Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/435/5134
From The Socialist newspaper, 13 April 2006
Sheffield
"Standing up for working people"
Canvassing in Sheff-ield on Sunday, Colin is stopped by a man in a black car. "What's a socialist, in one sentence?", the man asks. "Someone who stands up for working people", Colin replies. The man nods in agreement and drives off.
Jeremy Short, Sheffield
We're not sure if we can count on that driver's vote, but in the first week of the campaign we are getting a better response both on the doorstep and on our campaign stalls than in last year's general election.
The Socialist Party candidate is Calvin Payne, organiser of the We Want Our Buses Back Campaign which the Socialist Party launched last summer. This is a high profile, widely supported campaign, which has now collected over 10,000 signatures in favour of returning Sheffield's buses to public ownership.
The good response we are getting is because we are leading on the buses issue but we are also campaigning against cuts and privatisation in the NHS as the Trusts have announced deficits of £100 million in Sheffield. Disillusionment with New Labour's neo-liberal policies and sleaze is also growing, after a further year's experience of the 'Bliar' government.
Although we are standing in the Graves Park ward for the first time, it forms part of the Heeley constituency where the Socialist Party stood in the 2005 general election. We are now looking to build on the support we won then, following which the new Heeley branch was launched last year.
The Sheffield election campaign got underway in earnest on the first weekend in April with campaign stalls, canvassing and a launch social, which raised £50 for the fighting fund.
During the election campaign, we are running two stalls each Saturday and one on Thursdays and Fridays in the main shopping area (Woodseats), with canvassing from Sunday to Thursday and leafleting anytime!
In the first nine days of the campaign, we have identified far more potential votes than last year, sold 116 papers and raised £135 for the fighting fund.
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In The Socialist 13 April 2006:
Socialist Party campaigns
Bush eying regime change in Iran
Socialist Party election campaign
Huddersfield - the bandwagon is rolling!
"Standing up for working people"
Election campaigns boost sales of the socialist
Fighting fund target smashed - again!
Socialist Party review
1926 General Strike - Workers taste power by Peter Taaffe
International socialist news and analysis
Mass struggle in France forces government retreat
Build for 1 May general strike in the USA
Italian opposition scrapes home but workers must stop the return of Berlusconi
Kazakhstan Riot police repelled by shanty town residents
Socialist Party workplace news
Stop New Labour's old Tory policies
Organise to defend jobs at Visteon
New deal in the offing in local government?
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