The Women’s Forum of Lewisham Deptford CLP, in South London, has submitted the following motion to the upcoming Labour Women’s Conference (in September, Liverpool, just before the main Labour conference).
We condemn the massive, continuing cuts to local authority budgets since 2010, which have disproportionately been inflicted on women. We strongly agree with our Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell’s call for “an urgent change of direction in local government funding in this country”.
Local government cuts are a central part of the Tories’ project of redistributing wealth upwards at the expense of the rest of us. More and more is concentrated in the hands of a few, whilst women are bearing the brunt of austerity. The impact is severe for working class women, and BAME women are disproportionately affected within this.
Lewisham Deptford Women’s Forum believe the next Labour government must move quickly to restore all the funding councils have lost since 2010 as a minimum. We will need it to restore services, reverse outsourcing, provide decent pay rises, build a new generation of council housing, save social care and begin to undo the cuts our sisters have had the large burden of for almost a decade.
If we do not call for that funding to be restored, we are condoning the cuts the Tories have made to it.
1. We call for the whole party to campaign vocally for full restoration of funding and re-empowerment of local government. We call for this aim to be included in the 2019 National Policy Forum Report.
2. We call for a review of local government finances, with a view to increasing funding for services commensurate with need.
Let us know what you think? Write a reply? Email theclarionmag@gmail.com