IT’S time for a “phase II” of our anti-austerity campaign — a sustained campaign of mass action by trade unions and communities not only against the deprivation and suffering caused by austerity economics, but for the alternative — policies designed to irrevocably shift wealth and power from the tiny economic and political ruling class to the mass of the people.

Of course, there are many within Parliament struggling to achieve that too — and many who are struggling to maintain the status quo of neoliberal capitalism. 

What we have seen over recent months and years, though, is that when push comes to shove such struggles cannot be won solely from within Parliament. 

As great parliamentarian performers like Tony Benn and Dennis Skinner among many others never tired of telling us, great social movements and reforms begin with and are won by the people, organising and acting for themselves — the job of progressive parliamentarians being to take up the fight, to act on it by ratifying the decisions of the people, not thwarting them.

Phase I of the anti-austerity struggle set out to debunk all the lies and myths spread by those in political office, in the media, in big business and the banks. 

They wanted us to believe that austerity is inevitable and necessary. We proved that it is a chosen political and economic strategy, and entirely unnecessary. 

They told us that “we are all in it together” — and we showed that while working-class people suffered growing insecurity, deprivation and poverty, the monopoly corporations and the banks and their filthy rich fat-cat owners and top management grew filthier, richer and fatter through austerity. 

They told us that investment in the economy and decent wages would prevent any “recovery.” 

We showed that the only economic recovery they were interested in was to raise again their rate of profit after the crisis, and that meant for them spending cuts, privatisation and reductions in wages and pensions. 

That phase of struggle is just about won. No-one really believes their distortions and lies any more.

But it’s not enough. They will not go of their own accord

In winning the arguments and building the movement we all contributed hugely to the election of Jeremy Corbyn and the anti-austerity leadership of the Labour Party — which of course even before his election has been subject to the most despicable attacks, smears and sustained destabilisation.

We will have to fight extremely hard to get such a government elected, to keep it on track against the huge national and international forces that would immediately mobilise against it in every way imaginable, and to prevent them from destabilising and destroying it. 

It will be a real battle we need to win “peaceably if we may, forcibly if we must” as our predecessors, the Chartists, used to put it.

So we need to identify those responsible for austerity — the monopoly corporations, finance capital and banks — and point the accusing finger clearly at them, and not just at their willing political servants in every parliamentary party. 

We have to reinforce and develop the day-in, day-out active alliance of community campaigners with the trade unions and their activists. 

And we have to sustain and build not just the positive “for the many…” policies of the Labour leadership, but our own policies for a radical transformation of Britain away from the malign control and influence of a corrupt and ruthless ruling class, towards the “people power” that can only be achieved  by the people, the working class, acting for ourselves.