by Samantha Erin and Robbie Davidson, Tower Hamlets Socialist Party
Dozens and dozens of people packed into to the basement of United Voices of the World HQ to hear from Solace domestic violence advisors. They announced that they are facing 33% workforce cuts.
Many people in Tower Hamlets in east London will be left without a vital support service for survivors. This brutal attack comes in one of the most deprived areas of the UK, which faces the second highest rate of domestic violence.
While the council and Solace CEO point their blame at each other, we know this is another step in the warpath of accepting Tory, now Labour, austerity.
Tower Hamlets council is run by the independent Aspire party. They were elected because local people were sick of Labour and Tory austerity.
Photo: East London SP
They have introduced popular policies — a form of Winter Fuel Allowance, cut by Labour; EMA grants for poorer college students, cut by the Tories; and extended free school meals to all students up to age 16.
But unless the Aspire council mobilises the local community and trades unions — in a mass campaign to demand the money from the Labour government to fully fund services — then the council will be cutting vital services, like domestic violence advisors.
The workers are not taking this lying down. Crowds of people showed up from different branches of Solace, other domestic violence charities, and support workers.
All showed their solidarity, putting together a fighting plan to protect our jobs and services. The Socialist Party is now working with the campaign to pressure the council to provide the finances that Solace needs.
Read more – ‘Tower Hamlets Aspire: voters reject Labour cuts’
Tower Hamlets Socialist Party public meeting
- Fight back against council cuts
- 11 February 2025, 7pm, United Voices of the World, Cambridge Heath Road