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Original poster

TUC National Demonstration Against Cuts

867 replies

OrangeBernard · 11/03/2011 19:24

Who's going? I've just booked my train tickets. Its my first protest, any advice or tips? Bit worried about kettling.

OP posts:
Rosebud05 · 27/03/2011 23:33

Laptops to improve exam results and job chances, eh?

But what if the beneficiaries go and get jobs and pay taxes, so they're not actually 'free'?

That'll ruin jogan's simplistic thinking, that's what.

newwave · 27/03/2011 23:37

Rose

Women didn't get the vote by saying 'would you mind terribly?'; it was very, very hard won by blood, sweat and tears.

And death. Sad

huddspur · 27/03/2011 23:41

I support and cherish the right to protest but I don't think that the violence yesterday should be condoned.

Glitterknickaz · 27/03/2011 23:42

I agree with huddspur. What I was part of yesterday was a wonderful thing, but the remaining image will be of the minority causing trouble, and that saddens me.

newwave · 27/03/2011 23:45

At least the Police did not kill or fracture anyones skull or attack a wheelchair user yesterday which makes an unexpected but nice change

moondog · 28/03/2011 00:04

Ah yes Newwave, because their remit is of course to CRUSH THE PROLETARIAT.

Marvellous to hear HappiestBlonde's words of reason and intelligence slicing through all of this dross..

HHLimbo · 28/03/2011 00:05

Agree newwave. Also while I could never condone violence, I feel the students' glass smashing was very well targetted.

newwave · 28/03/2011 00:06

moondog

Are you denying these incidents happened ? and also that no action has been taken against the perpetrators

moondog · 28/03/2011 00:11

Passs me on an objective report of these matters and I'll make a decision.

No rabid illiterate SWP photocopied pamphlets though please.

newwave · 28/03/2011 00:19

Pass me on an objective report of these matters and I'll make a decision.

Try the media of every political persuasion and the youtube videos of Tomlinson being assaulted and the guy being dragged out of his wheelchair.

BTW, I have only ever voted LD (although that is unlikely to happen again until Clegg and Alexander are gone) except in 1997 so I have never been a member of the SWP or Class War

studyinghard · 28/03/2011 05:24

zzzzzZZZZZ

slug · 28/03/2011 09:09

"At least the Police did not kill or fracture anyones skull or attack a wheelchair user yesterday which makes an unexpected but nice change"

That's because there were a few off duty police on the march as well. Or, as one of the ones in uniform said to me when I commented on the cheerful and calm policing "It's my job next"

bullet234 · 28/03/2011 09:11

I have been thinking about the comparison made between companies avoiding paying large proportions of their corporation tax and paying into a tax ISA and I can not see how they can compare. There is no expectation that a person saves via a bank or building society, or other scheme whereby tax would be paid on their savings. If people wish then can save via an ISA or even keep their money under the mattress at home. Or they can avoid saving altogether. So by using a non tax paying method of saving, they are avoiding paying additional tax. It would be like saying someone is a tax avoider because they buy cakes instead of biscuits.
If you wanted to make a comparison between corporation tax avoidance and ISAs, then it would be something akin to saying that a person was legally entitled to say to their employer "please take my gross wages and set aside a proportion of them to be placed into a non taxed saving scheme. I shall pay tax, NI contributions etc on the remainder of my gross wages".

glasnost · 28/03/2011 10:06

The March was a great success. Period. At last some fresh democratic air breezing through the capital. Makes a change from breathing fetid, cruel capitalist, polluted smog. The violent lot were probably agents provocateurs sent to stir up trouble. Happens everywhere.

Whence the general strike? Come on TUC. Pull your finger out and call one NOW.

jackstarb · 28/03/2011 10:26

Bullet - what makes me feel uncomfortable is this tendency to make 'moral judgements' on tax avoidance and to expect that others will comply because it's the 'right thing'.

The UK is a democracy, ruled by laws. If those laws nolonger reflect the majority view - fine they need changing. And possibly some tax avoidance laws will change.

As I've said earlier on this thread - all government use the tax system to incentivise certain behaviours. If companies take advantage of these - it's often what the government intended. Where it isn't, the tax law can be changed.

glasnost · 28/03/2011 10:42

The UK is a democracy ruled by corporate interests who lean on policians to make laws conducive to them. Tax avoidance is tax evasion under any other name. It's Orwellian manipulative language to dupe us but methinks people will be duped no longer. General strike please.

jackstarb · 28/03/2011 10:50

Hi glasnost - how's the weather in Italy? At least there's no 'capitalist smog' to worry aboutWink.

glasnost · 28/03/2011 10:57

There's a bloody loada that jack. There's no hope in a mafia state. UK is still a tad more democratic than Italy but is FAST losing ground. Sciopero generale per favore!

jackstarb · 28/03/2011 11:26

Almeno avete il gelato e il soleSmile.

Chil1234 · 28/03/2011 11:30

"Whence the general strike? Come on TUC. Pull your finger out and call one NOW."

Oh dear. All we need is Jimmy Saville and flares and it'll be 1977 all over again. It's all very well for the TUC to want to protect their members' interests & pension funds etc. but those of use outside the tender loving care of the public sector unions might see it as rather self-serving or counter-productive.

glasnost · 28/03/2011 11:33

It's rainig where I am. And I'm strictly off the gelato as ate literally tubs of it when I was pregnant.

Saturday I felt proud to be Brit for first time in aeons as there was a sister demo held in Bologna simultaneously with the one in London. Half a million people is a fantastic result.

glasnost · 28/03/2011 11:34

Yes Chil those funky days are back again!

Chil1234 · 28/03/2011 12:09

That period between '76 and '79 was leee 'funky' and more 'deathknell of Britain'. There won't be a national strike. Everyone on Saturday had a nice day out in the sunshine waving their banners and chatting. Not much will change as a result. Do not foresee a rerun of winters of discontents etc.

Niceguy2 · 28/03/2011 12:21

As a protest I think it went very well. Only a small amount of trouble which given the size of the protest is a minor miracle.

But at the end of the day, I can't help feeling that the protests are a bit like protesting against the laws of gravity.

Financially we're screwed. You can protest all you like but it doesn't change the facts. You can of course choose to live in a fantasy world where taxing the rich will solve all our problems and its only a matter of political will. Personally I prefer the real world, even if sometimes it does suck.

jackstarb · 28/03/2011 12:31

I agree Chil. The TUC would be stupid to call a national strike at this point. For one thing - bringing down this government is the last thing Ed Miliband and Labour need at the moment. It would force them to actually have a plan and do something to clear up the financial mess.

The TUC will wait to assess the impact of the cuts. If things get rough enough and the economy doesn't bounce back into growth - then maybe glasnost's dreams of a 'Sciopero generale' may come true....