| Middlesbrough to march for an alternative to austerity Tees Valley Public Services Alliance have organised a Middlesbrough 'March for the Alternative' this Saturday (27 April) to draw attention to the effects of austerity in Teesside and the North East, the region hardest hit by government cuts. Marchers will assemble at 11.00am at Albert Memorial Park, then walk down Linthorpe Road and the city centre. A subsequent rally will begin at 12.15 pm at the 'Bottle of Notes' in Central Square. Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough and social housing provider and Bedroom Tax campaigner, Iain Sim will be amongst those speaking at the rally. Far from stimulating private enterprise in the region, government cuts have left the north east with 10.8% unemployment, and a 120% rise in youth unemployment - the highest for 15 years. In Stockton-on-Tees, there are 9 people chasing every vacancy, well above the national average. Child poverty in Middlesbrough is staggering, with Thorntree ward at 61%, the highest in the UK. A further sad indictment of this government's policies and their effect on the northern region is that food banks have now been established in all local authority areas in the Tees Valley. Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough says: 'The Government have got it wrong by decimating the public sector and have run of out of ideas about how to fill the vacuum. This once again shows just how out of touch and disjointed their thinking is. 'Councils in the North of England have been the hardest hit. Middlesbrough Council, for example, is expected to cut over 30% of its budget, losing some £63m and rising over the life of this parliament with more than 1200 job losses. At the same time they are expected to deliver additional responsibilities as the government presses on with its so-called reform of welfare, education and health. 'I don't need to tell public sector workers that the government is forcing another unfair burden on the people of this town and in this region. Yet these draconian measures are not only destroying jobs and livelihoods. I fear it will cost lives as Councils desperately try to find ways to protect the most vulnerable in our society.' Simon Elliott of public sector union PCS and Tees Valley Public Services Alliance said: 'Every day we hear more news about the horrific human cost of government cuts and recession in the North East. At the same time senior economists including the IMF are urging George Osborne to change course or face disaster. We need to show this government that the people of Teesside have had enough.' NOTES TO EDITORS: - Assemble 11.00am at Albert Memorial Park - Rally begins 12.15pm at Bottle of Notes, Central Square, Middlesbrough |