Friday 25 May 2012

Wow!!! In Days Over 500 Sign up to Suppport Radical Alternative

Within days of publishing the "Radical Alternative to Austerity" on my blog and twitter, over 500 people from all walks of life have emailed me to put their name in support of the statement.

The names have been coming in so thick and fast that I can't keep up with them.

There has been no publicity in any of the main stream media and yet by using the new media, twitter and simply word of mouth many, many people have become aware of the statement and it has been widely circulated and commented upon.

Thanks to everyone who has supported the statement and please keep circulating it.

John

Here are some of the signatories:

Name


Claire Wadey

Chris Sharp

Elizabeth Donnelly

Madhu Karia

Gemma Grubb

Jim Terry

George Gallaccio

Margaret Howard

Nick Heffernan

Robert Donald

Phil Butler

Dr Chris Shaw

Neil Howard

Eddie Dougall

Nigel Filer

Irene Green

joel lazarus

Dave Postles

Derek Kotz

James O'Nions

Annette Pearson

Dr Liza Griffin

Shelagh Simmons

Vivien Giladi

Norma Machen

Guy Williams

Douglas Coker

John Illingworth

Joy Green

Russell Bradshaw

Robin McAlpine

Finn Raven

Thomas Butler

Robin Jackson

Chris Drew

Alan Milne

Brendan Casey

Sarah Thornton

Matthew Kolakowski

Jane Booker

Pauline Worsnop

Brandon High

Robert Evans

Alex Bennett

John Stott

Andy Danford

Ian Williams

Angie Birtill

Deborah King

Michael Cullen

John Airs

Donald Simpson

Heather Wetzel

Anne Schuman

David Robertson

Eleanor Firman

Dave Wetzel

Bill Roberts

Morag Carmichael

Joe Gibbins

JOHN DREWERY

Prof. J. F. Dolecki

Jacqueline Noltingk

Richard Jones

Carol Wilcox

Alan Dent

Rachel Hardy

Christopher McQuiggin

Caroline Raine

Deborah Jones

Simon Streatfeild

John Barrowdale

Jon Woods

Helen Woodall

Daniel Sartin

Peter McDonald

Geoff Mason

Patricia Walker

Eileen Lewis

Andrew Duncan



Lucy Luton

Paul Morris

Richard Shrubb

Anne Edmonds

Mike Rowley

Mike Shaw

Dr John Bone

Glyn Tudor

Barry Ewart

sandy Vine

Michael Bradley

Stephen Thomas

Ian Manborde

James Doran

Andreas Bieler

Kate Ness

Tracy Harman

Gabriella Alberti

Jeffrey Boss

Nick Creaby-Attwood

Dave Spooner

Pilgrim Tucker

Alan Tuckman

Carol Stephenson

Philip Thomas

Richard Ross

Dr. Hazel Conley

Dr Peter Dwyer

Richard James

Professor Chris Knight

John Lipetz

Joan Watkins

Michael Cronogue

Michael Milton

Colin Adams

elizabeth charles

Tamara Carlson

Pragna Patel

Tanya Trappitt

Jenny McGhie

jay ginn

Felicity McDevitt

Paul Birkett

Denis Lenihan

John Hendy

David Morgan

Jennifer Hynes

Nigel Fox

Colin Burgess

Peter Brickley

Paul Nicolson

Bill Bowring

Richard Solly

Vin West

Ann Marie Wareham

Kay Murphy

Norman Wright

Catherine Tanner

Chris Benner

Nicola Nixon

GABRIEL PEPPER

