TUSC campaigns round-up

Hillingdon - Bob Crow

Nearly 70 local people in Uxbridge, west London, listened to Bob Crow argue the case for TUSC on 18 April.

Bob Crow opened the meeting, saying: "Tories, Labour, Lib Dems - they all support privatisation, the anti-trade union laws, illegal wars and cuts. Who is putting the case for working class women and men?"

The brilliant meeting was co-hosted by Hillingdon Against Cuts community campaigners, and was full of local workers and union reps from council unions - Unison, Unite and GMB, NUT teachers' union, RMT transport union, and postal workers' union, CWU. They were joined by Brunel university students and local school students - one of whom, eleven year old Alex, addressed the meeting about why he thinks socialism is necessary.

Support from Daymer

At Haringey's TUSC public meeting on 17 April, Oktay Sahbaz from the Daymer Kurdish and Turkish organisation explained why Daymer is supporting TUSC. "Migrant communities are affected by the cuts to public services, education, jobs, the NHS. The Con-Dem coalition does not represent us, TUSC does."

Oktay said that Daymer's activists had ensured every Kurdish and Turkish shop had TUSC leaflets and posters. They had met with 25 Kurdish and Turkish community organisations and discussed TUSC with them, and had explained about TUSC to their 100-strong Sunday breakfast meeting.

Ken Loach inspires

On 19 April, a sell-out audience of over 250 people came to one of London's few independent cinemas, Peckham Plex, to see director Ken Loach screen his long-suppressed, 'The Save the Children Fund Film' and to discuss his politics with TUSC candidate for the London assembly, Nick Wrack. Attendees left with hundreds of leaflets to distribute across London, backing TUSC's anti-cuts agenda.

NHS campaigning

On 23 April, TUSC activists, including health workers, assembled outside the Royal Free Hospital in Camden protesting against plans to privatise NHS services. They distributed an 'NHS credit card' (available from www.tusc.org.uk).

Portsmouth TUSC

In the largest left-wing electoral challenge in Portsmouth for decades TUSC is standing eight candidates across the city. The campaign is building on the anti-cuts campaign over the last year.

The most prominent candidate is RMT rep and Trades Council chair, Mick Tosh - who is standing in Copnor ward. Mick stood for TUSC in the 2010 general election in Portsmouth North and has continued to play a leading role in the anti-cuts campaign.

In the majority of wards across Portsmouth, TUSC is the only alternative to the big three parties. It has been TUSC candidates who have proposed anti-cuts 'needs budgets' to the Lib Dem run city council.

Socialist Students member Billy Perry, who is standing in St Thomas ward, home of Portsmouth University, said: "Young people in Portsmouth are not properly represented, despite being heavily impacted by the current economic situation, tuition fee rises and cuts being imposed."

Ben Norman

Swansea fightback

Les Woodward, TUSC candidate for Gowerton ward, Swansea, will address a TUSC public meeting this Friday (27th) evening. Les is the GMB union national convenor for the Remploy factories (which employ disabled workers) and is currently fighting to prevent their closure.

Les is pledged to fight for the people of Gowerton with the same dedication and passion as he has done for Remploy workers over the years.

"If elected, I will pledge my heart and soul to fight against all cuts in public spending in Swansea. The good people of Gowerton and Swansea must not be penalised with loss of jobs and services in order to pay for the mismanagement of the financial institutions and the greed of the bankers."