10.03.2011

Few blue

Robbie Rix points out that three out of 12,273 readers sent gifts

I see that sections of the media, including those normally opposed to all workers in struggle, have taken up the case of one group threatened with job losses and pay cuts.

In order to save over £1 billion in three years, home secretary Theresa May has demanded that 28,000 police jobs should be axed, including 12,000 uniformed officers. What is more, those that remain could find themselves up to £4,000 a year worse off. Well, if the Tories are going to treat the police exactly the same as other, more useful public services, I suppose someone - by which I mean the entire national press - will have to speak up for them.

As for the rest of the workforce - for the most part rather worse paid than the constabulary - don’t expect much by way of support if like the Police Federation you threaten “war” and even illegal strike action to defend your conditions. However, we at the Weekly Worker will continue not just to champion the rights of workers, but to point to the necessary political fightback and the organisational form it must take. In that respect we are unlike the rest of the left press, which fails to take up our call for the single working class party we need.

Although I suspect there are very few boys in blue among them, our readers and supporters recognise our invaluable role and continue to contribute to our fighting fund - despite many being on the receiving end of cutbacks themselves. Among them this week was comrade DL, who sent us a £20 cheque in appreciation of a couple of recent articles. I also had exactly £100 in standing order donations over the last seven days - thank you, SM, CG, SM (another one!), JS, RK and ST.

Then there were three gifts received via our website, from JS (£30), CM (£10) and EJ (£5) - three out of 12,273 readers, that is. I won’t say it.

We have raised £340 towards our March target of £1,250 with a third of the month gone, so further donations will be gladly received. Even from boys in blue.