Vote TUSC in Bentley on 21 August

Alistair Tice, South Yorkshire Socialist Party

A newly elected Reform councillor has resigned after just two months, causing a council by-election in Bentley ward in Doncaster. Reform councillors say they want to cut ‘wasteful expenditure’, yet it will cost more than £20,000 to hold this by-election. Reform has already suspended another Doncaster councillor.

Reform majority

Reform won a majority on the council in the May local elections. At the first council meeting, the first motion that they proposed wasn’t to improve council services, build more council houses, or create decent jobs for our young people. No, it was about flags!

This is why Socialist Party member Andy Hiles is standing as the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidate, to offer an anti-austerity and anti-war alternative to Reform and Labour.

Benefit cuts

Andy is a painter and decorator, a trade unionist, and a benefits advice buddy. He says on the TUSC leaflet: “I have been involved in campaigning on welfare issues, such as ending the Bedroom Tax and abolishing the two-child benefits cap for over ten years.

“I have been helping people fight unfair decisions by DWP and making mandatory reconsideration requests, helping to fill out any number of forms for Universal Credit, PIP, Pensioner Credits, and Blue Badge applications, as well as taking cases to tribunal.

“Ever since this Labour government was elected, it has been the same old story as the previous Tory government, attacks on the working class. Within days of taking office, they had announced they would keep the two-child benefit cap. and then announced they were scrapping the winter-fuel payment for pensioners. Now they are cutting disability benefits and PIP.

“They say there’s no money for us. But when Trump came calling, they soon found billions of pounds for war, for more arms and weapons to kill people in Ukraine and Gaza. I say fund welfare, not warfare.”

6,000 leaflets

With the help of new Socialist Party members and TUSC supporters in Doncaster, over 6,000 leaflets have already been delivered in less than three weeks before the postal votes come out, as well as holding three campaign stalls so far.

All advertising a public meeting on Tuesday 12 August, 7pm, C-View community centre, Church View, Doncaster, DN1 1AF about “Support Corbyn and Sultana’s new party, Vote Andy Hiles in Bentley”.