Alf Filer writes
According to the latest Guardian / ICM poll, (Guardian 18/8/10), we are informed that the public back the Con Dems’ cut and slash policies. Well as a famous actor once said,” I don’t believe it”.
The maths just does not add up, yet for a so-called objective opinion poll, this is precisely what one would expect. Not that there is such a thing as a 100% accurate poll. It all depends what questions were asked, who asked them, how they were asked, the size of the sample and the objectivity of the interpretation. Of course even with that all taken into account, they still are unreliable.
We are informed by the Guardian front page article that, according to Larry Elliott and Tom Clark, “ 44% of those polled said the coalition was doing a good job in securing the economic recovery against 37% who said it was doing a bad job.” What about the other 19% left out or do we just ignore such errors?
Yes of course the bankers in the City, the Tory and Lib Dem members, property speculators and the rest of the Capitalist class would say that wouldn’t they? What about the growing number of unemployed, those on pay cuts, the students facing no university offers, voluntary and community workers seeing centres close daily, public sector workers facing more stress and overwork and many others across society affected by austerity cuts? Were they asked? Probably not!
Voting intentions also showed up that after 100 days of an unelected coalition implementing its attacks on working people, speedily attempting to dismantle the Welfare State, the Conservatives and Labour are both at 37%,( Labour up by 3% and Tories down by 1%), with Lib Dems at 18% and down 1% also. So much for their popularity and success.
In the meantime, the cost of living is 3.1% and marginally down, not surprising because of cuts, job losses, pay freezes and fears for the future. You do not have to be much of an economist to realise that. So for those lucky enough to win a 1% pay rise, such as UNITE BAA members, great, but this still means a 2.1% cut in living standards.
Now I for one do not expect to see many people holding parades and street parties, celebrating the Con Dems’ austerity policies, except of course in the City, where profits and the rate of exploitation of the rest of us is increasing.
I am however looking forward to the demos and marches against the Tory Party conference. There are many marches planned by all those opposing this Government, who stole power. Opposition to the cuts is mounting and mushrooming across the country. The Coalition of Resistance statement and conference supported by many, including Tony Benn, is just the latest example of mass action being organised. This, along with the Right To Work initiatives , local anti-cuts campaign groups events, Trades Councils sponsored meetings and many more show there is no support amongst working people for the attacks on all our futures by this austerity government.
Hopefully now the Guardian may admit that having welcomed the Con Dems coalition that perhaps they backed the wrong coalition. In the meantime, both here and across Europe, working people are establishing their own coalitions to show that there is an alternative to cuts and profits at the expense of people, nor are we prepared to voluntarily go back to the 30’s. From resistance comes both hope and an alternative world , which puts the interests of working people first.
Liam redux 
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