Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/604/8450
From The Socialist newspaper, 2 December 2009
2010 general election appeal: Help give a socialist answer to cuts and privatisation
The Socialist Party has launched a financial appeal to enable it to stand candidates in the next general election and put forward an alternative to the programme of massive job cuts in public services and privatisation being promised by Labour, Tories and the Lib Dems.
Ken Douglas, Socialist Party national treasurer
The main parties are all determined to make ordinary working-class people pay twice over for this economic crisis, having already bailed out the banks with £1.2 trillion of our money.
The Socialist Party is in talks with leading members of the RMT transport workers' union and other organisations to discuss standing candidates as part of a wider electoral coalition that puts forward the interests of working class and young people. Such a coalition could act as a step towards the formation of a mass workers' party in the future.
Local elections
There are also local elections in 2010. Four Socialist Party councillors will be standing for re-election in Lewisham in London, Kirklees in Yorkshire and Coventry in the West Midlands. Socialist Party members and supporters need to be able to effectively campaign to defend these positions.
High costs
It will cost at least £2,000 per candidate in the general election, to pay for the deposit, for the election address to be delivered to every household, and to print and distribute posters and leaflets. This means that if, for example, Socialist Party members contested 25 seats a minimum of £50,000 would be needed to fund this.
Therefore the Socialist Party is asking every member and supporter to pledge a donation to the election appeal, which can be redeemed by 30 April 2010. Socialist Party members have previously donated the equivalent of one week's income to help fund election campaigns, paid over three or four months, and it is that spirit of sacrifice that we appeal to now.
It is understood that donations on this scale may be difficult for many people, but the Socialist Party has no rich backers and it can only rely on the party's members and supporters to finance this campaign.
Socialist ideas
Your donations, whether it is £10 or more from a school student or £500 from a skilled full-time worker, will be vital for standing in the elections.
Such contributions will enable the Socialist Party to promote its ideas to as wide an audience as possible, and discuss with workers and young people about the need to get organised, join the Socialist Party and build a socialist alternative.
Please complete and send in the pledge form included with this article and ask other Socialist Party members and supporters to also make a pledge.
Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.
In The Socialist 2 December 2009:
Climate change 'gigantic market failure'
Copenhagen climate change talks
Socialist Party NHS campaign
National Health Service: Patient safety not private profit
Youth fight for jobs
Youth march for jobs: "A fantastic experience"
Credit crunch
Dubai's house of sand crumbles
War and occupation
Chilcot inquiry: Put the warmongers on trial!
Socialist Party news and analysis
Yorkshire strikes - the lessons
Fighting council cuts in Greenwich
Anti-racism
How mass campaigning closed BNP HQ
International socialist news and analysis
Irish Republic: Huge public sector workers' strike against cutbacks
Indonesia: Eyewitness report from Tamil refugee boat
Socialist Party election campaign
Politics 'illegal' in Lewisham council
Help give a socialist answer to cuts and privatisation
Marxist analysis: history
Liverpool council's budget 'black hole': Establishment parties only offer swingeing cuts
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