Alternative needed as economy slides and people turn off politics

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25 April 2012

As our economy is officially in a double dip recession and interest in Westminster politics falls to the lowest for a decade, there is a desperate need for an alternative to cuts.

Official figures have today confirmed what our communities have experienced for months - that the UK has gone back into recession - proving that austerity isn't working.

Also today a survey of political engagement by independent researchers shows that only 42% say they are interested in politics - down 16% on last year and the lowest since the survey was first carried out nine years ago.

The percentage of people saying they would definitely vote if a general election was called tomorrow was down by 10%, mirroring a rise in those saying they were either unlikely or absolutely certain not to vote, according to the report published by the Hansard Society.

Since launching it at the Trades Union Congress annual conference in 2010, the union has distributed more than 250,000 copies of its pamphlet, 'There is an alternative: the case against cuts in public spending'.

A follow-up, titled 'Austerity isn't working', which will show what the government's cuts are doing to our economy and what we should do instead, will be launched at the union's annual conference next month.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "We did not need to wait for the statisticians to tell us what the cuts are doing to our economy and our communities, but this news should be a wake-up call to the millionaire chancellor and his government.

"With our economy on its knees, it is also a damning indictment of this government and our democracy that people are growing increasingly despondent with Westminster politics.

"We need alternatives that will work. Instead of more cuts, we need jobs for the millions out of work, new council houses for the two million people on waiting lists, and a banking system that works for people not profit."

Hansard Society survey results

42% of people said they were interested in politics - down 16% and the lowest since survey first carried out
48% said they would definitely vote if a general election was called tomorrow - down 10% and also the lowest ever
30% said they were unlikely or absolutely certain not to vote in a general election - up 10%
24% believe the coalition government is working "reasonably well" - a fall of 7%

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