Glasgow's march and protest on Saturday, against the bedroom tax, was well attended and a very colourful and pleasant affair. The full spectrum of ages were represented, which is always a good sign, it means that the young are up for the struggle as well as the old die-hards. The pleasant atmosphere probably concealed the real anger felt by the majority of the people of this country against this continued assault against their living standards. It also concealed the disgust and in some cases downright hatred for the politicians and the financial mafia that rule this country. A cabal of millionaires who rule and shape this country to benefit their own wealthy class. They know it is class war, it is time we reacted in similar fashion.
This kind of large turnout on a holiday weekend, before the brutal "austerity" cuts really start to kick in, is an indication of what has yet to come when the real pain of this vicious policy of plundering the public purse gets into full swing.
Sweeping changes to benefits will affect both workers and the unemployed
as the Coalition’s ideology is brutally enforced. At present we have ATOS snatching disability allowance away from the sick and vulnerable.
From April 1st. the bedroom tax will be rolled out across the country. The bedroom tax isn’t a tax in the real sense, but it hits you just as hard, it’s a reduction in the amount of housing benefit that certain families will be able to claim. If you claim housing benefit and, for what ever reason, you have one or more spare bedrooms, you will be faced with a cut in the amount of benefit you receive. A 14% cut for one spare room, and 25% cut if you have two spare rooms. It is estimated that well on the way to a million tenants will be adversely affected.
Your idea of a spare room and that of our mansion living millionaire masters, will be somewhat different. Children under the age of 16 of the same gender, like it or not, are expected to share a room, while children under 10, irrespective of gender, are supposed to share the same room. What this translates as, is that we peasants, should not be expected to give our kids a room each, that sort of treatment is meant for the mansion class. For you and I, cuts in benefits, poorer living conditions, all because the bankers and bond merchants don't want to lose the money the gambled.
As you go into this struggle, remember the rent strikes of 1915, and the poll tax of 1980/90's both resounding victories for the ordinary people of this country, both achieved by numbers and solidarity. The millionaire class can never win against the united will of the ordinary people.
