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| The issues at stake! |
On 1 August 2019, from 18:00 to 19:00, a protest of about fifty people, plus many more passes-by, assembled at Town Hall Square, Reading, to share experiences about the trauma of Universal Credit.
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| John Partington (3rd left, TSSA) and Chris Reilly (far right, RMT) with fellow Reading Labour Party Executive members |
Reading Trades Union Council was well represented, with delegates present including John Gillman (Unite), Ginnette Hargreaves-Lees (Unite), Dave McMullen (GMB), John Partington (TSSA), Chris Reilly (RMT), Sue Taylor (PCS) and co-organiser, Jim Parker (Unite).
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| Ginnette Hargreaves-Lees (Unite) addresses the protest |
The event was co-organised by Berkshire Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) and the Community branch of Unite the Union. Jim Parker took the lead in distributing leaflets while Merry Cross of DPAC opened the speeches and encouraged speakers to come forward.
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| John Partington (TSSA) speaks on Universal Credit and fear |
RTUC provided two speakers, John Partington (TSSA), who referenced the fear Universal Credit applicants have in protesting or even being seen at protests in case their benefits are stopped, and Ginnette Hargreaves-Lees (Unite), who spoke of her own struggles accessing support.
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| Merry Cross (DPAC) leads the condemnations |
With the new wind of change blowing through Reading & District Labour Party following its Annual General Meeting on 25 July, eight of its elected executive committee joined the protest, two of whom are RTUC delegates: Chris Reilly (RMT) and John Partington (TSSA).
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| Alison Peyton (ReadiFood) speaks |
Cllr Rachel Eden, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate in Reading West, also spoke against Universal Credit before being joined after the speeches by Cllrs Micky Leng, John Ennis and Sarah Hacker to pledge opposition to Universal Credit and offer support for its scrapping once a Labour Government is formed.
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| Cllr Rachel Eden (Labour) supports the protest |
Alison Peyton of Readifood, Reading's primary food bank, gave anecdotal evidence of the increase in food bank use in the town since Universal Credit was introduced for new applicants. Austerity is - according to the Tories - over, yet Alison sees more food bank users now than ever before.
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| Rona Topaz shares her experiences |
Two further Universal Credit claimants rounded off proceedings. Rona Topaz spoke of the difficulty in accessing support under Universal Credit tests.
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| John Hoggett expresses anger through call-and-response poetry |
And John Hoggett, in his unique style, used art - in this case poetry - to condemn Universal Credit and to dignify welfare claimants, reminding his listeners that the means to a basic existence is a human right and rather than stigmatise them, we should celebrate benefits claimants for their resilience in the face of extreme hardship and deprivation.
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| Reading Labour councillors, Micky Leng, John Ennis, Sarah Hacker and Rachel Eden pledge to support the scrapping of Universal Credit |