Janet Ubido

Malcolm Wallace

Elaine Waldron

Aidrianne Sebastian-Scott

Eleanor Firman

Alan Milne,

Gaynor Underhill

julie McLaren

Patrick Lynch

Richard Kelham

Sid Baility

Julia Cameron

Pete McLaren

Thomas Butler

Linda Burnip

Nicola Field

Bill Wells

Jill Goble

Stephen Fawcus

Mark Morton

Jon Tiley

Gill Kennett

Brian Dooley

Cllr. Kevin Bennett

Jean Cozens

Rod Nicholl

Jackie Hawkins

Martin Fletcher

David Wheeler

Peter Watson

Linda Burnip

A Kennett

John collings

Nikki Osborne

Pam Wortley

Simon Wilkes

Debbie Jolly

Norman Fairclough

Sarah Evans

Steve Revins

ian.nelson

Kath Percival

Romayne Phoenix

Dawn Moulton

Ian Dicks

Bob Ellard

Robin Winfield

Barbara Humphries

Andrew Daggett

mark phoenix

Susan Jones

Jack Preston

Rosemary Sales

Susan Tabb

Steve Price

Joanne Lashmar

Charlotte Bates

Michael Connor

Kathy Hawes

Robbie Davison

john turner

Peter Madden

Jim Mortoza

Phil Rackley

Angie Joel

David Mitchell

Rosemary Bunting

Corinne Bunting

Andrea Campbell

arjan van heuckelum

Keith Louch

Leigh Fielding

Simon Crew

John Taylor

robert beckett

Patrick James Ward

Elspeth Knights

Claire Traynor

Lynn Flaws

Noel Hayes

JAYNE LINNEY

john McGhee

Andy Walker

Brian Caton

Neil Findlay

Jenny Lennox

nicola seyd

Helen Burke

Norrette Moore

Pamela Read

Jo Blick

Sheena McKerrell

Jago Parker

David Nicholson

David Drew

Cathy Watson

David Parkin

Joe Marino

John-Paul Moran

Mavis Cook

Sean Fox

Helen Skinner

Merry

Dave Dash

Morag Cumming

Simon Tyler-Murphy

Andrew Bunting.

Haydn Wheeler

paul barnard

Charles Brown

John Fox

Ann Whitehurst

Rev Hazel Barkham

Ian Massey

Jim Wolfe

Claire Price

Adam Pogonowski



JOHN FLYNN

Ross Allan.

Anne Jarvis

Paul Rooke

Louise Maurice

michelle maher

Richard Barbrook

Dr Michael Marten

Dr. Penny Mead

Diana Basterfield

Mike Black

Charles Holmes

Steve Birkin

Maureen Shram

Dawn Thorpe

Joan Keane

Oliver Jackson

mike lammiman

Terry Daniels

Rhiannon Lockley

Grahame Morris

John Clarke

Dr Brian Simmons

Kim Blake

Bev Skeggs

Jamie Cooper

Robert Thomas

mervyn hyde

simon tyszko

Terry Ryan

Margaret Rawsthorn

Michael Brett

Adrian Hart

Iestyn Evans

Gwen Crawford

Gary Beckwith

Kate Hardy

Mary Lloyd

Tricia Lowther

Lara Pawson

Stewart Smith

Phil Kemp

Neil Wilson

Cliff Babbs

Peter Rothwell

nicholas Ripley

Annette Lenton

Allan challenger

Kate Hardy

Ben Sellers

Rozh Ahmad

Leni Farrer.

Paul McLean

Ade Kennett

Mervyn Wilmington

Rebecca Carmichael

Mark Green

Keith Cain

Tom Senior

Ella Osborne

Harry Cross

Rob Evans

P McCormac

Chris Atkins

Hayley Goldsack

David Jobe

Diane Jones

Karl Thomas

Darren Burdon

John McMahon

Richard Liggins

Ben Sellers

Ian Woodland

Steve Smedley

Lesley Stewart

Tony Stradwick

Jan Jesson

Viv Willis.

Dick Bellringer.

