TUSC campaign reaching out across the length and breadth of London

TUSC on the 28 March 2012 NUT London strike and demonstration, photo Socialist Party (Click to enlarge)

Everywhere we go in London, election campaigners for the London Assembly election list of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition - TUSC - are getting support.

Trade unionists, young people, people in local communities are sick of the main parties of cuts and privatisation and say it's about time we get a voice for ordinary Londoners elected.

Last week, Charing Cross hospital campaigners teamed up with TUSC supporters at a meeting in Hammersmith to plan linking together the fight to defend the NHS with campaigning for TUSC in the London Assembly elections.

The newspapers a few weeks ago talked about how some GPs were threatening to stand in elections to defend the NHS - well in London there is a doctor standing - Dr Jackie Turner, a TUSC candidate, who addressed the Hammersmith meeting.

This is an area with no previous TUSC campaigners - one of several 'new' areas for TUSC in the London election.

On the same night campaigners got together in Brent to kick off the TUSC campaign there. TUSC candidate Mark Benjamin is spearheading a meeting in Ealing.

RMT rail union leader Bob Crow will speak at a public meeting in Hillingdon, on 18 April, with former Labour councillor Wally Kennedy, TUSC candidate construction activist Mick Dooley and a local school student.

Hillingdon Against Cuts supports TUSC and a bunch of activists are out leafleting for the meeting.

Meanwhile in Camden TUSC supporters have visited every tube station in their area (25!) to talk with RMT members and leaflet passengers, and have gone to every fire station as well as the local hospital and council buildings.

RMT members, including president Alex Gordon, the lead candidate on the TUSC list, are out leafleting on the estates.

It's not only West London where TUSC campaigners are having an impact. PCS members are out leafleting in South London.

South London TUSC supporters have travelled the length of the Northern line with TUSC postcards and, again, visited all the fire stations, job centres and so on.

Meetings are planned in Brixton, Wandsworth, Lewisham and Greenwich. Former Socialist Party councillors Ian Page and Chris Flood are backing the campaign with a special leaflet in their former ward in Lewisham.

Ken Loach is discussing with TUSC candidate Nick Wrack in Southwark. Campaigning is off the ground in Croydon.

All over East London the same is happening - with workplace visits, leafleting at stations and shopping areas, and public meetings in Haringey, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Newham and Tower Hamlets.

Bob Crow speaks in Waltham Forest on 26 April alongside TUSC candidate Nancy Taaffe, a library worker made redundant by a Labour council passing on Con-Dem cuts.

Barking councillor George Barrett, the one Labour councillor nationally who voted against cuts and was expelled from the Labour Party, is backing TUSC.

Everywhere there is a protest or demonstration, TUSC campaigners are giving support and distributing TUSC election postcards. We'll be supporting Remploy workers when they demonstrate in Westminster.

We leafleted people going to the Chelsea v Spurs FA cup semi-final at Wembley, and are planning teams to leaflet the crowds at the London Marathon.

TUSC candidate Ian Leahair, from the Fire Brigades Union executive, challenged the mayoral candidates at the Evening Standard Mayoral debate.

TUSC candidates are speaking at hustings wherever they can. We've got the support of Michael Mansfield QC and solicitor Imran Khan.

With just three weeks to go, and with a press blackout, its important we get to as many people as possible with the TUSC postcards and other material.

Everyone can get stuck in - give out postcards in your workplace, in your college, at your local station, on your street.

Get your workmates to take bundles of postcards to deliver themselves. Contact TUSC today to get a supply.

As well as numbers of workers and young people getting involved in the campaign, it is also being funded by trade union branches and individuals.

Can your union branch make a donation? Can your workmates or fellow students make a donation? Donations can be made at www.tusc.org.uk