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What We Stand For
Socialist Party documents
What We Stand For
What the Socialist Party stands for
Save the NHS demo Photo Paul Mattsson
The Socialist Party fights for socialist change - a democratic society run for the needs of all and not the profits of a few. We also fight, in our day-to-day campaigning, for every possible improvement for working-class people.
As capitalism dominates the globe, the struggle for genuine socialism must be international.
The Socialist Party is part of the Committee for a Workers' International (CWI), a democratic, socialist international that organises in over 40 countries.
Our demands include:
Work & Income
Postal workers demonstrate in London, photo Paul Mattsson
Trade union struggle to increase the minimum wage to £8 an hour without exemptions as an immediate step towards £10 an hour. For an annual increase in the minimum wage linked to average earnings.
All workers, including part-timers, temps, casual and migrant workers to have trade union rates of pay, employment protection, and sickness and holiday rights from day one of employment.
An immediate 50% increase in the state retirement pension, as a step towards a living pension. Reinstate the link with average earnings now.
Reject 'Welfare to Work'. For the right to decent benefits, education, training, or a job, without compulsion.
Scrap the anti-trade union laws! For fighting trade unions, democratically controlled by their members. Full-time union officials to be regularly elected and receive no more than a worker's wage.
A maximum 35-hour week with no loss of pay.
Public services
PCS on strike on budget day 2010 to defend jobs and public services, photo Paul Mattsson
No to privatisation and the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Renationalise all privatised utilities and services, with compensation paid only on the basis of proven need.
Fully fund all services and run them under accountable, democratic committees that include representatives of service workers and users.
Free, publicly run, good quality education, available to all at any age. Abolish university tuition fees now and introduce a living grant. No to academies!
A socialist NHS to provide for everyone's health needs - free at the point of use and under democratic control. Kick out private contractors!
Keep council housing publicly-owned. For a massive building programme of publicly-owned housing, on an environmentally sustainable basis, to provide good quality homes with low rents.
Environment
2007 climate change demo, photo Paul Mattsson
Major research and investment into replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy and into ending the problems of early obsolescence and unrecycled waste.
Public ownership of the energy generating industries. No to nuclear power. No to Trident.
A democratically planned, low fare, publicly-owned transport system, as part of an overall plan against environmental pollution.
Rights
Socialist Party members campaigning at Pride , photo Chris Newby
Oppose discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, disability, sexuality, age, and all other forms of prejudice.
Repeal all laws that trample over civil liberties. For the right to protest! End police harassment.
Defend abortion rights. For a woman's right to choose when and whether to have children.
For the right to asylum. No to racist immigration laws.
New workers' party
Dave Nellist, Campaign for a New Workers' Party chair, speaking at CNWP conference 2008, photo Socialist Party
For a new mass workers' party drawing together workers, young people and activists from workplace, community, environmental and anti-war campaigns, to provide a fighting, political alternative to the pro-big business parties.
Trade unions to disaffiliate from the Labour Party now and aid the building of a new workers' party!
Socialism and Internationalism
No to imperialist wars and occupations. Withdraw the troops immediately from Iraq and Afghanistan!
Waltham Forest Socialist Party campaign on bankers' bonuses and bailout, photo Senan