“Labour Assembly Against Austerity” conference announced

Two months ago, Next Generation Labour announced their intention to call a Labour Assembly Against Austerity – today it has been announced that this will take place in November. In an email this afternoon announcing the conference, Next Generation Labour argue:

On the party’s right a powerful campaign, backed by the Tory media, is calling for the continuation of austerity policies. The Leadership is being pressed to ditch commitments to universal benefits and pension rights and to sign up to more years of public service cuts. Such policies cannot solve the crisis and if implemented would be deeply unpopular. More than ever the case for an alternative now needs to be made within the Labour Party. The Labour Assembly Against Austerity will provide a forum for developing that campaign.

The themes of the conference have been announced as:

• Opposing austerity, defending public services and the welfare state
• No scapegoating – immigrants and claimants are not to blame
• Keep the party Labour and defend the trade union link
• Labour’s alternative to austerity – policies to win in 2015

The keynote speakers for the November 9th conference include Ken Livingstone, Owen Jones and Shadow Public Health Minister Diane Abbott MP, in what appears to be a clear indication from the Labour left that they will not accept the party signing up to Tory spending limits quietly.