 100% (ie it will be removed entirely) and the EMA, a benefit targeted at 16-18 year olds from poorer backgrounds will be scrapped.
Full Story & Pictures | More Photos from 5/12 Demo | Small Acts (Report from some of those who avoided the kettle) | Students Kettled in College Green
student action against the cuts newcastle
05-12-2010 16:26
saturday the 4th december student activsts took part in anti cuts protest across shops in newcastle shops include. VODAPHONE ( 6 billion in tax owed )
. BOOTS ( 86 million in tax owed)
. TOP SHOP (owned by phillip green who owes 285 million in tax)
Short film about the THWAC Autumn Gathering Actions
05-12-2010 16:22
Watch it here: http://coalactionscotland.org.uk/?p=2286
This short film documents two of the actions that happened as part of the Happendon Wood Action Camp Autumn Gathering.
Occasional Cinema @ The Farm
05-12-2010 16:22
OC mash-up @ The FarmOccasional Cinema and Art for Gaza present an early evening auction finale of music, mash-up, protest footage and general noise for your enjoyment in Ashley Vale's finest booze emporium, The Farm.
Starting at 6pm with films and a bonfire finishing around 9pm with the last chance to bid of some fantastic work by some of Bristols best artists and a report from Aid Convoy member Picasso Flanagan.
All proceeds go to future Humanitarian Aid convoys to Gaza.
Dissident Island: Latest show ready for download
05-12-2010 16:03
ST ANDREWS STUDENTS STAGE RALLY, SIT-IN
05-12-2010 15:22
30/11/12 - ST ANDREWS ANTI-CUTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
ST ANDREWS STUDENTS STAGE RALLY, SIT-IN
ST ANDREWS - Over 50 students, upset about impending cuts and the increase in tuition fees, rallied at 1200 outside the Main Library of the University of St Andrews in protest. Thereafter, they staged a sit-in and General Assembly at the Old Psychology Library.
Protests in Glasgow and Edinburgh outside Anti-McDonalds Demo
05-12-2010 15:22
A report on the latest of the regular anti-McDonalds demos
A number of intrepid demonstrators braved the cold and the snow to carry out the fortnightly McDonalds demonstration outside the Regent Street store. Their ‘Dying for a Burger at McDonalds' banner, complete with cartoon of a whole cow in a bun drew the attention of passersby and a large number of leaflets were handed out. The leaflets explained about McDonalds' negative impact on animals, the environment and the health of its customers. The placards round the necks of the demonstrators (McMurder of Animals/McGarbage) also caught people's eye.
A number of pedestrians told us to keep up the good work and one said the only thing McDonalds was good for was as a free toilet. Others were not interested and shouted abuse from passing vans or proclaimed how nice the food in McDonalds is. Some people are clearly a lost cause!, but attempts were still made to help them understand the harm McDonalds does to themselves and the animals. The demonstrators were joined by a journalist from the French channel Arte who is making a documentary about vegan and vegetarian activists so our message will hopefully reach a new audience in France.
The demos take place on the first and third Thursdays of the month and will start again in the new year. More numbers are needed so please get in touch if you want to join us.
students kettled in college green
05-12-2010 15:22
students kettled in college greensmall demonstration was allowed to take place in college green. heavily kettled. procession described as "moving kettle" by one demonstrator. After a while kttle broke up and small march took place. off to look for that now
please give the students your support