UKuncut gets support from unions, campaigns


by Sunny Hundal    
4:28 pm - March 31st 2011

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A letter has been issued today, signed by unions heads as well as campaign groups, reiterating support for the group UKuncut.

The letter was published in the Guardian newspaper. It says:

As a relatively new protest movement UK Uncut have played a significant part in changing the terms of debate around economic policy in this country. Indeed they were instrumental in ensuring more people were at the march on Saturday than otherwise would have been. At all times they acted in a way which complemented and supported the TUC march.

However, in taking the type of peaceful action which they routinely undertake, on Saturday UK Uncut were treated in a political and deceptive manner by the police which sends an ominous message about the right to protest (Arrests threaten future protests, lawyer warns, 30 March). It would appear activists were misled by the police about not being arrested when asked to leave the Fortnum & Mason building, after which they were held for a significant length of time, their clothing was confiscated, and they have been denied the right to protest in the near future.

We support the right to protest for a fairer and more equal world. As part of this, we condemn any politically motivated policing which provokes, intimidates or criminalises protesters. We will continue to support UK Uncut until tax justice is secured so the poorest are not forced to pay the price of a financial crisis caused by the richest.

Signed
John Hilary War on Want,
Nick Dearden Jubilee Debt Campaign,
Liz Nelson Tax Justice Network,
Neal Lawson Compass,
Mark Serwotka PCS,
Jeremy Dear NUJ,
Len McCluskey Unite,
Andy Egan People and Planet

A longer version of the letter is on the UKuncut website.

Katharine Johnson, 32, who was inside the store said today:

It is outrageous that 145 people were arrested for sitting on the floor of a shop, doing little else than singing and eating snacks. The police seem to be trying to deter legitimate protest, which can only be described as political policing.

UK Uncut said in a statement today they were also concerned by the treatment of those in custody, some of whom were detained until late Sunday evening. Possessions were confiscated and many were released from police stations without their clothes, telephones, and in some cases with no money. Those detained included a 15 year-old who has since written about her traumatic experience.

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Tim Hardy

In case you missed it, this is also of note.

A handful of Liberal Democrat and Unionist MPs withdrew their names from an early day motion congratulating UK Uncut after David Cameron condemned the group.

The MPs who stayed true when Cameron thundered were:

Tom Blenkinsop, Labour Party
Ronnie Campbell, Labour Party
Martin Caton, Labour Party
Katy Clark, Labour Party
Michael Connarty, Labour Party
Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Party
David Crausby, Labour Party
Jim Dobbin, Labour Party
Mark Durkan, Social Democratic and Labour Party
Jonathan Edwards, Plaid Cymru
Jim Hood, Labour Party
Kelvin Hopkins, Labour Party
Gerald Kaufman, Labour Party
Elfyn Llwyd, Plaid Cymru
Caroline Lucas, Green Party
John McDonnell, Labour Party
Alan Meale, Labour Party
Linda Riordan, Labour Party
Virendra Sharma, Labour Party
Marsha Singh, Labour Party
Mike Weir, Scottish National Party
Hywel Williams, Plaid Cymru

The EDM is available here: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/early-day-motions/edm-detail1/?session=2010-11&edmnumber=1146

2. Tim Hardy

Sorry for wrong link. Will send correct one shortly.

3. Tim Hardy

Correct link to Early day motion 1146: http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-11/1146

Sorry about that!

4. Tim Worstall

“we condemn any politically motivated policing which provokes, intimidates or criminalises protesters. ”

Nice to see people standing up for civil liberties. So Compass will be on the side of the EDL or BNP next time they decide to have a march will they?

5. Pedant

A comma isn’t a replacement for the word “and”: “UKuncut gets support from unions AND campaigners”. This is the internet: space is no longer at a premium and you’re not a newspaper.

6. Sunny Hundal

This is the internet: space is no longer at a premium and you’re not a newspaper.

Actually, the NY Times takes this convention all the time. On the other point, we also have style rules – one of which is that news story headlines should fit on two lines unless near impossible.

