Angie Waller, South Yorkshire Socialist Party
The local elections come when hatred of Labour for continuing austerity has never been higher. There is disgust and disappointment at the punitive removal of winter fuel allowance for pensioners and disability welfare benefits, taking its toll on the most vulnerable.
Andy Hiles is the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidate for Doncaster mayor. He works as a benefits advisor at a charity organisation called Benefit Buddies. He describes in our weekly Socialist Party meetings the horrendous cases he deals with in this highly deprived area.
Over 100 people stood for TUSC across the country. We go to press as the election campaign is ending.
On 1 March, we had our first campaign stall of the Doncaster election campaign. We sold 14 copies of the Socialist paper, raised £32 fighting fund on top. Four people asked about joining the Socialist Party.
Since the start of the campaign, we have sold 201 Socialist papers, and raised £457 fighting fund on top, from our 16 stalls, including four stalls at the college.
We explain that donations are used to pay for our leaflets, petitions, and to hire rooms for our two public meetings
We have continued to have a huge response to our stalls, with new supporters joining to help out. In fact, we met Stacy, one of our council election candidates, on a Socialist Party stall less than two months ago.
Our candidates have gone on to gain support from their friends and neighbours to run for TUSC. Far more support than we ever expected.
Our main election campaign public meeting was attended by 37 people, and raised £265 in donations. We had Dave Nellist, TUSC national chair, and Andy Hiles speak.
Tosh McDonald, former Aslef train drivers’ union president, also spoke. He is standing for TUSC in Town ward, with Nikki McDonald, both ex-Labour and independent councillors, and Mal Perkins.
40 people have asked about joining the Socialist Party. 18 new people have attended our meetings. And we’ve had five of them.
Whatever happens at the ballot box, TUSC and the Socialist Party will continue to build on this success.
