TUSC byelection reports


Fleetwood

For the second time in eleven months, TUSC has polled a strong third position for Rossall ward of Fleetwood town council in Lancashire, winning 19% of the vote. TUSC also contested a second seat for the first time, gaining 8%.

Rossall candidate Ray Smith said: “I shall endeavour to continue my fight against the cuts, fighting for people’s rights, the downtrodden, the workers, pensioners, disabled. Most of all I will continue to fight for jobs and investment in our local community.”

TUSC will mount a massive challenge at next year’s elections for the whole town council. As Ray says, “I’ll be back in May next year!”

Newham

Mental health worker and Unite steward Mark Dunne will be standing for TUSC in the Beckton ward byelection in Newham, East London.

All council seats in Newham are held by Labour. But, like all other Labour-run local authorities, the council has ploughed through cuts on behalf of the Con-Dems.

Mark is standing to give voters the opportunity to vote for a real no-cuts alternative. That includes building council housing, using the borough’s compulsory landlord registration to introduce rent controls, scrapping the bedroom tax and restoring council tax benefits.

TUSC

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.