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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Best T shirt of the day. Thanks for the photo! #antiausterity

Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Zoe Garbutt summarising what we’ve achieved today. But on organising going forward, I don’t agree with setting up lots of local groups, as suggested. We don’t have the capacity at local level. We need a national programme. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Final comment from Mandu - overturning austerity is better for everyone. Which it is. We must mobilise together to make this happen.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Southwark Council Leader James McAsh talks about spending his whole adult life with austerity. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Mandu Reid, former leader of the Women’s Equality Party, talking about the importance of storytelling in creating change. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Jordan Rivera of UNISON says that health services need to increase dramatically to meet the needs of our people. We don’t have to accept austerity.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Cllr Michael Chessum says we are at a unique moment with a progressive prime minister and councillors across political divides working together to oppose austerity.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Some options for councils now.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

What about Stakeholder banking? There are working examples #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

‘Balance the economy, not the books’ says Simon. Use public money to build national and local resilience so we don’t depend on imports for essentials like food and energy.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Government spending less will not help the budget. It will make us poorer - both households and businesses.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

There is no need to balance the budget at national level, says Simon.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

We are the 6th richest country in the world. And the government can’t run out of money. It is not ‘funded through taxation or borrowing’. How we spend it is a political decision.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

The myth that ‘there is no money’ has existed since Thatcher, said ‘there is no such thing as public money, there is only Taxpayers money’. But it is still a myth, says Simon Ripton.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Concern expressed about AI taking away entry level jobs for young people.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

How we measure wealth and success needs to change says an audience member.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Ruth of Care Full says councils can do a lot of these things and this needs to be more ambitious.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Ask No.5: Public Sector reforms - from increasing powers to local councils, ending outsourcing and privatisation practices, introducing new models of work such as a 4 day working week, improvements to public sector pay and conditions.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Basically we should be able to tax the rich, says an audience member.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Apparently Andy Burnham has also spoken about a local income tax, which the audience here likes.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Ask No.4 - New, fairer ways to raise money Reform Council Tax and introduce new ways to raise funds that ensures wealthier property owners pay a fairer share. A few builds on this from the audience, especially focus on wealthy landowners hoarding property and maybe just ‘local tax’ #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Ask No.3 - more funding for more homes. Audience members asking for this to be changed to ‘council homes’ - round of applause. Need to also add ‘sustainable’ homes too. And commit to maintenance, stop the right to buy and end developer-led building. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Ask No. 2 is cancelling local authority debt - ‘it is made up on a computer and can be written off’ #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Ask No.1 - more government funding with LG settlements back to pre-2010 levels and guaranteed funding for statutory and non-statutory services. This should be based on need with structural changes as needed to meet needs.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

This is what we want at the #antiausterity summit, according to the delegate survey. Pretty simple, really!

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

‘The fight against the far right is the fight of our lifetime’ says Kebede. Round of applause. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

My old colleague Stacy Hart asks a good question about cross party collaboration and David says the LibDems have long worked with the Greens. I’ve always worked across party lines in our council to deliver for our residents.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

A cleaner from Southwark Council asks the panel about outsourcing her job to private companies. Zita replies that as soon as something is outsourced it drives down wages and workers rights. It becomes about profit not people. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I am not sure about this. Opposing defence spending is easy to do in opposition. But with the recent victory of the far-right AfD in Germany, Putin calling Britain an enemy and Trump going rogue, what should our government do? Surely keeping us safe is its top responsibility?

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Kebede says we should not be investing more in defence. Why more weapons of destruction when we need SEND services. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

We need a tax on wealth and a levy on the banks, says Daniel Kebede. The banks are back to making record profits while communities are struggling. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Why can’t we have rent controls, caps on utilities, adult social care support? Relatively small investment across a number of areas would have an immediate impact on poverty. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Zita Holbourne listing the services that austerity took away. Libraries, community centres, early years, family support, SEND services and more. Not forgetting the cuts to arts and culture and the vital role they play in wellbeing. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Cllr David Watson welcomes the prime minister’s promise to work cross-party and say we must move away from the idea that austerity is inevitable. If we want strong communities we need strong, funded local government. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Caroline Russell summarises the need for an intersectional approach, that involves the whole community, to tackle the effects of austerity. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Zita says yes we must work together and form an anti-austerity coalition, but must always oppose racism and prejudice. There is no hierarchy of rights when it comes to equality, but there are different impacts, and intersectionality is real too.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Important to work together, says Paul Williams. Recognise that some people who have been affected by austerity may be voting Reform. We mustn’t write people off, but must work together.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Apparently Boris Johnson did more for schools than Kier Starmer. And the current government is only partially funding the teachers pay award.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Paul Williams of ACORN describes how the poverty created by austerity has impacted the morale of society as a whole, creating the lack of trust in the system that leads to polarisation and the rise of the far right. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Education spending in England has gone from 5.5% of GDP to 3.4%, way below the OECD target of 5%, says Daniel Kebede of the NEU. This is having an serious impact on children’s education #antiausterity.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

David Watson, LibDem at Southwark Council describes the collaborative cross party partnership that runs their council to a round of applause, and goes on to stress the ongoing impact of austerity on council funds.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Zita Holbourne of Black Activists Rising Against Cuts described the devastating impact of austerity on black and brown people but also other disadvantaged groups like women and the disabled. #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Panel discussion at #antiausterity summit with Caroline Russell (G), London Assembly, Zita Holbourne - BARAC, Daniel Kebede - NEU, Cllr David Watson - Southwark, and Paul Williams of ACORN.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Simon Ripton points out that the economy is a social construct and the ‘fiscal rules’ can be changed if needed to benefit the country. #antiausterity #equality

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Cllr Simon Ripton of Derbyshire Dales talking about the economics of local govt funding. Even if funding returns to pre-08 levels we still have a problem

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Dawn Carter-McDonald, Chief Exec at Hackney, talking about the pressures local government is facing #antiausterity

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

At the Anti Austerity Conference in Hackney. Zoe Garbutt, Green Mayor of Hackney is opening.

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

@christinecrafter.bsky.social Lovely to meet you at the Fawcett Conference! Hope you got what you wanted from the rest of the day?

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Kay Wesley @kaywesley.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

In the discussion of Misogyny in Public life, I pointed out that there is one new political force that is not right-wing and misogynistic, doesn’t subscribe to combat politics and indeed has a majority of women. Join the Equality Party here: www.equalityparty.org.uk

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