Impact of the UK Cuts: Hitting the Poorest Places Hardest

As the benefit caps begin to be implemented in London, we want to share with you this important new report by researchers at Sheffield Hallam University. It documents how the financial impact of the UK government’s cuts will vary widely across the country, hitting Britain’s poorest places the hardest, and allowing more affluent areas “to escape relatively lightly”.

Hitting the Poorest Places Hardest:

The Local and National Impact of Welfare Reform

by Christina Beatty and Steve Fothergill,

Sheffield Hallam University, April 2013

The findings of the report illustrate class warfare in action – how neoliberal policies for economic “recovery” put the burden of “austerity” on the backs of the poorest and most vulnerable. So although Margaret Thatcher will be buried tomorrow at a cost of £10M to the UK taxpayer, her oppressive classist ideology can be seen to live on in the policies of the current government.

No to Welfare Reform! Stop the Cuts!

Get involved: UK Uncut

International Women’s Day 2013 – Feminist Activist Vandana Shiva on Democracy Now!

Vandana Shiva on International Women’s Day: “Capitalist Patriarchy Has Aggravated Violence Against Women” [Democracy Now!]

“The liberation of the earth, the liberation of women, the liberation of all humanity is the next step of freedom we need to work for, and it’s the next step of peace that we need to create.” – Vandana Shiva

Resistance News Round-Up: Strikes, Gaza, Savita, Malala

It’s no surprise that these are turbulent times we are living in, but they are particularly so today. While a general strike and public protests sweep southern Europe in response to neoliberal “austerity” in this time of economic crisis, Israel has launched a fresh attack on the Gaza strip, killing and injuring civilians, a woman has died in Ireland after being denied an abortion due to religious reasons, and last month a teenage girl activist in Pakistan was shot in the head as a response to her campaigning for girls’ education.

We commend those who are taking collective action to protest being forced into more dire economic conditions due to austerity, taking on both the police and the state in hopes of ensuring a better future. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinians who are suffering yet another grave injustice at the hands of the IDF. We honor the deceased and keep the injured in our thoughts.

We are grateful for the survival of 14-year old Malala Yousafzai and support her courageous work to ensure girls in a misogynist society have access to education, and are overjoyed to hear of the passing of Pakistan’s Universal Education Bill, undoubtedly spurred by international attention on Malala. Yet at the same time, we mourn the loss of Savita Halappanavar, who died unnecessarily due to an archaic law and sexist medical and religious culture that refused her requests for a termination. Along with many other feminist activists, in her honor, we will continue to work for the rights of all women to authority over our own bodies and lives.

Many are resisting. In addition to the millions on strike, Spanish and Portuguese demonstrators are blocking roads and clashing with police, vigils have been held in Ireland and London to remember Savita and call for legalized abortion in Ireland, and a list of emergency global actions for Gaza to happen in the next few days is currently being compiled. Support actions in your area or add to it if you are able to help organize one.

For more detailed coverage on these topics, see the below articles and video compiled from media that we consider as reputable as possible. Underneath the headlines you will find the hashtags to follow on Twitter for more info and breaking updates.

EUROPEAN GENERAL STRIKE

(#14N #N14 #14NalaCalle #huelgaGeneral #14nRiseUp)

General Strike Sweeps Europe as Millions Reject Austerity as Solution to Economic Crisis [Democracy Now!]

Anti-austerity strikes sweep southern Europe [Reuters]

GAZA UNDER ATTACK

(#Gaza #GazaUnderAttack)

Israel launches fresh strikes on Gaza [Al-Jazeera]

Emergency Global Actions for Gaza (being updated and compiled by @southsouth and @riverdryfilm)

DEATH OF SAVITA HALAPPANAVAR

(#Savita)

Scandal in Ireland as woman dies in Galway ‘after being denied abortion’ [Guardian]

Vigils and protests over Savita held [Irish Times]

Vigil held at Irish embassy in London to protest over ‘denied abortion’ death [Guardian]

MALALA YOUSAFZAI SURVIVES SHOOTING, PAKISTAN PASSES BILL OF RIGHTS FOR GIRLS’ EDUCATION

(#Malala)

Thousands call for Nobel peace prize for Malala Yousafzai [Guardian]

Has Malala’s dream for girls’ education come true? [Avaaz]

Malala Fund started for girls’ education

Cross Post – Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts Reports Back from @OccupyNotts

Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts expresses its support for the members of the 99% who are now more than a month in occupation of Nottingham’s Market Square. The dedicated and dynamic group of individuals are voicing their dissent to political corruption, state and police violence and corporate greed by creating and maintaining a communal space in which everyone is welcome as long as they respect camp guidelines. They employ the Occupy Movement’s General Assembly model for consensus-based decision-making twice daily, and with a tidy tent camp and communal area with kitchen, tea/coffee corner, tech/chill room, patio table, fire extinguisher point and central oil drum for a nightly fire, are effectively demonstrating an alternative, eco-conscious community-oriented use of public space. The information table at the camp entrance is open from 8AM-8PM daily, with participants engaging in dialogue with members of the public about their reasons for occupation and exchanging information from NSAFC, Notts Uncut, Notts SOS and other local organizations in solidarity with the liberation movement around the world.

Like many other camps around the UK, the camp has been experiencing problems with fascist organizations like the EDL threatening camps at night. Occupy Notts requests support in the form of more bodies at the camps overnight to prevent this kind of trouble. Along with them, we ask members of the local and student community to volunteer to visit the camp and especially to stay overnight or during an early morning shift; it would be greatly appreciated.

Tonight, in the 36th day of Occupation, campers and city residents held a candlelight vigil in solidarity with Egyptian civilians in Tahrir Square who were attacked by and are currently engaged in a tense standoff with Egyptian armed forces. In doing so, they stood with people from all major cities in Egypt and other cities around the world against the violent repression being enacted on peaceful protestors from Oakland, Berkeley and Davis, California, to Atlanta, to New York, to Cairo.

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During the vigil, campers shared their reflections: an American student noted that it is the US funding the Egyptian army and mentioned the familiar neo-colonial theme of the military vs. the people, while other campers spoke of the Spanish acampada movement and the more than 3,500 people who have been killed under the repressive regime in Syria. The group rallied around the reminder that it was the courageous and powerful actions of the people of Tunisia, Syria, Egypt, Libya and the events of the Arab Spring which inspired the Occupy Movement sweeping the globe, while their own stories continue to unfold, outcomes yet to be known.