The People’s Assembly was not the anti-Labour event some have claimed

Standing out at the People’s Assembly was the energy of new community campaigners opposing the impact of austerity on living standards and public services.

From local hospital supporters, to anti-bedroom tax campaigners, single mothers organisations and disabled groups, the day brought them all together with a unifying theme of opposition to austerity.

The TUC’s General Secretary Frances O’Grady set the scene with a combative speech, remarking, ‘Austerity is failing. Its failing ordinary people and its failing Britain too. It’s destroying growth, its devastating living standatrds, and its holding back recovery. Let’s make it clear, and make no mistake, they are waging class war on ordinary working people. Enough is enough.’

The Tories attack on the state, chopping vital services and cutting loose vulnerable people is not only destroying living standards for those not responsible for the crisis, but preventing the economy growing again. Austerity is stagnation.

So it was with disappointment that many read the media reports of Ed Miliband’s speech to the National Policy Forum. News headlines that ‘we won’t reverse cuts’ and Labour will accept ‘falling public spending’ should it be elected in 2015 will predictably depress support for the party ahead of the next election.

But Labour activists were there in large numbers. Ken Livingstone discussed the economics of anti-austerity with UNISON’s Heather Wakefield, London Assembly member Murad Qureshi discussed cuts to London’s emergency services. This was not the anti-Labour event some on the right of the party claimed, but it was opposed to Labour accepting and implementing austerity.

The mobilisation of 4,000 people for the event demonstrates the growing opposition to spending cuts. Following Saturday’s People’s Assembly, that opposition is set to become a serious alternative mobilising force to the austerity dogma which has held sway since 2010.

The event was the culmination of weeks of planning and discussion, involving thousands more attending local rallies around the country – 200 in Newcastle, 400 in Nottingham, 700 in Manchester were just a few over the past month. Those activists have now been tasked to go away and establish local People’s Assemblies and provide a voice to those affected by the cuts.

Those of us in the Labour Party should play a role in these, but we must also discuss how our party can represent that opinion – because it is failing to do so. With many Labour MPs and members actively opposing cuts in their constituencies – to local hospitals, fire stations and other vital public services – and many calling on the government to scrap the bedroom tax, we need to hold a national discussion on this.

It was Owen Jones, who stated, ‘There’s no shortage of anger out there, there’s no shortage of fear, but there is one thing missing, which is hope.’ If Labour is to provide hope, it must reach the logical conclusion that as well as condemning Tory austerity, it will pledge to end it, if and when it is elected. Pledging to do so can only make that election more likely.

That is why Next Generation Labour is calling for a Labour Assembly Against Austerity in October 2013.

The Assembly is open to all party members opposed to austerity – nearly 400 have already signed up – please sign up to the statement and get involved.