Salford Against the Cuts: A Damp Squib!

THE Salford Against the Cuts Group which is virtually a mouthpiece of the Socialist Party and a few trade union bureaucrats has completely failed to step up to the plate with regard to organising any sort of effective opposition  to the draconian cuts being imposed by Salfords Labour Council.    With the notable exception of the mental health users group it has organised a lack lustre campaign which has failed to connect with the people of Salford.  At times the organisers seem more concerned with promoting the Socialist Party and its newspaper.   In this context the Socialist Party has backed Trade Union  boss Len McCluskey rather than rank and file candidate Jerry Hicks for Unite General Secretary.   In a broader context the whole trade union movement has failed to offer any effective opposition to  the Coalitions austerity programme.   The Socialist Party has continually called for a 24 hour General Strike together with its front  organisation the National Shop Stewards Network.   Such a demand flies in the face of reality and is just whistling in the dark.  It seems that vanguardist parties will never learn that social movements have to grow from the base up like Occupy and cannot be hierarchically controlled from above.