Distributed free to 15,000 homes
ELECTION SPECIAL
THEY’RE
ALL IN IT
TOGETHER
The three main parties all support the same basic policies on May 3: CUTS IN PUBLIC SERVICES: The last Labour government planned £130 billion spending cuts. The Tory-LibDem coalition has added an extra £83 billion. MASSIVE JOB LOSSES: Unemployment in Wales and Britain is heading for 3 million, including 1 million young people. CUTS IN BENEFITS: Pensioners, single parents and the disabled have been hit, as well as the unemployed. NO CONTROLS ON PRICES: While the gas, electricity, oil and supermarket monopolies make record profits. TAX CUTS FOR BIG BUSINESS: The Labour and Tory-LibDem governments have cut corporation tax far below the USA, France, Germany and Japan. WASTING LIVES AND MONEY ON WAR: The three main British parties support the war in Afghanistan and more nuclear weapons for Britain.
DO THEY SPEAK FOR YOU?
No.7 Spring 2012
FIGHT THE CUTS! TAX THE RICH! Only the Communist Party puts workers, pensioners, the unemployed, single parents and the disabled FIRST. Ahead of big business profits, the rich, privatisation and war. That is why we OPPOSE all cuts in public spending, services, jobs, pensions and benefits. Britain is one of the richest countries in the world. But one-tenth of the population own more than half that wealth. A Wealth Tax on the super-rich would fund all the investment we need in public services, industry, housing, public transport and the environment. WE CAN AFFORD FIRST -CLASS PUBLIC SERVICES, PENSIONS AND BENEFITS by fair taxes on the rich and big business profits.
Vote Communist on May 3 INSIDE: Campaign against Incinerator p2
Your communist candidates p3
Workers’ news p4
No to Cuts! Tax the Rich! GUILTY! Cardiff Council 'maladministration' The Ombudsman for He also found that: Public Services in Wales 'A number of has found Cardiff's individuals ... given LibDem-Plaid Cymru where they lived, council guilty of suffered an injustice 'maladministration' for through not being failing to consult local adequately consulted'. residents over the the proposed Trident Park These individuals live in the Galleon Way incinerator. complex of high-rise After submissions from flats, which overlook the the Cardiff Against The incinerator site at Incinerator (CATI) Trident Park. campaign, the Ombudsman has issued NONE of the hundreds of residents there have his verdict that: ever been informed by 'Given the nature, ANYONE about the significance and siting of giant polluting chimney the proposed planned just a few development, the hundred yards away. consultation exercise fell Most nearby businesses short of what could reasonably be expected have never been of it, which amounted to consulted, either. maladministration on Cardiff Council are now the part of the Council'. writing to three
TORIES AND PLAID VANISH! No attacks by the LibDems on their Tory and Plaid Cymru bedmates in this election. Any attacks have vanished from LibDem liesheets, just like the LibDemTory spending cuts of £40 billion this year, tax cuts for the super-rich and big business, benefit cuts for the disabled and single parents, cuts in Cardiff services etc. Have the LibDems no shame? Is there anyone they won’t get into bed with?
residents represented by CATI, with an apology. But the rest of the Ombudsman's report is a WHITE-WASH. He refuses to act against Cardiff Council, the Environment Agency and others who have REFUSED to consult local people properly. They have all FAILED to answer complaints about the pollution, dirt, smoke and lorry traffic that an incinerator would bring. THEY'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER. VOTERS – don't forget to say sorry when you give these LibDem and Plaid Cymru councillors THE BOOT on May 3!
INCINERATOR NEWS: The Cardiff Council-led consortium plans for incineration are a costly shambles. Two of the four companies have now pulled out. Viridor threaten to go ahead at Trident Park anyway, creating only 35 or so permanent jobs (many filled from outside). The CATI petition against it will be considered by the National Assembly soon. We need our AMs, MPs and local councillors to put people before big business profit – or DIRECT ACTION will be necessary to defend our communities.
STOP PRESS: Work is beginning at Trident Park from the end of April. Come to the CATI meetings, 7 pm every Monday at the Old Illts club, Splott Rd., to find out more.
LIB DEMS OPPOSE 'BETRAYAL' – IT'S LIKE THE MAFIA OPPOSING 'ORGANISED CRIME' You couldn't make it up. The LibDem Focus carries a report under the headlines 'Conned and betrayed – Anger at Labour's u-turn on the cuts and public sector pay'. It complains that voters have been deceived because Labour support the cuts in public services and public sector pay. THESE ARE CUTS THAT THE TORY-LIB DEM COALITION IS CARRYING OUT! The LibDems and Plaid Cymru are carrying them out on Cardiff Council, too. These are the same LibDems who stood in the General Election against Tory plans for extra cuts. THAT'S THE REAL BETRAYAL – OF THE 50,000 PEOPLE IN CARDIFF WHO FELL FOR LIB-DEM LIES AND VOTED FOR THEM.
Vote Communist Communist candidates – local people not careerist politicians Council elections on May 3: Adamsdown, Grangetown, Pentwyn (including Llanedeyrn) and Splott (including Tremorfa and Pengam Green).
campaigner with local community and voluntary bodies. RICK NEWNHAM (Grangetown) lives in Hafod St. and is a youth and community worker and trainer. He is a UCU delegate to the Cardiff Trades Union Council.
