Chavs author, Independent writer and Labour activist Owen Jones talked to Salman Shaheen about the People's Assembly and the prospects for resistance to austerity
Chavs author, Independent writer and Labour activist Owen Jones talked to Salman Shaheen about the People’s Assembly and the prospects for resistance to austerity
If the People’s Assembly could be summarised in a word, it would be optimism. From the opening speeches it crackled, infusing enthused activists with the idea that austerity – a failure both in terms of restoring growth to the economy and protecting society’s most vulnerable – could be defeated with united action from the left.
Those speaking in the opening Plenary – angry, passionate and full of hope despite all past attempts to bring the left together in the face of neoliberal consensus – might have overstated the case and underestimated the challenge they faced, but the day was about inspiring people.
When I caught up with Owen Jones after the first session, he was naturally ebullient.
“It’s going incredibly well so far,” he said. “Over 4,000 people are here, it’s the biggest anti-austerity meeting since the crisis began, and I think the arguments that people want on the agenda about alternatives to the self-defeating nightmare of austerity are going to be on that agenda for the first time. It’s such a broad cross-section of the country. And it’s a launch pad for local groups and actions across the country as well.”
But the People’s Assembly had the misfortune of falling on the day that Ed Miliband announced Labour – for many the natural locus of opposition to austerity – would be sticking to Tory spending plans.
While Jones appears to be very much in the Labour camp, he is less enthusiastic about the decisions of its leadership.
“The message for the Labour leadership should be you can no longer expect to automatically be the leaders of the opposition to what the Tories are doing in this country,” Jones said. “You’ll now face competition from those who want a genuine alternative to austerity.”
Jones pointed out the Labour leadership is used to being yelled at from the right, but now it’ll be yelled at by people from a different direction.
“Those sorts of arguments used to support austerity, as it has been proven to fail even on its own terms, they’re no longer credible,” he said. “We will be putting huge amounts of pressure and we’ll be building a national campaign which will give a voice to all those who do want an alternative to austerity.”
Of course, many have now abandoned Labour entirely. Ken Loach, who was reportedly barred from speaking in the closing plenary and relegated to an afternoon slot in the marquee because he was too anti-Labour, has launched an appeal to found a new party to the left of Labour. It’s an initiative that I and almost 9,000 others have signed up to and I asked Jones what his stance on projects such as Left Unity is.
“At the end of the day, we will always have different strategies and tactics,” he said. “The most important thing is we all have unity where we can agree on an issue by issue basis.”
Jones stressed that the People’s Assembly is not a party, but a movement bringing together people from lots of different parties, initiatives, unions, and campaigning groups.
“I welcome anyone, whatever strategy they have, as long as we can work together on that common aim which is building a broad coalition against austerity,” Jones said.
The answer from Jones, then, is left unity in action, if not in name. While we disagree on the question of Labour, and while the People’s Assembly in its optimism may have underestimated the strength of consensus around austerity forged by the three main parties, Jones is certainly right that left unity against the cuts is our only hope.
37 Responses to “Owen Jones calls on the left to unite against austerity”
Debbie Price
Labour will have lost a huge amount of voters by saying they would carry on the cuts.
At grass route level. The most vulnerable and poorest in our society are really suffering.
The introduction of ‘The Bedroom Tax’ or what ever you want to call it. Is the biggest mistake of all. How can you for instance, expect someone on JSA to have to now pay it, plus, now, council tax and survive?
They can’t. Simple.
People are starving. Hence, the major NEED for food banks. In 2013. What sort of society is that??
People feeling and committing suicide. Because they just cannot cope or see a way out.
This government do have blood on their hands.
And they DO NOT care at all.
Cameron can spend £49 of tax payers money on lunch and leave a £50 tip.
That’s more than some people get to live on in a week!!
This government AND Labour are totally, ‘out of touch’ with what is going on.
And, for Labour to state they are going to continue these policies.
Who, do they think is going to vote for them?
Just, those, that are, ‘all right jack’, it doesn’t affect me!!
In other words, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
Lets not forget that the Bedroom Tax was the brain child of Labour, in the first place.
Matthew Blott
So what? Should we support the current undemocratic settlement where Scots help decide the laws I have to abide by and I have no say on Scottish law because leftwingers like yourself don’t like the Tories?