Derbyshire socialists challenge Labour, Tories, and Reform
Jon Dale, TUSC candidate in Bolsover
For the first time, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) stood in all six divisions in the Bolsover district. Two generations after pit closures destroyed mining jobs in these small towns and villages, large warehouses and care work are now major employers – mostly non-union, insecure, and minimum wage.
The pleasant countryside between our communities is rapidly being concreted over. This causes more resentment. Many of the new houses are too expensive for local people. Schools and GP services can’t keep up with demand.
Resident action groups have sprung up. They oppose the Labour district council’s planning decisions, and the Tory county council’s cuts.
In this situation, Reform jumped on the bandwagon, claiming new housing is needed because of immigration.
Speaking to people on the doorstep and on our campaign stalls, we found many more agreed with us than in previous elections. Nobody argued they had to vote Labour to get the Tories out of county hall. Many said: “This isn’t a Labour government” – often in stronger language.
Our ‘no cuts – make big business and the super-rich pay’ programme was widely supported. But, in this election, most saw Reform as the way to protest against Labour and the Tories. We estimate Reform spent about 200 times more than we did, posting up to three letters to each elector.
People stopped at our campaign stall, signed our petition for energy renationalisation, agreed we need a new workers’ party, bought a Socialist paper, but still planned to vote Reform.
How long before splits appear among newly elected Reform councillors? At a hustings we took part in, a question on Derbyshire’s shocking record on children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), prompted the Reform candidate to describe his family’s struggle. He seemed unaware three days earlier Nigel Farage claimed getting an autism diagnosis was too easy, signalling Reform would cut SEND services.
Elsewhere in Derbyshire, Ruth George, former Corbyn-supporting Labour MP and county councillor, was blocked from standing as a Labour candidate. In a kick in the teeth for Labour, she won 57% of the vote as an independent. Reform got 15%, Labour just 4%!
Herts fed up with Labour and Tory council tax rises and cuts
Aaron Smith, Enfield and Lea Valley Socialist Party
We stood six Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidates in Broxbourne borough, 19 across Hertfordshire for the county council elections – a TUSC candidate in every Broxbourne seat for the first time – giving local residents the opportunity to back an anti-cuts, anti-austerity alternative.
The Socialist Party increased our campaign activity to at least three stalls per week, knocking on houses in the local area, and more.
We campaigned against council tax increases and cuts to public services. This was met with a positive and friendly response from the public, who are fed up with cuts from both the Tory council and Labour government.
Our weekly Socialist Party meetings were geared towards election issues – disability cuts, the Greens, the Supreme Court ruling curtailing rights of trans people, and finishing with a special public meeting on the building the socialist opposition to Starmer’s Labour.
It was a fantastic opportunity for us to spread a positive socialist message. We met hundreds of people campaigning.
People were very willing and open to talk to us when they realised we weren’t Labour. Over 100 people bought the Socialist paper.
Our consistent and regular campaign activity is leaving a positive impact on the local area, and the Socialist Party here is growing.
Lambeth by-election – anger at Labour government and council
Adam Gillman, South East London Socialist Party
We spoke to many working-class people angry about many issues. Socialist Party member Marco Tesei had stood for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) in the Herne Hill and Loughborough by-election in Lambeth in south London on 1 May.
Many people were angry at the record of this Labour government. After only being elected less than a year ago, it has attacked many sections of the working class, from pensioners to students to families and young people. Lambeth Labour council is making £99 million cuts to all sorts of services – libraries, youth services, children’s services.
Labour has 56 of 63 Lambeth councillors. But this time they lost to the Greens. This shows the anger of working-class people at the Labour council and government.
What is the Greens’ strategy to fight cuts? What are they going to do on the council?
Recently, Lambeth Unison union organised an anti-cuts conference to discuss how we can build the fightback. The local Unison branch should put pressure on, and raise a people’s budget to fight the cuts to the newly elected Green, and all other councillors.
