Britain braces for more civil unrests

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/158916.html


The British anti-cuts campaigners, students leaders and union officials as well as hundreds of online activists will meet next week to discuss ways to push forward their agenda.

The meeting on Saturday will focus on connecting local campaigns with anti-tax avoidance groups, student protesters, unions and anti-racism activists in a motion called NetrootsUK conference which has been organized by bloggers and received backing from the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

One of the organizers of the conference is Sunny Hundal, editor of the leftwing Liberal Conspiracy blog.

"There is widespread concern over what the coalition is doing to our economy and in recent months we've seen an enormous buildup of energy from across the country to do something about it. But most of it has been in separate campaigns. What we're trying to do here is bring together veteran campaigners with new movements so we can learn from each other, and use social media to keep on top of what works and what doesn't. It's the first time we have seen anything like this on such a scale", he said.

Clifford Singer, campaign director of the anti-cuts website False Economy, said there were great advances in online activity in the UK in 2010 but that "much of what is going on is still fragmented. To mobilise hundreds of thousands of people behind anti-cuts campaigns in 2011, we're going to need a more coordinated effort, learning good practice in each other's areas and helping the public see the links between issues and the case for the alternative."

The conference on Saturday is being held at TUC headquarters in central London and will host workshops on hyper-local campaigns, new social media tools and how to transform online campaigns into offline action.

Meanwhile, student protesters have announced several dates on which they will resume their fight against the increase in university tuition fees and education cuts in the new year.

On Wednesday, January 29, groups including the Education Activist Network (EAN) will be holding the fourth “Day X” demonstration to defend the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).

On Saturday, January 29, the National Union of Students (NUS) and University and College Union (UCU) will join the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in holding a large-scale rally in Manchester dubbed: "A Future that Works: National Rally for Young People".

The protest is aimed at highlighting issues relevant to young people including access to education, youth unemployment and government plans to scrap EMA.

On Saturday, January 29, the National Campaign against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) and the EAN are organising a demonstration in London to resume their struggle against tuition fees and funding cuts.

On Saturday, March 26, the NUS will join the TUC national demonstration against spending cuts at Hyde Park, central London. Protesters will march from Victoria to Hyde Park before holding a rally to call for a "Robin Hood" tax on the banks, an end to tax loopholes and fresh policies to boost jobs and green growth.