We call upon the Coalition Government to restore funding to local authorities.

Brighton & Hove will be hit particularly hard as the Government is cutting a THIRD of the council’s funding over the next 4 years. The loss of around £43 million will force councillors to choose between vital services.

Cuts like these are unprecedented and grossly unfair. They take from the poorest and most vulnerable in society who depend on vital local services like housing and social care.

There are alternatives to these cuts that the Government should implement instead. These include:

Introducing a tax on financial trading (the Robin Hood Tax). Even a tax rate of less than a quarter of a percent could raise more than a hundred billion pounds.

Clamping down on tax avoidance. Around 500,000 companies a year fail to pay their tax. Just clamping down on this tax avoidance would put tens of billions back in the public purse.

Reducing Britain’s debt at a sensible pace through growth not cuts. UK debt is much lower than it has been for most of the last century. We are not at risk of default like Greece and can pay our debts back through taxes when the economy is in a stronger position.

Investing in the economy. Creating jobs will boost the economy and cut the deficit. You don’t have to be an economist to realize that!

Links