Save our BBC

After the announcement of a massive package of cuts – termed in typical BBC-speak Delivering Quality First (!) – we now know the scale of the assault on the UK’s public service broadcaster.

The cuts, which will do irreparable damage to the corporation if allowed to go ahead, include slashing 2,000 jobs and proposals that will led to a reduction in quality journalism and programming across the BBC. This represents a 20 per cent cut over 5 years – in addition to the 7,000 jobs already lost at the BBC since 2004.

News content at the BBC is being disproportionately hit and there are bleak plans to cut local radio, investigative journalism and the Asian Network. Despite all the BBC’s public pronouncements on becoming less metropolitan and more regional in its approach, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are facing severe cuts to jobs and services as are the English regions, especially local radio and news.

The National Union of Journalists is calling on trade unionists to support the campaign, by writing to their MP, and by taking part in the BBC's online consultation, here.

You can visit the NUJ's campaign site here.

Media Coverage of the Strike

Good media coverage of the action and the rally in Eastbourne.

• Online slide show of photos from the Herald


• On strike day, the Gazette ran a significant feature on Trades Council secretary and NUT official Dave Brinson


• Feature from Unison, looking at the impact of the changes on low paid workers.


• Also, local MP Stephen Lloyd (former speaker at the Trades Council) says that the Government is offering a "reasonable" compromise, and is offering "even more money" (they aren't!)


• School Closures listed in the Eastbourne Gazette. More than half of East Sussex schools were completely shut.

The Eastbourne Herald of 2nd December reported that its online poll suggested that 51% of readers supportted the strikes. The same issue also contained a bitter and ill-informed article by Anne-Marie Field, suggesting "More attitude, less gratitude." Very few Trade Unionists will agree that asking to receive the pensions that we paid for in good faith throughout our working life is asking any sort of favour !