Three Brighton Starbucks shut in UKUncut action-but where was the Left?

Yet again UKUncut showed us how direct action is done in its campaign against corporate tax dodging. In Brighton they did not manage to occupy any shops ...because management closed them! Something of an own-goal methinks!
We leafletted outside the shops and people queued to sign the petition. UKUncut have a way of connecting with people's concerns that the organised left could learn from.
Speaking of which...where were they?
I have noticed before that UKUncut actions consist of a different set of people from the usual activists, but on Saturday (apart from a couple of Socialist Worker sellers) there was a complete absence of the Brighton Left.
Why this should be the case I don't know, and maybe it was only a Brighton phenomenon, but it seems like a missed opportunity to me.




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Protest against Osborne's cuts - pictures

  

Rally against Osborne's cuts- December 5th

  

Rally in defence of public services, the NHS and the Welfare State

Wednesday 5th December

5.45 pm

Clock Tower

Brighton

Speakers from NHS and Council Unions, and campaigners for public services.

Why are large corporations and wealthy individuals able to avoid tax while our services are slashed?

Why do bankers get bonuses while we get wage and benefit cuts?

Why are millions unemployed while employers are allowed to use workfare schemes to avoid taking people on and paying them a decent wage?

Austerity isn't working!

Join the Budget Day protest

Supported by

Brighton Hove and District TUC

Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition

GMB

Unite

Unison

BMA

Brighton Benefits Campaign

In his Budget statement on December 5th, Osborne is announcing more misery for ordinary people. This is in addition to the cuts in benefits already announced and the selling off of the NHS.  Brighton and Hove City Council is facing a deficit of £25 million next year alone.  This will decimate local services and destroy jobs.

NHS Act set to destroy health service

The Coalition has passed an Act that will  -

encourage private health companies to cherry pick the profitable services away from   the NHS

force hospitals to compete with each other, threatening hospital bankruptcy.

allow hospitals fill up to half of all beds with private patients; before there was limit on private patients, but that’s been scrapped. You and your family will go to the back of the queue.

Restrict the range of health services available. Your GP, formerly your health champion will now appear to become a health scrooge. GPs have been conscripted to be the government’s messenger.

 

But, they can stick with the publicly-run services, so tell your GP that you don’t want your health services privatised.

 

More information go to http://www.nhscampaign.org/