Conor Anthony O’Neill, Liverpool North Socialist Party
Upon the recent resignation of an independent councillor who left the Labour Party last year citing her opposition to austerity politics, a by-election was called in Sefton for the Blundellsands ward.
We have a strong record of standing candidates as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) across Sefton, most notably in the St Oswald ward where I came second to Labour in the 2024 local elections, beating the other establishment parties including the Greens, the Tories and the Lib Dems.
Having previously stood with the description ‘Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition’, we have this time opted to stand under TUSC’s alternative registered description ‘Independent Trade Unionist and Socialist Candidate’, using the ‘TUSC against cuts’ emblem, as a concession to the local independents group, including Councillor Sean Halsall. Last year, Sean took the courageous stand and resigned from Labour in protest against Starmer’s pro-cuts, pro-war agenda. Sean’s grouping however, indicated to us that it might want to support the Green candidate in this election.
Given TUSC’s commitment to avoiding unnecessary electoral clashes and in recognition of the Green councillors’ recent progressive votes in Sefton to condemn Starmer’s attacks on the elderly and disabled, as well as Halsall’s own commendable record since going independent, we contacted the Sefton Green Party offering to potentially stand down in the upcoming Blundellsands ward by-election if they committed to campaigning on TUSC’s six core principles – including opposition to all cuts and closures, no council tax and charges increased (see tusc.org.uk for the core principles).
A representative of Sefton Green Party responded, declining any formal electoral agreement. Despite claiming to agree with the core principles, the Greens insisted that they would not be prioritised in their election material on the grounds that “banging on about these issues isn’t going to win the election”. Instead they intend to prioritise “community” issues.
Working-class communities in Sefton need councillors who are prepared to ‘bang on’ about the brutal austerity being inflicted on our local services, and who have a strategy to fight for the funding needed to end it.
Given the large vacuum left by Keir Starmer’s rightward shift in the Labour Party, many will see the Greens as an alternative. However, the Green Party’s record in power is one of implementing – not fighting – austerity. It runs Bristol council and is making over £50 million of cuts, for example.
We have not stood aside for the Greens in Blundellsands. We will campaign against austerity and use our stand to make the case for a new mass party of the working class, working with all those who want to take steps forward in that regard, including independents like Sean.
- Conor Anthony O’Neill is the Independent Trade Unionist and Socialist Candidate in the Blundellsands by-election on 19 June
- Come to ‘Meet the candidate’, 7pm, 12 June at the Ferndale Lodge pub
