All Campaigns subcategories:
Election campaigns keywords:
Tusc
Highlight keywords |
Print this article
Search site for keywords: TUSC - Working-class - London - Socialist - Socialist Party
TUSC: Launching a working-class electoral alternative in London
(Click to enlarge)
Berkay Kartav, South West London Socialist Party
On Friday 9 April, over 70 attended the online campaign launch rally organised by the London Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), gearing up for the London elections on 6 May.
The rally was chaired by James Ivens, a London Socialist Party organiser. He opened the rally by reiterating the point that "TUSC candidates standing for the Greater London Authority (GLA) are standing to be the hot breath on the back of the necks of cutter-Khan, Starmer the abstainer, and their resurrected New Labour project".
We heard from a wide range of speakers who are standing as TUSC candidates in London, including a school worker, a college student and a Black Lives Matter activist.
The first speaker was Lewis Peacock, an RMT member who is standing as a TUSC candidate in the Jubilee ward council by-election in Enfield. He spoke about the crisis in Transport for London funding which has been exacerbated during the pandemic, and the attacks on the militant workforce from both the Tories and Sadiq Khan.
Nancy Taaffe, Socialist Party member and chair of the Save Our Square campaign, was the second speaker. She explained why she is standing for the GLA seat covering the London boroughs of Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest. She said: "There is a layer of people who will be reflecting on what we have just lived through. And TUSC is standing in an attempt to reach those people and offer a socialist solution, particularly in the absence of other forces standing."
There were also speakers from other constituent parts of TUSC. Andy Walker, an independent member, is standing as a TUSC candidate for the Redbridge and Havering constituency seat for the London Assembly.
He spoke about how Redbridge has given too much ground to big developers: "Every vote for TUSC is challenging the status quo of the three main parties who want to give in to big business". We also heard from Jonathan Cooper, an organiser for Resist in London.
Other TUSC candidates spoke brilliantly about why they are standing. Naomi Byron, NHS shop steward and a Socialist Party member, said that the 1% pay rise is a kick in the teeth for NHS workers.
Lewis Baker, a member of the bakers' union BFAWU, who took part in the 2017 McDonald's strike, is standing on the TUSC GLA list.
He said that under the current leadership the Labour Party is failing to connect with working-class communities. He concluded by saying workers need an alternative, and that TUSC is the only organisation that offers a real political alternative.
Donate to the Socialist Party
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.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
LATEST POSTS
12 May Stop Israeli state brutality
 |
9 May Post-election meetings
15 May Birmingham Socialist Party: How can we fight for socialist change and a new workers' party?
17 May Oxfordshire & Aylesbury Socialist Party: The role of the state
18 May Bristol North Socialist Party: Liverpool - history of socialist struggle
CONTACT US
Phone our national office on 020 8988 8777
Email: [email protected]
Locate your nearest Socialist Party branch Text your name and postcode to 07761 818 206
Regional Socialist Party organisers:
Eastern: 079 8202 1969
East Mids: 077 3797 8057
London: 075 4018 9052
North East: 078 4114 4890
North West 079 5437 6096
South West: 077 5979 6478
Southern: 078 3368 1910
Wales: 079 3539 1947
West Mids: 024 7655 5620
Yorkshire: 078 0983 9793
ABOUT US
ARCHIVE
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999