Film Number

12969

Title

VANDALS IN HIGH PLACES

Producer

WFA Media & Cultural Centre

Date

c1984

Gauge

VHS

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Running Time

34 mins 55 secs

Description

Also called ‘How the people of the North West were attacked by their government’, this is a protest against cutbacks in public spending by the Thatcher government of the 1980s. Economist Pat Devine sets out the argument, questioning whether the cuts in local government funding are an economic necessity or a deliberate political choice. The issues discussed here are still equally relevant today, for example the recognition that a good public transport system is essential for local economies to thrive. Professional workers in housing, education, transport, and other areas talk about the problems caused by insufficient funding. From an overburdened health service, or a shortage of customs officers leading to increased drug smuggling into the country, the funding crisis touches almost every area of public life. The interviewees in the film stress the importance of putting people before profit, and Ernest Baxendale of the NW TUC urges people to make their voices heard and take a stand against this government policy.

This title was digitised and preserved as part of the BFI Heritage 2022 programme. It is available to view for free via BFI Replay in UK Public Libraries - https://replay.bfi.org.uk/