Odhrán Cassidy Workers Party Youth Spokesperson speaks at rally against Welfare Cuts
Speaking at the Welfare not Warfare Rally in Belfast on Wednesday 9th July Odhrán Cassidy (WP Youth) said that the Workers Party believes in welfare while we fight for class war. Mr Cassidy speaking at the rally thanked everyone for attending and showing solidarity with those who will be affected by the so-called reforms, which are nothing more than a fig leaf for cuts against the most vulnerable members of our society.
Mr Cassidy told the rally the government does have the money as £1.6 billion was spent on arms in Northern Ireland alone, a figure that does not include the billions spent on the weapons of warfare across the rest of UK. The British Government is happy to commit to spending 5% of GDP on the trappings of war including nuclear bombs to act the tough guys in NATO, an organisation that is clearly itching for a war, and eager to appease the American President. It is also notable that no other country in NATO has committed to spending anywhere near that amount of their GDP. By basic moral standards, if we cannot afford welfare, then we certainly cannot afford warfare but the government seems to have different view of the matter.
Mr Cassidy added this is all taking place while are public services are in crisis. Within the health and social care services we have doctors, nurses and other staff needing counselling after work due to staff and bed shortages and the conditions they are forced to work under.
The taxpayers should not be required to foot the bill for warfare when welfare is needed. The working class do not want or need wars.
We want public services, houses, education and a national health service which is committed to dealing with the health inequalities that have been ongoing for decades.
We want anti-poverty strategies that will eliminate poverty, not weapons that will eliminate working class people in other countries across the world.