STEVE WILLIAMS (Pentwyn) lives in Springwood. He is an exdock worker and shop steward, who FRAN now teaches social policy. Many RAWLINGS Cardiffians will remember his dad, (Adamsdown) former boxing manager Mac lives in Diamond Williams. St. She is a From left, candidates Rob Griffiths, Fran Rawlings, Rick Newnham ROB GRIFFITHS (Splott) lives in former local and Steve Williams in Galleon Way flats, overlooking Cardiff Janet St. He chairs the all-party government incinerator site Cardiff Against the Incinerator worker for The Welsh Communist Party is people with learning disabilities and a (CATI) campaign and is general secretary of the Communist Party. fighting in four wards in the Cardiff UNISON shop steward. Fran is a
SOMEHOW,THEY CAN ALWAYS AFFORD A WAR! Tory, LibDem and Labour politicians all want to follow the USA into another war, this time against Iran or Syria. HAVE THEY LEARNT NOTHING FROM THE DISASTROUS INVASIONS OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN? They all support cuts in public services, wages, pensions and benefits – but there's always enough money for new wars and weapons. FACT: all three parties support a new generation of Nuclear Weapons to replace Trident. The total cost would be almost £100 billion – a sum equal to three years' spending cuts. Welsh Labour prime minister Carwyn Jones would welcome nuclear submarines to Milford Haven if they get thrown out of an independent Scotland. Thanks Carwyn – make us a prime target by hosting USA-controlled nuclear weapons! THEY'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER –
putting American warfare before people's welfare. Only the Communist Party
says: "Bring the troops home", "Scrap nuclear weapons".
BREAKING NEWS!
Labour oppose litter & dog mess Yes, Labour News informs electors that Labour's top pledge in this election is... 'to rid our streets of litter, dog mess and potholes'.
News, there is NOTHING about protecting public sector jobs and services.
No new ideas (except to try to This should set fund a Dog Fouling Labour apart from all Warden). those other Nothing that hasn't candidates that been said a thousand support more litter, times before. dog mess and Nothing about the potholes! dangers of a giant And in the whole 4 incinerator at pages of Labour
Trident Park. No new policies for public transport, housing or the environment. But a 'local business' forum to discuss it all. That should keep them busy ... producing lots of hot air.
No to Cuts! Tax the Rich! Vote Communist CARDIFF UNEMPLOYMENT ROCKETS governments have pledged £1,400 billion to bail out the banks and money markets. THEY'RE ALL THE SAME. Only the Communist Party says: Tax the rich and big
business.
Build more council
dwellings.
Control prices. Take gas, electricity,
the banks and railways into public ownership.
Read Britain’s only left wing daily newspaper. £1 from good local newsagents
COMMUNIST POLICIES FOR CARDIFF 1. More public sector housing at affordable rents. 2. Compulsory take-over of empty office accommodation. 3. An integrated public transport system linking buses, rail and Cardiff-Wales airport. 4. NO TO THE INCINERATOR – use safer, cleaner technology and increase recycling. 5. A council-led drive for jobs and facilities for disabled workers. 6. More funding for domestic violence refuges. 7. Higher council tax rates for top-band properties. 8. No more outsourcing or privatisation of council services. 9. Careful use of council reserves to protect jobs and services. 10. A tight cap on councillors' allowances and expenses. Cardiff's communists support more democracy at street and community level, with real involvement in local projects. Local electors should have the power to sack lazy or corrupt councillors. Representing the capital city of Wales, Cardiff Council should campaign for a Welsh Parliament with full economic and fund-raising powers.
MAY DAY, THE WORKERS' DAY Join this year's march and rally organised by Cardiff TUC on Saturday, May 5. Assemble at Callaghan Square, march at 12.30pm to the rally at the Temple of Peace, Cathays Park. Speakers include Wales TUC president and Unite Wales secretary Andy Richards, Amarjit Singh (Unite Against Fascism), PCS Wales chair Katrine Williams and Communist Party general secretary Rob Griffiths.
The Red Alert editorial team is: Rob Griffiths (editor); Fran Rawlings; Angharad Khan-Raja; Steve Williams; Linda Williams; Rick Newnham Red Alert has been published by Communists in Cardiff since the 1980s. Today, it is distributed free to 15,000 homes in Adamsdown, Grangetown, Llanedeyrn, Pengam Green, Pentwyn, Splott and Tremorfa. To contact Red Alert with news or views, phone Rob Griffiths on 07790 884137 or email redalertcardiff@aol.co.uk If you would like more information about the Communist Party and its policies, contact Cardiff branch secretary Steve Williams on 07910 449435 or visit one of our websites: www.cardiffcommunists.com www.welshcommunists.org www.communist-party.org.uk
Printed by APrint & Design Ltd. Unit 23, Enterprise Business Park, Newport, NP20 2AQ. Published by Rick Newnham, 21 Hafod St., Cardiff CF11 6RB
way above the Cardiff average in the Adamsdown, Grangetown, Pentwyn and Splott wards (which include Llanedeyrn and Tremorfa). Since the last General Adamsdown has the Election, the claimant second highest rate in the count has gone up in our city, while Splott and city from 9,400 to 11,300. Tremorfa are third. The real figure, including those who want work but Instead of investing in public services, are not on JSA, is nearer manufacturing, housing, to 20,000. public transport and The claimant renewable energy, Labour unemployment rates are and Tory-LibDem Thanks to Tory-LibDem policies, unemployment is rising everywhere, and twice as fast in Cardiff as the rest of Wales.