Leicester anti-cuts councillors join up with TUSC

Leicester councillors Wayne Naylor and Barbara Potter, photo by Leicester TUSC

Leicester councillors Wayne Naylor and Barbara Potter, photo by Leicester TUSC   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Leicester TUSC

Two Leicester anti-cuts councillors have joined up with the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) in the ever-widening fight against the establishment parties and their austerity policies.

Ex-Labour councillors Barbara Potter and Wayne Naylor, who will sit on the council as the Leicester Independent Councillors Against Cuts group, will now be a constituent part of the Leicester TUSC steering committee, alongside the Socialist Party, the Socialist Workers Party and prominent trade unionists in the city.

Time for something new

In a press statement announcing their decision to link up with TUSC, the councillors explained that while they were in the Labour Party they were loyal because they feared the alternative of letting the Tories in. But they were hampered in their aims of defending their local constituents and both now feel that they can do that better outside the Labour Party – and that the time had come to build something new both locally and on a national level.

Let down

“To be a part of a national political group with an anti-cuts stance is what we wanted to achieve all along”, said Barbara, “and we would like to thank TUSC and all of its city members for seeing that we can build a positive platform in Leicester”.

“We want to build something that is credible for everyone who feels let down by both the government and the Labour council who are delivering cuts. We believe that there is a better way than this, and we will show people that it can be done”, said Wayne.

“People are looking for something different, they have felt let down and need a political party that supports them in the difficulties they face”.

Leicester TUSC is now planning a conference to discuss a ‘people’s budget’ for Leicester on 4 October – which Barbara and Wayne will then present to the council at its budget-making meeting next year – and will be inviting community groups, trade unions and the people of Leicester to attend and contribute their views on what services the council should provide.


The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) is an electoral alliance that stands candidates against all cuts and privatisation. It involves the RMT transport workers’ union, leading members of other trade unions including the PCS, NUT and POA, and socialist groups including the Socialist Party. In May 2014 TUSC stood 554 candidates, the largest left-of-Labour local election challenge for over 60 years.