Robyn Evans

Rosalinde Woodroffe

Manuel Cortes

Mark Chivers

Claire Stanbridge

Katy Clark

Don Griffith

Jennie Formby

Owen Green

Phil Roberts

Moira Houghton

Ellis Stacey

Austin Samson

Tobias Farlan

Shaun Williams

Ben Rogan

Pat Machin

John Wadsworth

Stephen Neale

Chris McQuiggin

Karl Robins

Jane Simpson

Danny Thomas

Siobhan Mooney

Joe Baxter

elizabeth REED

david nunn



Nerina Onion

Dave Ball

Josh Porter

Kevin Byers

John McKendrick

Claudia Roland

Anthony Binder

Sue Smith

matt charlton

Fiona Lawrence

Evelyn Mooney

Paul Mather

Ronnie Draper

Christopher Roscoe

Tony Dowling

Ian Hodson

Rigil Kent

Padiham Lancs

Michael and Eve Pritchard

Chris Mears

Liam McShane

Jonathan Maher

Steve Walker

Dorothy Ann Moore

Ron Mackie

Rachel Gordon-Smith

Sue & Peter Brock

John Webber

Robert Moore

David Simon Banbery

Sarandip Singh Batt AiDA

Kirsty Laws

Neil Holden

James Connell

Martin Fisher

James West

Maev McDaid

Sarah Krys

Ian Gilbert

Yvonne Parmenter

Sara Fitzgerald

Deb Hall

Charley Stone

Peter Greeves

Andrew Fisher

Will Rhodes

Rachel Hardy

Neil Young

Lindsay Rutland

Lynton North

Graham Burnby-Crouch

Mr Lynn Davies

James Heath

Jennifer Doveton

Neil McKenna

Janet Mobbs

Daniel Nichols

Colin Finch

Mary Stuart

David Evans

Paul Rutland

Dave Shaw

Christopher Larkin

Tom Walker

Paula Gouldbourn

John Sweeney

Lesley Doveton

Stephen Calder

Beth Aze

Paul Stygal

Paul McCrystal

Mick Tosh

Chris Carree

Alan Smith

Sheryl Odlum

Anya-Nicola Darr

Deborah King

Paul Flynn

Simon Hartley

Steve Budden

Nick James

Lee Moon

Don Urquhart

Trevor Langworth

Amy Williams

Louise Gibbard

Carolina Preo

Rob Morgan

Sandra Easton-Lawrence

Tony Martin

Julie Matthews

Rod Dixon

Suzy Fanklin

Danny Aldington

Andy Boylan

Ann Cattrall

Eileen Short

Robin Hanford

Alex McFadden

Paul Mackney

Paul Donovan

Stephen Cawkwell

Steve Gillan

Peter Tatchell

Christine Cooper

Mike Phipps

JUDITH ATKINSON

derek wall

Greg Philo

LIZZIE WOODS

Prem Sikka

ZITA HOLBOURNE

Gall Gregor

Sarah Evans

Hilda Palmer

Gordon Nardell

Rachael Payne

Andrew Fisher

Kathy Allen.

Lynn Evans

John Diamond

Linda Wright

Meg Taylor

Murad Banaji

Danny Speight

Jeremy Hawthorn

Anthea Hardy

Anne Barry

Dave Hookes

Derek Kotz

Bernard Weston

Anton van der Merwe

Jeremy Corbyn

Friday 18 May 2012

The Radical Alternative to Austerity

Cameron and Osborne have repeated again throughout this week that there is no alternative to their failing austerity programme.
I feel that there needs to be a clear statement from the Left that there is an alternative to austerity and it goes beyond just cutting less deep and less fast.

I have set out below a brief statement of what that alternative could contain.

It is not meant as a definitive statement but at least a broad depiction of what a radical alternative would comprise.

I am asking people to consider putting their name to it so that we can continue to circulate it to the movement.

Please let me know if you are willing to put your name to the statement by emailing me on mcdonnellj@parliament.uk.

You can help greatly by circulating the statement as well and putting it up on your website or blog or tweeting it. 

Thanks

John


The Radical Alternative to Austerity.  

The austerity programme of the Coalition government is not just failing; it is prolonging and deepening the recession. Cuts in investment in public services, in jobs, wages, pensions and benefits are creating mass unemployment and mounting hardship.

Austerity is creating a spiral of economic decline as cuts produce high levels of unemployment which in turn reduces tax income and prompts another round of cuts and job losses.

The Government’s austerity measures are also unfair as the only people the Government seems intent on protecting from the recession are the rich.

There is an alternative to austerity.

There is no lack of wealth and resources in our country that we can draw upon to tackle this recession. The problem is that this wealth and these resources are held in the hands of too few people and are not being used productively to create the growth and jobs we need.

If we can release these resources, we can overcome the current recession and start to build a prosperous future for our country, linking with others across Europe and the United States to overcome this global economic gridlock.

Releasing the resources within our own country is not difficult.

It simply requires the introduction of a limited range of redistributive measures which will raise the funds we need from those most able to pay and who have profited most out of the boom years.

This redistribution can be achieved through;

a wealth tax on the richest 10%,

a Robin Hood tax on financial transactions,

a Land Value tax,

the restoration of progressive income tax of 60% on incomes above £100,000

and a clamp down on the tax evasion and avoidance that is costing us £95 billion a year.

Investing the resources released can halt the spiral of decline.

With unemployment rising month by month we urgently need to get people back to work and earning a decent living.

We can do this by investing the resources we have released through taxation in modernising our economy, its infrastructure and our public services to meet the needs of our community.

Instead of cutting and privatising our health, education and local services, this means:

Investing in a mass public housing building and renovation programme, in universal childcare, in the modernisation of our public services, in the NHS, in creating a national Caring Service, in our schools and colleges, in our transport infrastructure and in the extension of broadband.

Investing in alternative energy, combined heat and power and insulation to both tackle climate change and create one million climate change jobs.

Establishing a national investment bank with the resources levied from the banks so that there is no shortage of funds to lend for manufacturing growth and research and development.

To be successful the recovery programme has to be fair.

We will need the support of a significant majority of our people if we are to drive through this type of radical regeneration and redistribution programme.

To gain this level of support means the Radical Alternative must be seen to be fair. This means addressing many of the inequalities of our current system.

For those at the top it means ending the bonuses and limiting high salaries to no more than 20 times the lowest paid in any company or organisation.

For all others it means replacing the minimum wage with a living wage and a living pension and living welfare benefits, reducing the working week to 35 hours, closing the gender pay gap, controlling rents and energy prices, and restoring rights at work.

For young people it means a guaranteed job, apprenticeship, training or college place for every young person with the burden of fees abolished.

There is no shortage of resources to implement this programme of reform.

The problem is the distribution of these resources.

The Radical Alternative simply releases the resources we have to regain control of our economy and invest in our future.

Never again can we let them say that there is no alternative.