Stop the War coalition Newsletter 14/03/25

Newsletter – 14/03/25

Welfare Not Warfare

“Starmer is making his priorities clear… us disabled people get cuts, while war gets a blank cheque.”

So said a social media post we spotted after the government confirmed it was looking at freezing Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and making it even more difficult for the disabled to claim than it already is.

Indeed, there is something grotesque about a Labour government making swingeing cuts to welfare, including such vicious targeting of disabled people, while committing to £13 billion a year for increased defence spending. 

Read Lindsey German’s article Spend, Spend, Spend, as long as it’s on the military

Anti-war and anti-austerity campaigning has always been inextricably linked, and rarely more so than now. What is spent on military and ‘defence’ by Western leaders in their hungry drive to war has always been at the expense of working people and the poorest in society. It will come not just from the budget for overseas aid, but from social care, education, housing – during an unprecedented housing crisis – health and other public services. 

It will further impoverish pensioners, families, the sick and the disabled.

This is why we’ve asked all our groups to organise quickly in the campaign against Starmer’s imposition of militaristic austerity as part of our #WelfareNotWarfare campaign. See our dedicated campaign webpage for more information about what groups and supporters can do to support it, including taking our Welfare not Warfare petition into workplaces, universities and communities.

We’ve already had some great responses, including from Brighton and Hove and north west London’s Brent and Harrow, who each reported a strong reception and a lot of signatures on the petition during a number of stalls and leafleting sessions.

We’re really thrilled that Kingston StW is launching next Friday 21 March with a Welfare not Warfare public meeting, Greater Manchester has a Why Increased Military Spending Won’t Bring Peace public meeting on Thursday 3 April and Stop the War Scotland is planning a Welfare not Warfare demonstration in May.

Get in touch with the office as soon as you have plans underway and we will help where we can.

See all our upcoming events here, including a Brent and Harrow Defend the Right to Protest public meeting in Wembley on 20 March at which our vice chair Chris Nineham will be among the panelists.

Welfare Not Warfare Public Meeting

Nationally, we’re organising a Welfare not Warfare – Stop Arming Israel, No Increase in Arms Spending, Defend the Right to Protest public meeting in London on the evening of Tuesday 1 April.

It runs from 6.30pm at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, WC1H OXG. More details, including speakers, to follow soon.

 All Out for Palestine Tomorrow 

Freedom for Palestine  stop us marching. Please show them, the British establishment and the pro-Israel lobby the determination of our massive movement for Palestine to stay on the streets by doing all you can to get along.