{"id":5947,"date":"2015-09-27T17:22:58","date_gmt":"2015-09-27T16:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=5947"},"modified":"2015-09-28T16:25:50","modified_gmt":"2015-09-28T15:25:50","slug":"a-real-alternative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=5947","title":{"rendered":"A real alternative"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Unite and the Daily Mirror\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s joint Real Britain fringe this year asked the question, when did the war on poverty become a war on the poor?<\/p>\n

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The panel, chaired by the Mirror\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Kevin Maguire, featured contributions from Unite general secretary Len McCluskey, Real Britain columnist Ros Wynne Jones, deputy leader Tom Watson MP, Poppy Noor a young social justice campaigner, Coronation Street star and disability rights campaigner Cherylee Houston and comedian Mark Steel.<\/p>\n

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\"fringe<\/a><\/p>\n

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In a punchy and inspiring contribution, Len said he was proud to be associated with the Daily Mirror\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Real Britain column and endorsed its work in supporting working people.<\/p>\n

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He said the poor had been \u00e2\u20ac\u015bvilified by chinless wonders\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the Tories who had only been elected by 25 per cent of the population.<\/p>\n

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Confidence <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It was our job to inspire people to have confidence that things could change, to believe \u00e2\u20ac\u015bthere is something we can do. There is a resistance [to the government] out there.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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The Tories were \u00e2\u20ac\u015ba government of the rich, for the rich\u00e2\u20ac\u0165, he said. And he advised the grandees to \u00e2\u20ac\u015bStick to counting your money,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a point the audience agreed with strongly.<\/p>\n

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The anti-austerity movement was gaining ground and for the first time in many years there was a real alternative to the Tories and to austerity.<\/p>\n

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He said that with a Labour Party of 400,000 members and soon to be 500,000 strong as opposed to the Tories\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 numbers, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bwe are the party of optimism.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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He urged, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bDon\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be defeatist. Remember courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBe strong. In the summer we shocked them and now we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll shake them to the very core and create a Britain we can be proud of.<\/p>\n

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“We are currently living and making history. Let’s work together to make sure that it does work for the good of everybody.”<\/p>\n

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Len received a standing ovation. Watch the full speech in the video below:<\/p>\n

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