SIPTU react angrily to Tory arrogance

national | worker & community struggles and protests | press release Tuesday November 30, 2010 15:16 by PRO - SIPTU

SIPTU Organiser Teri Cregan has reacted angrily to the Secretary of State Owen Paterson's recent assertion that there would be 'no negotiation' on the £4bn of cuts facing the north.

He made the remarks while giving a speech at a Co-operation Ireland dinner in Belfast on Thursday evening, stating.

"A settlement is precisely that - a settlement. It is not the opening round of a negotiation... Northern Ireland is now the only part of the United Kingdom that hasn't set a budget following the spending review settlement. That cannot go on."

Ms Cregan branded the statement as "Tory arrogance in the extreme."

Detached Millionaire Tory Cabinet

She continued,

"An agreement is an agreement and the British government simply cannot renege on their commitments at St Andrews. We will not be pressurised into accepting the unacceptable, we will not buy the false argument that 'there is no alternative.' Thousands of people came together at Belfast City Hall in September and October making a clear stand against cuts and endorsing the Trade Union's clear and coherent alternative to the extremely punitive cuts which the Tory government are trying to force on the Assembly."

"The Tory millionaire cabinet are completely detached from reality if they think that people will just roll over and accept these disastrous cuts, we do have an alternative and the Trade Unions have presented a clear and grounded plan for economic recovery that does not involve harsh cuts which target those most in need."

"There is a better fairer way, and SIPTU will play a key role in the wider campaign and movement against Tory imposed cuts."