This morning saw the launch of the People's Charter for Change at Westminster. A group of MPs and union leaders turned up to help lead a new political initiative based on six key principles:
• a fairer economy for a fairer Britain
• more and better jobs
• decent homes for all
• save and improve public services
• for a fair and just Britain
• for a future without war
Big names are attached to the policy, including the general secretaries of the PCS, Unite and 13 other unions, and more than 18 MPs, including John McDonnell and Mike Wood.
Also attached are musician Billy Bragg, comedian Mark Thomas and star of 'The Bank Job', actress Saffron Burrows (who sadly wasn't present for the launch).
• a fairer economy for a fairer Britain
• more and better jobs
• decent homes for all
• save and improve public services
• for a fair and just Britain
• for a future without war
Big names are attached to the policy, including the general secretaries of the PCS, Unite and 13 other unions, and more than 18 MPs, including John McDonnell and Mike Wood.
Also attached are musician Billy Bragg, comedian Mark Thomas and star of 'The Bank Job', actress Saffron Burrows (who sadly wasn't present for the launch).
They released a poll of over 1000 individuals who overwhelmingly voted that the government should be more concerned with protecting jobs (87%) than bailing out banks.
More than three-quarters (77%) said they wanted previously public owned companies like water, gas, electricity, transport and communications to be renationalised. Given the hubbub surrounding postal pensions, I'd hate to consider what would happen if we brought back all the other prodigal sons.
Controversial activist (and former MP) Tony Benn warned of serious political problems if the principles weren't followed by MPs.
"This is not just an economic crisis but a major political crisis, and if anyone doubts that, look what happened in the 1930s when 6,000,000 people were unemployed in Germany. It led to Hitler. So never underestimate that. We are witnessing a crisis of representation, where people do not feel they're being represented," he said.
"What we need now is not a lot of new ranting, but for people to be reassured by knowing their needs are represented in Parliament. I'm fed up with protesting, it's time for demands."
Mark Serwotka, the general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services, also managed to call James Purnell the worst secretary of state the DWP had ever seen. We'll see if we can get a right of reply with James this year.
Change has been demanded (the MPs and union leaders agreed that they were done protesting, and would simply resort to "demanding"), and it's just a matter of time until change happens. Whether or not it's the change they want, who knows?
More than three-quarters (77%) said they wanted previously public owned companies like water, gas, electricity, transport and communications to be renationalised. Given the hubbub surrounding postal pensions, I'd hate to consider what would happen if we brought back all the other prodigal sons.
Controversial activist (and former MP) Tony Benn warned of serious political problems if the principles weren't followed by MPs.
"This is not just an economic crisis but a major political crisis, and if anyone doubts that, look what happened in the 1930s when 6,000,000 people were unemployed in Germany. It led to Hitler. So never underestimate that. We are witnessing a crisis of representation, where people do not feel they're being represented," he said.
"What we need now is not a lot of new ranting, but for people to be reassured by knowing their needs are represented in Parliament. I'm fed up with protesting, it's time for demands."
Mark Serwotka, the general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services, also managed to call James Purnell the worst secretary of state the DWP had ever seen. We'll see if we can get a right of reply with James this year.
Change has been demanded (the MPs and union leaders agreed that they were done protesting, and would simply resort to "demanding"), and it's just a matter of time until change happens. Whether or not it's the change they want, who knows?
