In a speech to Labour councillors tomorrow (Saturday) in
Nottingham, , Leader of the , will hail the rebirth of
municipal socialism - local government for the many, not the
few.
Corbyn will point to examples around the country of Labour
councils that have acknowledged that “when it comes to running
public services, it’s the public sector that works best, that
delivers for the many not the few, accountable to the public, and
acting in the public interest”.
He will argue that “austerity and privatisation are dismantling
our civilised society”, which is why Labour councils are doing
what they can to bring services back in house and protecting
people against the 50% cut in government funding to local
services under the Tories.
Corbyn will also address the controversial public-private
redevelopment proposals in Haringey, calling for all voices to be
heard because “democracy creates better outcomes for
communities”. He will also praise ’s move to ballot residents
before any regeneration programme goes ahead.
On austerity and privatisation, , Leader of the , will say:
“What our communities are facing is no less than the dismantling
of the civilised society we all love.
“When Labour says “austerity isn’t working”, it’s not just a
slogan. It’s the reality that drives public service workers to
despair as our communities suffer the consequences.
“Austerity and privatisation are dismantling our civilised
society and causing misery. We must urgently move on from Tory
austerity and the failed privatisation obsession that has allowed
services for the many become cash cows for the few.
“In the last month the arguments for privatisation, always
threadbare and flawed, have now been brutally exposed by events:
’s bailout of the East Coast
mainline franchise, the implosion of the outsourcing firm
Carillion, the National Audit Office report into exorbitant PFI
schemes.
“The whole edifice of the ‘private good, public bad’ dogma has
crumbled.
“We have seen what privatisation means: services get worse or are
lost, jobs get cut, workers’ pension funds are left to wither
while the boardroom executives get huge bonuses on top of
eye-watering salaries and private shareholders dine off public
services.”
On the rebirth of municipal socialism, will say:
“This is why Labour councils are taking measures to bring
services back in-house and reject costly PFI-style models.
“With amazing creativity in the toughest of times, we are seeing
the first shoots of the renaissance of local government for the
many not the few - the rebirth of municipal socialism.
“Just look here in Nottingham, with Robin Hood Energy and
inspiring Liverpool Leccy and Angelic Energy in my borough of
Islington.
“In Newcastle where the Tyne & Wear Metro has been taken back
in-house after forced contracting-out and the service is running
better, meeting people’s needs
“That’s the lesson too for councils like Cardiff and here in
Nottingham which have hung on to municipal bus companies and
regulated bus services.
“In Redbridge, waste services will come back in-house next year,
as they have in many other council areas.”
On Haringey council’s proposed HDV deal with
multinational company Lendlease, will say:
“Faced with Tory cuts and a huge housing need, Haringey council’s
leadership felt that the HDV proposals, for a massive
regeneration programme with private company Lendlease, was the
best deal it could get for residents.
“But HDV is highly controversial, with local people worried that
they could lose their homes and not get a new one in return.
That’s why 40% of Labour councillors opposed the proposals, as
did the majority of party members in both CLPs, both Labour MPs
and local unions.
“It has been a unique situation, which is why the NEC unanimously
asked the council leadership to put their plans on hold and take
part in a mediation process - to bring everyone together.
“Because when we bring people together and listen to everyone’s
voices, we make better decisions. Democracy creates better
outcomes for communities.
“That’s why I was so pleased to be with , Labour’s Mayor of London,
yesterday as he announced in Tory-controlled Barnet his plans to
give residents real control through a ballot before
redevelopments can go ahead.
“Regeneration must put local people first, not property
speculators. That’s why Labour is committed to giving residents
the right to a ballot across the country so that when we're in
government we can deliver real regeneration for the many, not the
few.”
