Hundreds march to save the NHS in Carlisle

Carlisle save our NHS march 8 April 2017 photo Brent Kennedy

Carlisle save our NHS march 8 April 2017 photo Brent Kennedy   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Brent Kennedy, Carlisle Socialist Party

The rally and demonstration in Carlisle called by Cumbria Health Campaigns Together on 8 April, against the Tory plan to privatise the NHS and particularly against the closure of hospitals and services locally, was a great success.

A turnout of 700-800 in a small town like this is significant, especially as this was organised from below by the Socialist Party, the Unison health branch, local hospital campaigners and others.

This show of strength clearly encouraged the majority of locals who support our campaign, with drivers hooting and shoppers cheering us on. One shopkeeper rushed out to call on anyone not at work at the time to join the march.

TV coverage

The regional TV news programmes carried footage of the rally and the two-page report in the local paper carried the headline: “The fight’s not over to protect our NHS”.

Our campaign stall at the rally was surrounded by shoppers queuing up to add their names to our petition, take leaflets and buy copies of the Socialist.

As our speaker at the rally said, we now need a winning strategy involving coordinated strike action, occupations and mass mobilisation of the public to save the NHS. A cheer went up when we called on the councillors who failed to veto ward and hospital closures on the Health Scrutiny Committee to resign or be removed by their parties.

How scandalous then, that these very same councillors who have betrayed us are being allowed to stand for re-election next month.