PCS delegation on the 26 March TUC demo, 2011. Photo: Senan (uploaded 16/02/2022)
PCS delegation on the 26 March TUC demo, 2011. Photo: Senan

Socialist Party members in PCS

Ballot papers for the 2022 PCS president and national executive elections will be posted out to members on 21 April. The closing date is 12 May. There are also separate online group elections which open on 28 April and close 17 May.

Socialist Party members in the union will be campaigning for the Broad Left Network (BLN) candidates. The Broad Left Network is a rank-and-file socialist group which stands for:

  • A fighting democratic programme of change for the union
  • Election of full-time officials with wages aligned to the members
  • A strong political voice – support for candidates who support us and oppose austerity
  • Socialist transformation of society – a society based on need not profit

Current leadership

The current union leadership made up of Left Unity and the Democrats (Democracy Alliance) lacks credibility:

  • They failed to organise any effective form of collective response to the Covid threat. Members were simply told what the Health and Safety laws say and were left to make up their own mind about whether or not it was safe to work.
  • They failed to organise any collective opposition to government pay restrictions. In 2020, the leadership signed up to the concept of ‘national unity’ by ‘parking’ the PCS pay claim. In 2021 the union leadership told the government that they were prepared to sell conditions for pay rather than challenge government pay restrictions.

Time for change

It’s time for change. The Broad Left Network is the only group standing candidates in these elections which has increased its branch nominations over last year. This is an important measure of support and is a recognition of the fighting qualities shown by BLN supporters, for example, in opposing the 48 office closures in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Marion Lloyd, with 45 nominations for president from across the union, is best placed to beat the current president, Fran Heathcote of Left Unity. The third candidate in this election, with 16 nominations, is Bev Laidlaw of the Independent Left. We believe she should withdraw and that activists and members who are serious about challenging Heathcote and the Democracy Alliance should unite behind Marion Lloyd for President.

We urge full support for Marion Lloyd for president and for all the other Broad Left Network candidates standing in this election:

President

Lloyd, Marion (BEIS)

Vice-presidents

Brittle, Fiona (Scot Gov)

Brown, Sarah (Met Police)

Rosser, Jon-Paul (HMRC)

Semple, Dave (DWP)

Executive council

Bartlett, Dave (MOJ)

Bridges, Andi (HMRC)

Brittle, Fiona (SG)

Brown, Alex (NHS Digital)

Brown, Sarah (Met Police)

Davies, Jaime (HMRC)

Denman, Kevin (Met Police)

Dennis, Alan (DSG)

Doyle, Nick (HMRC)

Exley, Matt (Culture Sector)

Foxton, Gill (DfE)

Francis, Sue (UKSBS)

Heemskerk, Rachel (DWP)

Lloyd, Marion (BEIS)

McDougall, Rachelle (Crown Office)

Parker, Nick (ACAS)

Rees, Dave (DWP)

Ritchie, Rob (Met Police)

Rosser, Jon-Paul (HMRC)

Semple, Dave (DWP)

Suter, Paul (DWP)

Tweedale, Saorsa-Amatheia (DWP)

Williams, Katrine (DWP)

Worswick, Craig (DWP)

Young, Colin (DfE)

Young, Bobby (HMRC)

The programme on which BLN candidates are fighting the election can be found at pcsbln.wordpress.com.