Socialist Party election campaign launched

LAST WEEKEND the Socialist Green Unity Coalition officially launched its general election campaign.

The coalition is an electoral agreement between different socialist organisations to make sure we maximise the potential socialist vote in the coming election.

Dave Nellist, the former Labour MP and now leader of the Socialist Party group on Coventry city council, explained:

"We are standing to give voters a chance to elect candidates who will represent the millions not millionaires.

"We believe that the New Labour party of Blair and Brown has deprived the working class of political representation, and we want to restore a workers' voice in politics.

"We believe MPs should earn the average wage of a skilled worker and we are standing to give voters a chance to elect representatives who will not profit personally from election."

Socialist Green Unity Coalition will contest up to 30 seats. In the Socialist Party we are standing in: Bootle, Brighton Kemptown, Bristol North West, Cardiff South and Penarth, Coventry North East, Coventry South, Leicester West, Lewisham Deptford, Newcastle East and Wallsend, Sheffield Heeley, Stoke-on-Trent Central, Swansea West, Wakefield, Walthamstow, Wythenshawe and Sale East.

In the last general election Dave Nellist received the highest percentage votes of any left candidate in England and Wales (7.5%). Dave explained why we will be able to build on that in 2005:

"In Coventry we have Labour MPs voting in favour of the Bain report, which laid the foundation for cuts in the fire service, and then locally campaigning when two fire engines are taken off night service in Radford and Foleshill. They pose locally as the champions of local services whilst nationally they're taking decisions which lead to those cuts.

The same is true about post offices. We've had about eleven post offices close in Coventry. Local Labour MPs have said they support the campaign against those closures. But they supported the Post Office nationally in its "network reinvention" programme, which speaks of closing 3,000 post offices and getting rid of 30,000 jobs.

The only way we're going to break through those lies at local and national level is when working people have genuine political representatives which really campaign and speak on their behalf."

If you would like a copy of the Socialist Party election manifesto, or would like to help us in any of our campaigns phone 020 8988 8777 or email [email protected]

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.