The day before the giant anti-cuts protest in London the media narrative has shifted to the potential for violent confrontation driven by a small minority. With this in mind, leaving paving slabs unattended on Whitehall is more than slightly naive.
This can only heighten speculation around agent provocateur tactics.
We all remember the riot van don’t we?
Those who haven’t yet visited the new False Economy website will have missed this excellent video in support of their crowd-sourced anti cuts campaign. Great writing, high production values and eye catching kinetic typography make for compelling viewing:
Directed by Lucian Evans and presented by actor Sam West, we hope this isn’t the last such project from the False Economy team.
It makes most party political broadcasts look like BTEC media studies coursework.
Johann Harri sticks the knife in:
Two months before the general election, Nick Clegg warned there would be “riots” on the streets if the Conservatives introduced extreme cuts. Now they have begun – and Clegg himself is the chief cutter.
Scrapbook looks forward with interest to Clegg’s next visit to a university campus.
What you didn’t see on Sky News’ near-hysterical coverage yesterday: the preponderance of genuine (and peaceful) student protesters at Millbank Tower booing the idiot who had just thrown threw a fire extinguisher from the top of the building. The assembled mass then break out into a chorus shouting:
“Stop throwing sh**! Stop throwing sh**!” – protesting crowd
Where’s an icepick when you need one?
One Press Association photographer and one window-smashing anarchist will have received a surprise this evening:
Even the Daily Express gives the image prominence …
… next to a larger picture of Carol Vorderman, of course!
Following Scrapbook’s publication of an email to staff at Lossiemouth airbase on Saturday, the RAF have backed down on threats to dismiss civilian staff who protest against cuts. In a message to all personnel at the Scottish facility, base commander Andy Hine banned servicemen and MoD civil servants from activity in opposition to its possible closure, including going to rallies or even joining a Facebook group:
Very recently a serviceman from RAF Lossiemouth was involved in setting up a “Facebook” site entitled “Save RAF Lossiemouth and its local community” … Engaging in such activities without obtaining authorisation at the appropriate level may result in administrative or disciplinary action being taken, which in the most serious cases could ultimately lead to dismissal.
But this week furious unions hit back at attempts to “intimidate” their members, with an open letter from PCS forcing a clear U-turn. Base commander Hine helpfully clarifed his advice with regard to civil servants – to mean the reverse of what he had originally said!
I issued guidance to all personnel on engaging publicly or with the media about the future of the base. Unfortunately, some of the guidance regarding staff attending protests and rallies was not clear. Service personnel are not permitted to take part in political activities but Ministry of Defence civil servants are free to take part in this type of event.
The statement sees the RAF back away from using “Defence Instructions and Notices” to supress the activities of unionised staff. Despite claims that guidance “was not clear” the policy originally invoked by Hine clearly applies to ”all MoD personnel – military and civilian”.
On his appointment as commander at the airbase, Hine told the local Press and Journal: ”I have a real steer in effective communication and I prefer eyeball to eyeball contact.”
As opposed to sending baseless threats to your staff electronically?
Scrapbook’s scoop on threats to sack RAF and Ministry of Defence staff who took part in protests against the closure of Lossiemouth airbase was followed up by the Sunday Mirror, The Sun, Daily Record and BBC Radio Scotland.
And in an open letter to Group Captain Andy Hine – who emailed staff at the base to tell them they would be disciplined for joining an anti-cuts Facebook group – the PCS have hit back against the “intimidation” of their members at the base:
“Where did you get the idea that you could override the basic freedom of association that all people, including MOD Civil Servants, have a fundamental right to? … No acts of intimidation, threats or bullying against our members will be tolerated.”
This is presumably not the only base where civilian staff have been “advised” to keep their mouths shut.
Students from the University of the Arts in London have deployed their creative skills to produce a music video to fight against reductions in their time spent in direct contact with tutors:
The word on the street is that contact time could be reduced to save the College money. Cuts of around 25% will be hitting education in the UK and we need to protect our most valuable resource – contact time.
The Can’t Cut This video spoofs MC Hammer’s multi-platinum selling 1990 hit U Can’t Touch This:
For pop culture philistines, here is the original video:
Perhaps universities minister David Willetts would benefit from some Hammer pants?
