How Labour councillors and left activists can resolve increasing clashes

In recent days, there has been some comradely discussion between lefties about what local councils, and specifically Labour councillors, should do in response to the cuts.

Leftie activists make helpful and informed points such as “on a point of principle, Labour councillors should resign rather than make any cuts and if you don’t agree then you are a sell out”.

Labour councillors make inclusive and coalition building points such as “you don’t know what you are talking about and I know better than you about why these cuts have to happen and aren’t my fault”.
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Nick Clegg is transforming into an arrogant Tony Blair

Nick Clegg appears to be descending into a world of fantasy and illusion.

Last week he delivered a seriously confused lecture on how raising university fees and slashing higher education budgets – as well as abolishing the Education Maintenance Allowance – will boost social mobility.

He also had the audacity to suggest that opponents to the Browne review haven’t understood it, because if they did they’d know supporting Browne’s proposals is unquestionably right.
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Zero Carbon Britain march this Saturday

The failure of the international Talks in Copenhagen doesn’t mean the threat of catastrophic Climate Change has got any less grave or less urgent.

Don’t let politicians think last year’s big climate demo was just a ‘one-off wonder’.

Part of a Global Day of Action on climate, on Saturday 4th December, there will be a massive march in central London, midway through the UN Climate Talks in Cancún, Mexico.

Timetable:
10.30 am Protest Bike ride assembles at Lincoln’s Inn Fields – to join the main protest at Hyde Park later. See here for further details and route map.

11.00 am Climate Service at the Church of the Annunciation, Bryanston Street, W1H 7AH organised by Christian Ecology Link, see here.

12.00 noon Assemble on North Carriage Drive (just west of Speaker’s Corner), Hyde Park (Marble Arch tube)

12.00 – 1.00 pm Help us spell out a message for Zero Carbon by 2030 – with hundreds of people in a photo taken from above in Hyde Park. Get there by 12 noon prompt to ensure your place in the photo and to give us time to get the best photo!

Zero Carbon March to Parliament – via Park Lane, Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly, Piccadilly Circus, Lower Regent Street, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall.

2.30 pm: Climate Emergency Rally outside Parliament. Speakers to include John McDonnell MP (Labour), Caroline Lucas MP (leader, Green Party), Michael Meacher MP (Labour), Paul Allen (External Relations Director, Centre for Alternative Technology, zerocarbonBritain2030 report), Tony Kearns (CWU), Maria Souviron (Bolivian ambassador), Deborah Doane (Director, World Development Movement), Andy Atkins (Director, Friends of the Earth) and Ben Brangwyn (co-founder Transition Towns), John Stewart (chair, AirportWatch).

From the website – http://www.campaigncc.org

Watch: police punch students at demo

This video clip was sent to us by reader @ThinkTyler. (see update 2 below)

Reader says it was taken at the student protests yesterday. It clearly shows a policeman punching a student at the fracas yesterday.

Over at The Third Estate, they point out that the police have gone back to covering up their identification numbers.

Update: Video replaced by one that has the same incident slowed down

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Update 1: Looks like the incident was also caught from the side by the UCL occupation crew.

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Update 2: Reader Gareth points us to another video of the same incident. This is more clear – shows the policeman clearly going on a student punching rampage and lashing out against anyone. His identification number is also clearly marked.