THE Queen’s speech spelt out that her Tory-LibDem government is to step up its war against public sector pensions, continue to place the state above the law on the issue of basic rights, and will carry on deregulating, giving the bosses the right to hire and fire as they wish, which is now held to be the key to the future of British capitalism, as a cheap labour rival of India and South East Asia.
The Queen stressed that the priority of her coalition was to cut the massive deficit and restore economic growth. In fact the truth is that the deficit is growing and production is now in slump, with the outlook bleak for capitalism.
Because of this crisis, the coalition lives in fear of a popular revolt and revolution, the beginning of which it recognised in the Bradford by-election and in the recent coalition wipeout in the council elections. It dreads the revolutionary storm, which has destroyed the Greek political establishment and removed Sarkozy from power, spreading to the UK and elsewhere, in a year of revolutions.
Consequently there is to be a Draft Communications Bill: making it easier for police and intelligence agencies to spy on the masses, and access, store and share data on their private phone calls and email communications.
The Queen’s Speech emphasised the strengthening of the state. She said: ‘My Government will introduce legislation to strengthen oversight of the security and intelligence agencies. This will also allow courts, through the limited use of closed proceedings, to hear a greater range of evidence in national security cases.’
Responding to the plans for ‘secret justice’ and closed courts Reprieve’s Executive Director, Clare Algar said: ‘Closed courts will not strengthen oversight of the intelligence agencies – in fact, they will do precisely the opposite. They will put the Government above the law.
‘The proposals for secret justice would massively skew courts in favour of ministers, and prevent the public from finding out the truth about serious wrongdoing.
‘The reality is that these plans are a recipe for unfair and unaccountable Government.’
There is also a bill to establish a Green Investment Bank, that makes it easier for firms to sack workers by destroying the employment tribunal system. This stepping up of the attacks on workers’ jobs and rights will sharpen class tensions to explosion point.
Commenting on the Queen’s speech which confirmed the government’s plans to force public servants to pay more and work longer for a worse pension, Public and Commercial Services union general secretary Mark Serwotka said: ‘Ministers have consistently refused to negotiate with us over the key issues of forcing public servants to pay more and work longer for less in retirement, and that is why hundreds of thousands of them will be on strike on May 10.
‘With the country back in recession and unemployment remaining high it is clear to everyone that austerity isn’t working . . .
‘The union’s 250,000 public sector members will strike against the government’s cuts to pensions today alongside colleagues from Unite; the University and College Union; the Northern Ireland public sector union Nipsa; and Rail, Maritime and Transport members in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.’
As the world crisis of capitalism deepens, it is becoming more and more obvious that the ruling class can only remain in power by sacking millions, privatising services, slashing wages and benefits and building a super oppressive police state.
The working class can only survive as a class in this situation by carrying out a socialist revolution to expropriate the bosses and the bankers, smash their police state, sack their officers’ corps and bring in a workers government and a socialist planned economy.
There is no other way forward.