Phoebe Cox, Mansfield Socialist Party
TUSC candidates, Socialist Party members and supporters held a public meeting in Mansfield on election eve – as we spoke about support for striking workers, and advocated for working class-led politics and anti-austerity policies.
TUSC candidates standing across the North Nottinghamshire area, including, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, and Bolsover, introduced themselves and shared why they decided to stand for election.
They all called for fully funded services and spoke about the need to have elected representatives from the working class, fighting for the working class.
Socialist Party member Karen Seymour ran for Mansfield Mayor and received 420 votes, 2% of the total.
She said: “We are the only ones to have mentioned the need for more jobs, council homes and services. I’ll stand on a workers’ wage, with the rest of the salary being donated to community projects and services. We would also campaign for a referendum to scrap the undemocratic position of executive Mayor.”
We were asked by an attendee: “What does TUSC say to those who feel you are splitting the left vote and enabling the right wing?”
We said the two main parties, Tories and Labour, do not stand for working-class communities, support striking workers, or actively oppose cuts and austerity. Without TUSC, there is no viable left-wing alternative on the paper.
A member of the public who attended the meeting also pointed out that Labour had lost trust of the working class and that people had a right to vote for an alternative option. He thanked our candidates for standing and said we were the only party fighting for people and our communities.
Denise Tooley-Okonkwo, Socialist Party member and TUSC candidate, said: “There is another way and another option. Working-class people deserve to vote for a party that will fight for them. We campaign all year round, not just at election time and we fight all forms of oppression. We need a new mass workers’ party that works for all. That’s why we do this every day.”
