Nominations have closed, and it is now confirmed that 40 candidates will stand on behalf of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) on 4 July in the general election.
TUSC: rebuilding working class representation at the general election
TUSC is a coalition of trade unionists, anti-war protestors, community activists, environmental campaigners, and socialists from different organisations or none – who unite to contest elections around pro-working class, anti-austerity policies.
Its general election platform is not a full government programme but rather summarises the minimum policies that voters should know that all TUSC candidates support.
Its goal in standing at the general election is to contribute to the process of rebuilding mass political representation for the working class that could seriously challenge for government in the future – not presenting itself as the finished product.
But by not leaving the establishment politicians unchallenged, TUSC hopes to help develop the self-confidence of the working class that it is an alternative power to the capitalist rulers of society – and that it has the capacity to create and build its own democratic mass workers’ party to realise that power politically.
From an ex-MP to the youngest candidate
The candidates standing for TUSC at the general election are an impressive display of working-class fighters who have come together under the group’s banner to take forward this task. You can read the full list here.
They range from veteran socialist ex-Labour MP Dave Nellist (1983-1992) – standing this time in Coventry East – who headed the ‘parliamentary wing’ of the mass campaign of non-payment of the poll tax that brought down Margaret Thatcher in the 1990s.
Then, there’s probably the youngest candidate on the ballot anywhere in July, 18-year-old college student Adam Gillman contesting Reading Central, who is a member of Socialist Students – one of the different organisations that are part of TUSC.
Then there are the trade unionists on the list, already experienced in representing thousands of workers through the important national and local positions they hold in the union movement.
Trade unionists and community campaigners
At the general election, these include the:
- Elected Black Female representative on the public services union UNISON’s national executive council (NEC) April Ashley, standing (in a personal capacity) in Croydon West.
- Secretary of Scotland’s biggest UNISON branch, Chris Sermanni (in Glasgow North East).
- South Gloucestershire local government UNISON branch secretary, Dan Smart (for Bristol North East).
- PCS civil service union London and South East regional secretary, Lois Austin, (standing, in a personal capacity, in West Ham and Beckton).
- Plymouth NEU district secretary Alex Moore (in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport).
- RMT branch political officer, Gary Harbord (in Uxbridge and South Ruislip).
- UNISON Health branch chair, Sally Griffiths (in Worsley and Eccles).
- Trades council officers Dave Murray (Basildon and Billericay), Declan Clune (Southampton Itchen), Maggie Fricker (Southampton Test), Mike Whale (Hull North and Cottingham), and Gareth Bromhall (Swansea West), a trades council rep on the Wales TUC general council.
Another strand of candidates are the serious community campaigners appearing on the ballot paper as TUSC with an established local standing, such as Nancy Taaffe (Walthamstow) – well-known as a local campaigner on housing, libraries, education and anti-war protests – the chair of Save Our NHS Leicestershire, Steve Score (Leicester West), and the former Redbridge Labour councillor and hospital campaigner Andy Walker (Ilford South).
TUSC: standing up to Hoyle
Meanwhile, in Folkstone and Hythe the TUSC banner is being carried by the anti-war campaigner and Folkestone Stands With Palestine group member Momtaz Khanom.
And lastly, TUSC is standing a candidate against the speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, in his Chorley constituency.
The mainstream establishment triopoly of parties has stood down in Lindsay Hoyle’s favour – so he really can be said to be a joint candidate of the Labour Party, Conservative Party, and the Lib Dems. But TUSC is standing a former member of the National Union of Teachers’ NEC, Martin Powell-Davies, so that workers have a chance to have their interests represented.
Independents charge at the general election
It is true that the challenge to the mainstream capitalist establishment parties is not as widespread and coordinated as it could have been if the official leaders of the left-wing trade unions in particular had given a lead.
Nevertheless there will still be a significant challenge made on 4 July, headed by Jeremy Corbyn in Islington North, and which TUSC is part of. So where it is possible, please help all these campaigns in any way you can.
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