7. Huw Spanner

The New York Times is not only a newspaper, it’s a US newspaper. And your headline fits onto a single line. I’m with Pedant on this. We ape the US too much as it is without adopting their bloody newspaper style.

8. Huw Spanner

Plus, why are you posting this No2AV ad on this page? No one except the No2AV campaigners (and who *is* bankrolling them, by the way? They refuse to say) believes that an AV system will cost £250m (see http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-the-av-campaign-gets-dirty/5789) – and as for Belgium, it has a PR system, not AV.

Whether your readers are pro or anti AV, it undermines your credibility to be hosting an ad so deceitful.

9. James

I got a scientology advert myself.. I clicked it, out of curiosity, and not at all because clicking it earns Liberal Conspiracy money and costs Scientologists.

As for the letter, good to see some key figures who aren’t accusing UK Uncut of trying to upstage the march..

10. Sunny Hundal

*sigh*

We ape the US too much as it is without adopting their bloody newspaper style.
Is that meant to be a serious argument? Because it isn’t to me. Both & and , work for me because it still is English. Anyway, this is not a bloody newspaper. The headline does not otherwise fit on two lines.

As for the ads – I think its clear what our editorial line is. If they want to waste money on No2AV ads, let them.

11. Chaise Guevara

@ 10 Sunny

“Is that meant to be a serious argument?”

Fear not. I really, really doubt anyone who’s so much of a little Englander that they get cross about you using a perceived US journalistic style is ever going to vote to the left of the Tories anyway…

12. sally

I would not even bother replying to someone called Huw Spanner.

As I say to the trolls, if you don’t like it start your own site.

13. @UKcuts

I assume that was before this gem http://brightonuncut.wordpress.com/

14. dave bones

This is good news cheers for sharing. I thought UKUncut would be wobbling. The policy makers have more to fear from UKUncut than any number of masked smashers. Big up themselves.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    UKuncut receives letter of support from unions and campaigners http://bit.ly/g25IZ7

  2. Richard Maddrell

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  3. Sean Gittins

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  4. MerseyMal

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  5. sunny hundal

    Letter of support for @UKuncut today from unions heads and campaigners http://bit.ly/g25IZ7 – I agree with letter too

  6. Dr Eoin Clarke

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  7. Owen Jones

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  8. Malcolm Evison

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  9. Double.Karma

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  10. Stew Wilson

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  11. James Tanner

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  12. Anon Y Mous

    RT @libcon UKuncut receives letter of support from unions and campaigners http://bit.ly/g25IZ7

  13. Chris Coltrane

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  14. TomCrockford

    RT @sunny_hundal: Letter of support for @UKuncut today from unions heads and campaigners http://bit.ly/g25IZ7 – I agree with letter too

  15. Hey Nonny Mouse

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  16. Matt Mullen

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  17. Sue Barsby

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  19. Matt W.B. Plummer

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  20. Johanna Anderson

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  23. Tom Miller

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  24. Tentacle Sixteen

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  25. Double.Karma

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  26. Pamela Heywood

    UKuncut gets support from unions, campaigners: "We support the right to protest for a fairer and more equal wo… http://twurl.nl/ee5zkp

  27. Juliet

    RT @chris_coltrane: Very cool. RT @libcon: UKuncut receives letter of support from unions and campaigners http://bit.ly/g25IZ7

  28. 67 shadow

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  29. Pucci Dellanno

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  30. Karl Macrow

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  31. UK Uncut receives letter of support from unions & campaigners | wearealllivingin1984

    [...] is very encouraging, you can read it here. This entry was posted in march 26th protests and tagged support, uk uncut. Bookmark the [...]

  32. Annie B

    RT @sunny_hundal: Letter of support for @UKuncut today from unions heads and campaigners http://bit.ly/g25IZ7 – I agree with letter too

  33. Bobbie

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  34. Rachel

    RT @sunny_hundal: Letter of support for @UKuncut today from unions heads and campaigners http://bit.ly/g25IZ7 – I agree with letter too





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