Nerve 22 - Editorial

Nerve 22 Editorial - This government is getting away with murder!

'Murder: to kill with a premeditative motive' Oxford English Dictionary

It seems that every day we get more horror stories from this government. In January we heard that 3,500 people have died since Atos declared them "fit for work", according to the government's own figures, reported in The Guardian.* Is there any doubt that when the government drew up their plans to force the sick and disabled off benefit, the result would be misery and death for thousands? Atos, who say that they strictly follow government guidelines, and work closely with the Department of Work and Pensions, are only the executioners. It's the government who passed the sentence.

One example from Liverpool is that of a man thrown off sickness benefit, despite suffering from chronic pulmonary disease, who died six weeks later, on Christmas Day.

Cases of the sick and disabled being driven to suicide have been documented by Labour MPs. What's their answer to the baying hounds of the Daily Mail, who demand cuts and demonise people in need? Ed Balls, the shadow chancellor, has proposed "compulsory work, or lose benefit", meaning lower pay and worse conditions!

But what of alternatives? We know that cuts in public services are being made when there is money around to pay for, and improve our welfare state. We could get rid of Trident and end the war on Afghanistan (and not get involved in another in Mali). We could turn over the arms industry to producing 'Green' jobs. We could tax the rich and make the bankers pay.

We also know that these alternatives are not going to happen because the cuts are part of a deliberate campaign by the representatives of the capitalist class to drive workers' conditions down to early industrial times so they can compete with the virtual slave labour of countries such as Bangladesh. The right are 'going for it' this time and they don't care if people die, as shown by their refusal to stop scandals by such as Atos.

The government expects a reaction to these cuts, in fact they welcome it. They spend millions on 'Think Tanks' and surveys, advisors and committees. They have specialists who produce 'projections' of the likely outcomes for anything they propose. They are ready for the reaction. They want to make examples of workers as Thatcher did with the miners.

We must resist the cuts, but at the same time prepare for a real alternative system; our own networks of support and co-operation. If we want a change we have to do it ourselves. Waiting for something to happen, or for someone else to do it for us is not an option. This road only leads to chaos and poverty.

Amongst the people you will meet in this issue who are co-operating to make a better life and environment are: 'Incredible Edible' Todmorden, transforming a town of post industrial decay into spaces full of fruit and veg, free for all to help themselves; Squash Nutrition and the Anfield Bakery, who while bringing locally produced food back to their areas, are building a community spirit of resistance; Granby Four Streets, who continue to stave off demolition and support a thriving market; and, of course, News from Nowhere, a real alternative hub. All these and more are examples of how to collaborate within capitalism and give us hope for a better future.

In the Next issue of Nerve we will be looking at living spaces: homes, streets, ecosystems, energy etc. Articles welcome.

*The Guardian, 18.1.13

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