New speakers have confirmed for the “Barnet Spring” march on Saturday 23 March. We will march to defend our public services as an accountable service, instead of handing them over to Capita to profit from at our expense.

The march will be the culmination of a week that sees a national spotlight shone on Barnet Council’s “One Barnet” programme (OBP). On 19-21 March Barnet resident Maria Nash will seek a Judicial Review of OBP (join us to demonstrate our support for Maria at the High Court, Strand, on Tuesday 19 March, 9.30am-1.30pm).

Commentators agree that the outcome of this case, and the arguments aired, will have profound implications for local authorities contemplating large-scale outsourcing. (See this expert opinion reported in Computer Weekly.)

Please join us for the “Barnet Spring”! Assemble 11am at Finchley Central tube station for a march to Friern Barnet Community Library (march sets off at 12 noon). Transport available for those who prefer not to walk all the way.

The current list of speakers and contingents from organisations supporting the march is below. To add your support or propose a speaker, please email [email protected]. Follow the build-up to the march on Twitter: #BarnetSpring

Speakers

John McDonnell MP

Andrew Dismore AM - Barnet and Camden representative on the Greater London Assembly

Owen Jones - author and broadcaster

Mary Turner – GMB

Jon Rogers – UNISON NEC

Shirley Franklin - Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition

Paul Nicholson - 1,000 Mothers March

Sarah Sackman - barrister for Friern Barnet Community Library

Alistair Smith – Anti-Academies Alliance and NUT

Max Watson – UNISON NEC

John McLoughlin UNISON SGE

Contingents

Barnet TUC

Brent Fightback

Camden UNISON

Coalition of Resistance

Hackney UNISON

Haringey UNISON

Kensington & Chelsea UNISON

Lambeth UNISON

London Metropolitan University UNISON

Middlesex University UNISON

Southwark UNISON

1,000 Mothers in Haringey

Tower Hamlets UNISON

Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition