Derby's Labour councillors take to streets with public

Derby City Council's 28 Labour members took to the streets before a budget meeting, joining a protest organised by the local trades union council and the People's Charter campaign group.

A Derby Labour Party spokesman said the councillors held its usual pre-meeting get-together so they could join the protest.

Labour controls the council, which is due to have its budget slashed by 20 per cent over the next three years.

The council said it is trying to protect Derby's most vulnerable while implementing the cuts.

Local trades union council secretary Moz Greenshields (pictured) said: "Clearly many Labour councillors and groups who want to impose the cuts would, if they refused to make them, simply be removed from office, with the cuts made by an imposed administration.

"So what we need to do is build a sustained active mass movement in every town and city against the cuts."

Writing in the Morning Star she said Labour councillors are officially protesting over what seem to be "their own" cuts, which are in fact imposed by the government.

"If the Labour group, elected by the people of Derby, refuses to make the Westminster cuts, the Con-Dems would sack them and appoint their own people to wield the axe.

"So much for local democracy. We have the right to vote and elect a local government - but only as long as we make the choice that Westminster wants."

The council's deputy leader Ranjit Banwait said: "Our priority is to stand up for the most vulnerable in society."