Vote Socialist: Because Starmer’s Labour doesn’t stand for us
Ciaran O’Donoghue, Newham and east London Socialist Party
14 years of Tory rule have inflicted misery on working people. The Tories have presided over vicious austerity and a cost-of-living crisis.
House prices and rents continue to skyrocket, as do waiting lists for social housing. Meanwhile, private water companies have been given the green light to pump waste into our seas and rivers.
Water, gas, and electric companies continue to increase extortionate prices, while raking in huge profits – British Gas in the past year has made £750 million.
Many people are also forced to rely on food banks to survive. The Conservative Party has truly made life a misery for working-class people.
Labour looks set to win the general election, and many will be grateful to see the back of the Tories. But is Labour on the side of the working class? 120 business leaders have just signed a letter supporting Labour’s economic plans.
Pro-big business
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has said that Labour is “the natural party of business”. Labour’s commitment to its ‘fiscal rules’ is code for more austerity.
Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health minister, is in the pocket of private healthcare providers. He has received £175,000 in donations from individuals linked to such firms. It is no coincidence that Labour now plans to force the NHS to pay and collaborate more with private firms.
Labour has backed the Israeli state’s war on Gaza. Keir Starmer agreed on LBC Radio that Israel had the absolute right to shut off the water and electricity into Gaza.
Who stands for the working class? As it stands, we have no mass political voice. But we need one – a new mass workers’ party, based on the trade unions, and fighting for socialism.
In this election, Socialist Party members will be standing in over 30 seats, as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), on a platform that is anti-austerity, anti-war, and fighting for the working class.