Rob Williams – Standing For Socialism

Socialist Party Wales has selected Rob Williams to stand in the Aberavon constituency for the Welsh assembly elections 2003.

Rob, a 32-year-old Visteon worker from Glyncorrwg is secretary of Port Talbot Socialist Party and a long-standing socialist campaigner. He has led numerous campaigns in Port Talbot and the valleys over the years, defending working class people.

In 1989 Rob led the community campaign on the Sandfields estate against the pollution threat from BP Baglan Bay. He was secretary of the successful anti-poll tax campaign in Port Talbot in the early 90’s and a key figure in combating the racist Ku Klux Klan in Maesteg.

More recently, Rob was to the forefront in fighting against a PFI financed hospital in Baglan arguing instead for a publicly funded NHS hospital with increased staff and facilities.

Over the past 18 months Rob Williams has campaigned against the building of an incinerator in Crymlyn Burrows that threatens the health and safety of the residents of Aberavon as well as those of his workmates in Visteon and the surrounding area

Rob Williams says: “New Labour has let working class people down across Wales but particularly in Aberavon. I will campaign to get the Crymlyn Burrows incinerator shut down and fight to prevent any further environmentally dangerous sites being imposed on us.

“I am opposed to the privatisation of our public services, including PFI, which is being implemented by New Labour and Plaid Cymru local authorities. Public sector workers, in particular the firefighters, should be fully supported in their fight for decent pay and conditions.

“I am totally against the preparations for war against Iraq and believe this government should set as its priority paying public sector workers’ wages and not waging war against innocent Iraqis.

“Unlike the fat cat Welsh Assembly politicians, if elected I would only take the average pay of a skilled worker and donate the rest back to the socialist movement, community campaigns and to trade unionists in struggle.”