Can new anti-Universal Credit alliance really mirror the anti-Poll Tax campaign?
Can these campaign groups match the intensity and mass feeling of the anti-Poll Tax campaign of 1990?
This Writer can’t answer that.
But Universal Credit has to go.
It has been nothing but a hugely expensive white elephant.
It doesn’t help people back into work.
It certainly doesn’t keep them out of poverty.
It’s full of loopholes that cost claimants money left, right and centre.
And the Tories would rather fight those claimants in court than admit fault.
So if there’s to be a campaign… I’m in.
And you?
Disabled activists have called for opponents of universal credit (UC) across the country to help mirror the campaign that led to the poll tax being abandoned in the early 1990s, by joining a new national alliance that is demanding UC is scrapped.
They announced the new alliance at an online meeting organised by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) that focused on the ongoing campaign to “stop and scrap” UC.
Scrap Universal Credit Alliance (SUCA) will include disabled activists, disabled people’s organisations (DPOs), unions and allies.
Mark Harrison, from Norfolk Against Universal Credit (NAUC) and the Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance, said UC was “the 21st century workhouse” and was leaving people imprisoned in their own homes, in debt and reliant on food banks.
He said it was “urgent that we step up the campaign” to stop and scrap UC.
He said that was why DPAC, NAUC and others had set up SUCA, which will act as an umbrella campaign for all local campaigns around the country that are dedicated to scrapping UC.
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The Labour Party is seeking contributions from members on the replacement for Universal Credit. Please make the effort and get involved.
How you can help shape Labour’s Universal Credit replacement
Jonathan Reynolds
Labour is committed to developing a complete replacement for Universal Credit. We believe this to be essential to meeting our objectives of ending child poverty in the UK. This is a huge mission – and only one of several major policy challenges the shadow work and pensions team is working on – that will develop a modern social security system that offers real support to everyone.
Earlier this month, myself and shadow employment minister Seema Malhotra hosted a roundtable for around 80 members as part of Labour’s national policy forum process, which sparked excellent debate and delivered new ideas. A few days later, I did an event with over 250 members of affiliated trade unions on the future of social security hosted by the Trade Union and Labour Party Liaison Organisation (TULO). And we’ll do as many events as there is demand for because we need the active democratic involvement of our members and unions.
That’s why today, we are specifically asking people to submit their views on the future of UC to the national policy forum’s work, pensions and equality commission. I am keen to hear whether people believe we should continue with a single combined benefit covering both in-work and out-of-work support. Having seen the process by which people have been transferred onto UC, I am conscious that any reform must be done in a way that minimises the impact to claimants. So I ask: what is the right way to do this?
Follow the link for more information
https://labourlist.org/2020/06/how-you-can-help-shape-labours-universal-credit-replacement/
And here’s the relevant link to the Labour Party’s Policy Forum.
https://policyforum.labour.org.uk/commissions/work/the-future-of-social-security-after-coronavirus
Yes, get involved.
I’m agog to see what new New Labour devises – but I have to admit I’m not optimistic about it.