Misrahi's position violates a basic people did not create the crisis, are not responsible for it and should not have to pay for it. No doubt "unrealistic" by those whose main concern is maintaining a Labour Council in power. But, in reality, it is their position which is unrealistic.
Massive rate increases this year might be able to oftset the cuts the Tories are imposing. But what will education.
deteriorates and the Tories make even more swingeing cuts? Rate increases will not be able to offset the cuts and the result will be -• of combining rate increases with cuts!
Such a policy will not only delay an inevitable confrontation with the Tories but will ensure that it takes place on the most disadvantageous terms: i.e. after councils have effectively demoralised and alienated the grass-roots of Labour supporters by conning them into thinking a struggle can be avoided.
It may be argued, as Mistahi does. that increasing the rates should be seen merely as a temporary solution until a wider campaign against the certainly not how it is being seen. Those councils which have opted vote against.
Such a change is no accident. It is impossible to mobilise working councils start by cutting their living standards. It is as unrealistic as a trade union leader mobilising action against redundancies after agreeing to the "sack" for half the workThis is the major error at the root of the argument of those who support rate increases. They see the solution to the Tory offensive not against the attacks but in "juggling" On December 4th, the Inner London Education Authority voted for a cut of £21,590,000 or 4.19%. Accusing supporters of a no-cuts policy of living in "cloud-cuckoo land", ILEA leader Ashley Brammal blithely announced that such cuts would do no serious damage to is living in cloud-cuckoo land. If unese curs are commirmea al une budget meeting on February 5th. they will mean a loss of something like 1,000 teaching jobs and a reduction in finance, transport, Mamenance an in service trailing for all IL FA schools.
And they haven't stopped here. so nasty. 1 seems, are Labour members of ILEA to support the • ory are that they nave eren de cided to up school meal prices from 30 to 35p. No doubt thev are anti cipating the Tory Fiducation Bill interids removing from LEAs the obligation to provide a schools meal service and leaves them free to charge their own prices ACCOUNTABLE?
What is worse, this cave-in before the Tory government was made in the teeth of fierce resistance from those whom ILEA Labour members are supposed to represent. Only two Labour councillors actually voted against all cuts Ken Livingstone and C'harlie Rossi. The others who voted for them did so even though they had been urged, by constituency Labour Parties, to One example of this is Elsie horsted chel woo or ine Laool group on Lambeth Council, who was actually mandated by the Labour councillors she represents on ILEA to vote against. The Greater London Regional Council of the Labour Party had even taken the unprecedenica step or loobyl; the Labour members of ILEA to ex press neur amnost unanimou. opposion to We dals The same disregard for democracy was shown by NUT representatives on the ILLA education committee. These two "interpreted" the VUT instruction not to take part in an ascusson arouno curs by ... abstaining! Since the vote in favour was only narrowly passed -by 29 to 28 - they are now, quite understandably, coming unde considerable pressure to resign. GENERAL This situation is not, of course. unique to the ILEA. Up and down the country, Labour councils are acting as if the cuts imposed by the present Tory government are if not actually desirable, at least inevitable.
Acceptance of Tory measures can be tracea back to ine las Labour government agreeing to social spending be drastically reduced. That decision legitimised the idea in Labour ranks that cuts in social services were economically necessary and inus preparca ine ground for the massive Thatcher Ashley Brammal -- like other Labour councillors - may talk of tne need to be reanstic. keausm. in this context, means however mereiv offloading the burden tor the present crisis onto working people by croding living standards and butchering jobs.
ACTION Such backdowns have not gone unchallenged however. Opposition to the cuts is mounting among rank ana me trade unionists. community organisations and in the case of - among parents and schoolchildren who will be the first to suffer The first signs of it was the mass lobby of the ILEA organised by the Inner London Teachers Association on December 4th which brought over you condon leacner: - and onto the streets. It is students actions sucn as tnese waicn will pul growing pressure on Labour coun chuors and trade unon olicials le stand up to the Tory offensive... or. at least. make way for those that will.
Already, under the opposition building up to Brammal's wielding