Co-Creation in Action: The People’s Assembly
Bianca Todd from Northampton Left Unity reports on the Nottingham People’s Assembly
We are talking about actions, not words. People don’t want any more debates, for the sake
of talking, they want action, an opportunity to roll their sleeves up and get dirty in the fight
against the austerity measures; which is why the People’s Assembly is so exciting.
The first People’s Assembly in the Midlands was held in Nottingham on the 18th May
2013. Three hundred people attended the day, and packed into workshops on Keeping the
NHS Public, Women and Austerity, Direct Action, Disabled People Against Cuts, Welfare
Cuts and Alternatives to Austerity.
The workshops provided more than food for thought, they provided an opportunity for
people to connect and direct the knowledge gained into local campaigns. The positivity of
the workshops led people into the closing plenary by speakers which included, Tony Benn,
Owen Jones, Will Duckworth, Lindsey German and Francesca Martinez.
The contributions were thoughtful and enthusiastic, the nations sweetheart Tony Benn,
reminded us of the potential of the Peoples Assembly and the power of people ready to
create social change. This was followed by an almost party political broadcast from Will
Duckwork, Lindsey German’s passionate voice sparked optimism and Francesca Martinez
word’s spoken from the heart, rightly created a standing ovation.
Personally I have always wanted to hear Owen Jones speak and I was not disappointed,
although I am not sure he would have meant his words to have been interpreted as I have.
He started his speech, with a tribute to Tony Benn, saying that he was a man, who says
what he means and means what he says. providing inspiration to many, few could
disagree with that, he commented on the inspirational words of Francesca Martinez which
caused, laughter, tears and motivation through her personal description of the war on
welfare.
He asked the audience about what sort of country we want to live in and whilst he listed of
the usual statistics around the destruction to the welfare state and the impact of that on the
society of the seventh richest country in the world. His narrative around the economic
crisis reminded the audience that we are living through the biggest crisis that modern
Britain has seen.
I was not surprised to learn that what made Owen angry, was around the demonisation of
the working class by those in power and you know what Owen, I agree that makes me
angry too. In addition to the list that Owen provided I would like to add one, the white
elephant in the room, namely the working peoples experience of desertion by the Labour
Party. If you don’t have your principles, power may still exist, but in reality all that you
have is office and that indeed is all that the Labour Party currently have, an opposition
office, one which provides lip service and no action.
That being said, what a fantastic time to be on the left, what an opportunity for Left Unity.
Never have working people needed representation more, never have they needed a
political voice more. The politics of divide and rule, we know creates fear about the future
and a feeling of isolation, it does as Owen rightly says creates a void, that can only be
filled by hope. It doesn’t matter how angry and frightened people are, without hope that
anger has no direction. You cannot live on hope alone, but without it life is not worth living.
Owen Jones, ended his speech, with the reminder that a broad coalition is needed, and that I agree with, as the anti austerity views are barely represented and the war on democracy has already begun. I look forward to seeing Left Unity playing a leading part within the fight back, standing together shoulder to shoulder, fighting together for a fairer society. It is time to return to the principles of Clause Four and the People’s Assembly provides the platform for that, challenging the distribution of wealth, the austerity measures, the attack on the welfare state and creating a voice for working people to reclaim the position they fought so hard to achieve. I would encourage Left Unity comrades to sign up to the national People’s Assembly on 22nd June 2013, as an opportunity to share the vision of Left Unity and provide the hope that many of us have been searching for in the creation of a new representative political party for the working people.
7 comments
7 responses to “Co-Creation in Action: The People’s Assembly”
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Some intersting information, but let’s “cut to the chase” ,Bianca – in the absence of an alternative mass radical political party of the Left, where can all the “action” discussed and promoted by the “usual suspect” celebrity speakers, and the workshops and represented activist groups find its important electoral expression at present ? Yep.. it’s the Labour Party… yep, that corrupt , politically bankrupt and thoroughly unreformable capitalist party – whose career politician leaders, whilst blatantly determined to continue the Austerity Offensive unabated against us all on behalf of the superrich if returned to office in 2015, will be very happy that a few celebrity Left Labourites like Owen Jones and dear old Wedgie Benn are continuing to sow illusions that labour can be “pushed Left” if enough misguided socialist activists once again get involved in doing the on the ground electoral grunt work building up the now thoroughly disenchanted working class vote , based on the usual soon to be shattered “it’ll be much better under Labour” illusions !
I think , as a steering group member of Left Unity, your public “take” on the potential for these “Peoples Assemblies” (ie, really just Big public meetings – providing a platform for Labour Lefties and a few other Lefties currently fixated on “coattailing” the Labour Left — trying to connect Labour for electoral purposes to any head of steam building up against the Coalition’s Austerity Offensive ), should have been a lot more critical and analytical.
Let’s be frank— Left Unity is an initiative running directly COUNTER to the real aims of dyed in the wool Labour Party supporters like Owen Jones and Tony Benn. Fail to grasp that and you will fail to understand the endless opposition and hostility that our Left Unity project will receive from the Labour Party’s “Left-facing celebrity electoral mobilising figures” in the months and years ahead.
