APARTHEID FOR children-that is what David Blunkett pushed through the school system this week. The government wants refugee children educated separately from the rest. They will be treated as second class and labelled as ‘problems’, and then blamed for the crisis in schools.
It’s not just asylum seekers the government wants us to turn our anger against. Tony Blair made clear this week that he wants a crackdown on the unemployed, lone parents and disabled people.
‘Blair Blitz On Skivers’ screamed the front page headline of the Sunday Express. This is a paper produced by the government’s favourite pornographer, Richard Desmond. Blair wants to force people on the dole to take low paid jobs or face the threat of losing benefits.
Benefit regulations have become tougher every year under New Labour-and the value of benefits has declined dramatically. A single unemployed person gets £53.05 a week. If that money had kept up with the 1977 levels they would be getting £87 a week. ‘United we stand’ is a basic belief of the labour movement. This government has instead decided to divide people up and set them against each other. At the same time the real parasites-the rich-are laughing all the way to the bank. We should stand together, reject scapegoating and fight our real enemies.
STOP THE WAR ON ASYLUM SEEKERS
Demonstrate, Saturday 22 June, 12 noon, Malet Street, London (Goodge Street tube)
A staffing crisis in the NHS
Health workers set to strike across four Manchester hospitals
Bus workers rejected an offer and came back out
