Autumn statement: The government ’ s actions must match its rhetoric

Public services are under unprecedented pressure. Eight years on from the financial crisis, they remain starved of resources, with staff under constant pressure to achieve more with less. NHS patients are waiting longer than they should for crucial services. The challenge of social care remains unresolved. Youth centres are closing. The education system faces an exodus of support staff, 30% of community policing jobs have been lost and hundreds of libraries have closed. Services like these are the backbone of the country, and the staff that provide them are the lifeblood of their communities. But all have been hit thanks to the decisions taken by this Tory government. Next week’s autumn statement means we will get to see if Theresa May and Philip Hammond’s rhetoric about doing things differently is borne out by their actions. What is needed is a rescue package for public services. And Philip Hammond can use the autumn statement to begin to show his commitment to public services with a first down payment on that. UNISON is calling for measures including – An end to further public service job cuts Approximately one million jobs have been cut from public services since 2010, despite demand for services increasing. For many, including those caring for some of the most vulnerable in society, the result is fewer workers being expected to do more with less – despite the risk to the quality of services. By reversing the job cuts already announced in previous budgets, the ...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: Blogs General secretary's blog autumn statement Philip Hammond Source Type: news