Launched at a time when households face further energy bills hikes when the energy price cap changes in October, what is the Enough is Enough campaign and how can it help those struggling with the cost of living crisis?
Hours after launching on Monday morning, the campaign’s website crashed as thousands of people tried to visit the site. In its first 24 hours it claimed 100,000 people had signed up. Its twitter profile currently has over 100,000 followers (opens in new tab).
The launch of Enough is Enough, a campaign aiming to tackle the cost of living crisis follows unprecedented strike action across the UK that includes tubes, trains, buses, the Post Office, Ryanair cabin crew and the first-ever national call centre strike. Meanwhile, another recently launched campaign called Don’t Pay UK is urging people to not pay their energy bills (although this could lead to long-term negative implications for your finances, so make sure you are aware of the risks before you take this action).
‘With millions of people facing dire financial circumstances in the coming months and years, it’s inevitable that campaigns like ‘Enough is Enough’ will form to challenge the government,’ says Consumer expert Martyn James.
‘Doing nothing will be disastrous for countless families and individuals across the UK. And it makes sound economic sense to support people to stop them from going under, as the cost required to help people once they’ve lost their jobs, homes and incomes is much higher.’
We explain everything you need to know.
What is the Enough is Enough campaign?
Enough is Enough (opens in new tab), a new campaign launched by trade unions and community organisations to tackle the cost of living crisis, has promised picket lines and demonstrations if the government doesn’t meet its demands.
Enough is Enough believes pressure must be put on the government to help those most affected by the cost of living crisis. Boris Johnson says more emergency support for struggling families is an issue for the next prime minister, while future prime minister candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak have different approaches: Truss has refused to commit to extra support for households while Sunak has said that he would bring forward extra financial support.
The campaign is calling for a ‘huge slash in energy bill prices, a real pay rise for all, an end to food poverty, decent homes for all, and greater taxes on the super-wealthy’ amid the huge rise in energy bills, food costs and petrol prices.
Enough is Enough is supported by several trade unions, community organisations such as Fans Supporting Foodbanks (opens in new tab) and Labour MPs Zarah Sultana and Ian Byrne.
The campaign has five demands:
- A real pay rise
- Slash energy bills
- End food poverty
- Decent homes for all
- Tax the rich
It also wants to introduce universal free school meals, rent caps, a commitment to build more than 100,000 homes a year and to reinstate the £20-a-week universal credit uplift.
In a campaign video, Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Lynch says: ‘People are fed up with the way they are treated at work, we need to turn that mood into real organisation on behalf of the working class. We need everybody campaigning for a better deal.’
Enough is enough. It’s time to turn anger into action.Join the campaign to fight the cost-of-living crisis.https://t.co/1SeHcIXdMr pic.twitter.com/sVFpFpXMe1August 8, 2022
Labour MP Zarah Sultana says energy bills rising to £4,266 in January isn’t inevitable and to join the campaign:
Energy bills rocketing to £4,266 in January isn’t inevitable. It’s a choice: Their greed, not your need.Enough is enough.Join the campaign to slash bills and bring energy companies into public ownership: https://t.co/Khdu7m0asTAugust 9, 2022
How can I support Enough is Enough?
If you would like to support the campaign you can sign up to the campaign via its website. Once registered, you will receive information about events, rallies and picket lines.
Dave Ward, General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) says: ‘We will force change by taking our message into every single corner of the UK… It’s time for trade unions, community groups and workers to come together like we haven’t seen in decades – because that is the scale of this crisis.’
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