News / Bristol
‘Rally for Bristol and hand the Government a mandate for change’
“We have to recognise the nature of the challenge we face and we have to face it together,” says Marvin Rees, of his bid to mobilise Bristol people to fight against austerity.
The mayor heads to Westminster on September 12, along with core city leaders, to lobby the Government for a re-balancing of sovereignty and an end to the crippling budget cuts that are bringing regions to breaking point.
He has also issued a call to arms and publicly backed what could be the biggest uprising Bristol has ever seen, saying if people turn out to make their voices heard against austerity, he can go to parliament with a mandate for change.
is needed now More than ever
Just two weeks prior to the rally day on September 9, Rees speaks to Bristol24/7 about what he hopes to achieve in Westminster and responds to criticism of the string of cuts his own council is proposing.
“We want to make sure that the work of cities is top of the agenda for Westminster politicians,” says Rees.
“This came about at a Core Cities gathering when I suggested that we do not wait for national politicians to fill the space, but that we go and tell them what the agenda needs to be. It needs to be cities’ speaking.
“For some time, we have been talking about the re-balancing of sovereignty between Westminster and cities so that we have the power, not only to control what goes on, but also so that we can operate within the boundaries of those cities and their influence in the wider world.
“Austerity has come to its end, people from all political persuasions feel that.
“Our job is to go up and make the case and to be there with force and that’s why we want MPs and shadow ministers to make the case too. We will have the leaders of the ten biggest cities outside London standing there and saying this cannot go on.”
At least 17 organisations and groups in Bristol have pledged their support for the rally
But will the Tory Government take heed?
“The Government cannot deliver on housing, or air quality, or education without cities thriving,” argues Rees. “This is about giving cities tools to deliver.”
Corbyn pledged to stand by Bristol and other core cities on a recent visit
He has the support of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who told Bristol24/7 he will stand beside the city leaders in Westminster on a recent visit to the city.
But, against a backdrop of cuts proposed by the council which will hit public services across the city, including libraries, parks, school crossing patrols and adult social care, many are questioning how the mayor can condemn cuts on one hand and then implement them on the other.
“I get people coming up to me all the time and saying what they want me to spend money on and all these things are important,” says Rees. “We want to spend money on all of them, but we live within the framework we do and our Government are not giving us the options.
“Investing in cities – that’s what we need and are trying to turn around.”
Rees says it is also up to people to take ownership of their public spaces
Taking the example of parks, that stand to have all council funding withdrawn by 2019, Rees says it is down to people to mobilise and take ownership of their public spaces.
But, he adds: “Clearly I think Government has a role to play in maintaining things like parks and we would not choose this situation.
“To stop ourselves being taken over by civil servants, we have to balance the budget. But, we also have to look after the interests of the poorest people.
“We have to deal with the immediate challenge of trying to balance our budget while lobbying national government to mend our cities.”
Rees makes a final point that Bristol City Council is only one of a large number of organisations that shape life in the city, making his point that it is up to individuals and groups to act.
Read more: Rally against austerity could be Bristol’s biggest uprising yet
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