Fair pensions are worth fighting for

Great piece from Caroline on the protests and strikes today. I spoke at the Maidstone rally which should be on TV later. This was message to the workers who are taking a stand against the ideologically inspired cuts:

"I am proud to stand alongside workers protesting at the immoral and unjust cuts to their pensions, jobs and livelihoods. Cameron, Clegg, Osbourne and Cable should be ashamed at their actions that are simply being taken to protect their rich friends at the expense of ordinary workers.

"They claim that the country is broke, but they are letting super rich individuals and large corporations get away with tax evasion estimated to be around £100bn. Why should workers face pension cuts and job losses, and why should ordinary people face cuts to services just so the rich can feather their beds? Stealing from the poor to give to the rich is obscene.

"The government seems wedded to an ideology that is not based on fact. The country has proportionally less debt now that it had through half of the last century. The public sector is affordable, their pensions are affordable and while we regret the disruption the action is causing, these are worth fighting for.

"Teachers are being asked to work longer, pay 50% more for their pensions and get less when they retire, yet the government's respose is to ask parents to volunteer and to let negotiations fail. Action is clearly necessary.