Speaking following news of the Treasury’s ‘open book’ review of Stormont Finances, Gerry Carroll said:
“People across the North are sick and tired of being told there's no money for health, education, housing or public transport. The very same politicians voting through these cuts seem to have access to bottomless pots of cash for White House photo-ops, junkets to Israel and business-class flights to talking shops around the world. Not to mention, of course, handing themselves a pay increase while everyone else is squeezed dry.”
“This Treasury review is classic Westminster austerity, disguised as a balance sheet exercise. Sacking thousands of public sector workers, hiking rates bills and introducing water charges on top of what households already pay through their rates are not serious solutions. They're an attempt to punish ordinary people for a crisis they didn't create.”
“Nowhere in this review is there any suggestion of raising revenue from the enormous profits generated by private corporations operating here. That tells you everything about whose interests this review serves.”
“Being shackled to Westminster's permanent austerity agenda is causing an untold amount of harm to people across the North. Executive parties have shown us time and again that they will accommodate that agenda whether it's handed down by the Tories or by Labour.”
“Nobody disputes that our public services need serious, sustained investment. But it is an outright lie that the burden must fall on ordinary families whose bills are already rising year after year. What will the Finance Minister do to challenge this callous, financially punitive agenda from Westminster? We need to push back hard against any attempt to make working class people pay for political choices that were never made in their interests.”