"Where there was no chance of a Tory winning as a result of Labour voters
switching to socialist, large numbers showed their anger at the Labour
government by doing so. Some people told us that they weren't going to vote at
all until seeing that we were standing in the county council election.
There were also many others who sympathised with our views but showed their
feelings for Blair by staying at home on the day.
Our campaign highlighted two local issues - a lack of youth facilities
being responsible for some anti-social behaviour, and the need to clean up the
polluted local Coalite site, where a coke and chemical plant closed last year.
We also exposed the privatisation agenda and low pay that Labour now promotes.
Our vote reflects years of campaigning in the area on many issues. In a
small town it is easier to get known than in cities with more mobile
populations. But boundary changes cut our vote by taking out a third of the
town and adding outlying villages where we have not campaigned in the past.
The BNP stood in the neighbouring division, getting 750 votes (13%) in a
three-way contest. It shows that socialist ideas can get far more support than
their racist programme in a working class community devastated by pit and
factory closures, despite the national publicity they receive.
Many local people saw the Socialist Party as a viable alternative to
Labour. This result shows the potential a new mass workers' party could have,
if it had the authority of nationally known trade union leaders behind it."
Labour 3750 (70.8%)
Socialist Alternative 1364 (25.8%)
Turnout 57.8%
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