"Our Taxes, Our Lives" believe that there is an alternative to the massive public expenditure cuts
now being discussed. The aim of the campaign is to host a debate leading up to the General Election
to inform and enable the public to make their own choices on how their taxes are spent.
SUMMARY OF OCTOBER 28TH MEETING IN PARLIAMENT
The meeting asked why the Government was considering spending £97 billion over 30 years on renewing the Trident nuclear weapons system while British state pensioners are among the poorest in the developed world. The speakers included Louise Edge, Disarmament Campaigner from Greenpeace who wrote their "In the Firing Line" - an investigation into the hidden cost of the supercarrier project and replacing Trident" report; Jim McCluskey, author of "The Nuclear Threat - accidents, misjudgements, and mega foul-ups.;" David Drew MP, member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Ageing and Older People and Diana Basterfield from ministry for peace.
A short film showing the demise of Trident and the transfer of funds to pensioners was given its public premiere and is now on YouTube:
The meeting concluded by asking the audience which choice they would make, spend £97 billion on renewing Trident or on increasing the basic state pension?
Local campaigning
Why not hold a similar meeting in your area. and ask your audience to vote on this question? Send the results to your local MP. We can provide you with materials.
CAMPAIGN LAUNCH
“In the current circumstances, if we are to avoid the 'dragging conditions of semi-slump', public spending cuts make absolutely no sense. The Government should be increasing spending now – and by a lot – not least because it can borrow at such a low long-run rate of interest. In such circumstances, infrastructure and education are smart investments for all our futures. If you want to transform a recession into a depression, go ahead and cut public spending. I would advise against it."
David Blanchflower, member of the Bank of England's MPC from June 2006 - May 2009
ministry for peace’s picture of a peaceful country is one where the citizens are at ease with one another; feel secure that their income puts food on the table, a roof over the head and a bit more; where they can be sure that any ill health will receive world-class treatment (and be free at the point of delivery) and where educational opportunities are open to all for people to make the best of their lives.
History shows that economic downturns can bring poverty and with it fear, insecurity, violence, hunts for scapegoats and even wars. Are such outcomes inevitable? Can they be prevented if governments can re-organise economic priorities to ensure that they do not happen?
We all know that whichever political party wins the next General Election the new government is going to have to deal with an unprecedented economic crisis. None of us wants Britain to become a more violent, divisive country and see cuts in living standards. But what should be cut, and what saved? Who should pay more taxes and who should be protected? We the public must have a voice in this debate. Spending decisions are financial but they are also moral; they are about values, identifying what and who, really matters.
ministry for peace is initiating an open, national debate to support our politicians in finding the best route through these difficult decisions to bring the most benefit to society and to do least harm. We are launching a year-long campaign: “Our Taxes, Our Lives” where we are bringing together national organisations defending public services and welfare benefits and national campaigners with cuts proposals that could bridge the public expenditure gap and reduce the possibility of disorder and suffering.
The launch meeting was held on Tuesday 14th July in Parliament. The speakers were Tony Benn, John Christensen (Tax Justice Network), Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union) John McDonnell, MP, Kate Hudson (CND), Ann Feltham (Campaign Against the Arms Trade) and Tony Dolphin, Senior Economist from the Institute for Public Policy Research.
We are not alone!
See: Putting people before cuts on Richard Murphy's blog: http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/
How inequality leads to violence: http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/why/remedies