These public meetings are a straw in the wind – opposition to austerity is beginning to gather and as the remaining 80% of cuts go ahead will create mass protests and without doubt many ordinary people, in desperate circumstances, will cling to the hope that a Labour government will protect them.
But I agree with John Penney that it is essential we are honest and realistic about what the next labour government will do and be. We have to look at (what seems to me at least)to be incontrovertible facts and not wishful thinking:
a) people like Owen Jones and the remains of the Labour left are worthy of respect and are potential allies, but they have no real influence on the power and decision making structures of the Labour Party. Remember Blair, Brown, Mandelson etc stripped the party membership of any chance to hold them to account or challenge their policies. The leadership are in control however much left trade union leaders, rank and file members and the very few left Labour MPs may huff and puff.
b) the current leadership of the party are exactly the same people as ran the Blair and Brown governments. They have not changed their views and with perhaps a few honourable exceptions are career politicians fixated on one goal: getting power for themselves.
c) the labour leadership have made it absolutely clear that they would pursue austerity, are not going to reverse the cuts and the best that can be hoped for is a very mild form of increased public spending to boost consumer demand (Keynesianism)maybe. Even this is not certain. They have signalled that the NHS privatisation, school academies, welfare changes etc will all be largely retained. So I would ask anyone who thinks the next labour govt. is going to introduce any radical policies at all where is the evidence to support this?
d) We need now to think in the medium term. In 2015 Labour will almost certainly get in with a large majority. The debt crisis has massively worsened under the coalition and the new govt will claim to have no choice but to continue austerity. They will cut and carry out the same neo-liberal policies as before. Labour have already alienated much of their traditional support. Disillusion will soon follow, just as it has in France and Greece. They will not be forgiven again – Labour’s PASOK moment is looming.
The point is surely that if Left Unity is to develop into a new party and mean anything it has to tell the truth about the Labour leadership and set out some positive and concrete alternatives. The Huddersfield group has suggested that we ‘Unleash our collective genius’ in a separate post and start thinking about policies and ideas – please have a look at this. Without these positive policies we will not be able to really offer an alternative
I also think we should concentrate on documenting an alternative to capitalism with clear and radical policies informed by those people who have been thinking about the issues for years, including the voluntary sector and their specialist expertise. It will be so exciting to engage people in this hopeful and realistic programme as people increasingly experience the unworkability and injustice of the current, collapsing system. We should spend as little time as possible critisising others, it bores the pants off people. It is more unifying to remember the human being inside the ‘other’.
I would love to hear of some policies. Were do I find them?
800 people at the Manchester people’s assembly much less than the predicted 3000 and less than some of the anti-war events but still a significant number, something is certainly stirring.
The role of Left Unity is to concentrate on building local recognition as a radical campaigning organisation ,let local people know who you are & that you believe that working people & their families have someone on there side & its based on equality ,fairness & justice .
Its about espousing your values as an anti austerity organisation letting local people know you are with them as the establishment parties both have agendas that will make local people pay for a economy not of their making .
LU must not get caught up in what others think of you .If you have a vision & values that YOU believe will connect with working people then be bold ,be radical ,tell people ,connect with people in as many forums as you can ,be it tenant/ resident groups ,faith organisation ,youth organisations etc .
The only boundaries you have are the ones you create yourselves ,of which there should be none.
Set out your values let people see your not here today & gone tomorrow ,partnership build within your respective local community & what flows from that are the key political themes required ,trust ,credability,respect . All of which are earned & not handed on a plate .
Those locally who like what you do will either support or join you ,others elsewhere can take one of two views ,stay wedded to where they are (labour or otherwise) or join & shape /develop a radical grassroots movement .
LU needs to set its stall out ,its down to others to decide if they join .You can make political choices for yourself ,others must decide if those choices/values/vision ,is the one for them .
Peter……………
BROKEN BRITISH POLITICS – BEDROOM TAX BEING BEATEN Bedroom tax: Councils help tenants beat hated charge by reclassifying ‘spare’ rooms as studies
30 May 2013 22:04. Leeds, Nottingham and North Lanarkshire are using a legal loophole to help thousands of tenants escape paying the tax Protest: Campaigners in Manchester among many to have taken to the streets. Council chiefs are defying the Government’s hated bedroom tax – by reclassifying spare bedrooms as studies or boxrooms.
Under the Government’s regulations brought in last month, council tenants with one spare bedroom lose 14% of their housing benefit while those with two or more lose 25%.
Ministers boast it will save taxpayers £490million in 2013-14. But town halls in Leeds, Nottingham and North Lanarkshire are using a legal loophole to help thousands of tenants escape paying the tax, which penalises some of Britain’s poorest families. Other councils, including Birmingham and Edinburgh, may also adopt the idea. Labour-led Nottingham City Council has now reclassified 1,000 two-bedroom flats in tower blocks as one-bedroom, while rooms of less than 50 sq ft could be reassessed.http://brokenbritishpolitics.simplesite.com