Matthew Wright will be standing as a Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition candidate for the Springfields & Trent Vale by-election on the following 5 point programme-
1. Oppose all cuts to council jobs, services, pay and conditions – we reject the claim that ‘some cuts’ are necessary to our services.
2. Reject increases in council tax, rent and service charges to compensate for government cuts.
3. Vote against the privatisation of council jobs and services, or the transfer of council services to ‘social enterprises’ or ‘arms-length’ management organisations, which are first steps to privatisation.
4. Use all the legal powers available to councils, including powers to refer local NHS decisions, initiate referenda and organise public commissions and consultations, to oppose both the cuts and government polices which centrally impose the transfer of public services to private bodies.
5. When faced with government cuts to council funding, councils should refuse to implement the cuts. We will support councils which in the first instance use their reserves and prudential borrowing powers to avoid passing them on – while arguing that the best way to mobilise the mass campaign that is necessary to defeat the cuts is to set a budget that meets the needs of the local community and demands that the government makes up the shortfall.
Update.
The post title was changed from ‘Socialist Party candidate‘ to ‘TUSC candidate‘ after a protracted twitter discussion about whether the party was correct in the title.
Posted from here.
This sounds like Andy Bently’s writings to me.
So is Mathew standing for the Socialist Party as their candidate, or for the TU&S alliance?
So where is your manifesto then garry? I see the credible candidates ar e posting them here
The best is always saved for the last.
I’ve been much too busy with the ward itself.
I have E-mailed you about sending some stuff Gary so if you get 10 minutes send it over and I’ll get it published for you.
Gary – many thanks for the ringing endorsement below but I did not write Matt’s 500 words. I did write this http://www.stokesocialistparty.org.uk/?p=1988
Not bad Andy.
Pity you promote a Miner’s strike breaker who waved his pay packet at starving miners on the picket line as he drove past.
…….and you promote him as a credit to ‘the Socialist party’?
I know him and know him well.
He was born a few houses up from me on a miner’s estate.
Go ask them what they think.
Who are you claiming did that?
Yes
Gary,
the Socialist Party supported a candidate in 2006 who had worked
during a period of the miners strike of 1984.
Why
did we do that?
Because
a) he was standing on a programme of opposition to New Labours cuts
in jobs and services (at that time Gary your love in with Tony Blair was still going strong)
b) he was actively campaigning against the New
Labour government’s aim to slash 1,200 jobs at the University
Hospital of North Staffs
c)
along with his brother had put an alternative budget to Stoke
–on-Trent City Council which would have meant no increase in
council tax and no cuts in jobs and services.
Compare
this to the position of ex striking miner and Labour minister Kim
Howells in 2006 who was a key part of a Blair’s crusade to continue
privatisation of our much needed services. (Labour Gary that was your party) In 2006 we preferred to
support a candidate who was fighting alongside the Socialist Party
against New Labours neo liberal free market is god policies. Those
policies which have made the ability of the British economy less able
than most others to withstand the ravages of the economic crisis that
we face today. If we had to choose again between the programme of our
party and candidate in Abbey Hulton in 2006 and Kim Howells then we
would do the same every time.
During
the miners strike Militant (the Socialist Party of today) gave
massive support to the strike. At one stage we produced 100,000
leaflets in support of the miners cause. It was a supporter of
Militant who got a motion passed at the North Staffs Trades Council
to organise one of the first marches of miners to take place. We sent
Roy Jones a miner and Militant supporter from Hem Heath to South
Africa to speak at meetings of thousands to win support for the
miner’s struggle. The support we gave to the miners on strike was
recognised by miners themselves as over 500 became supporters of
Militant at the time.
In a fair and open contest within a Labour election, the striking miner and serving councillor was de-selected.
In an open and fair secret ballot.
He walked out of Labour and stood for the ‘socialist party’.
His brother was not in that contest, but felt a duty to his brother to walk.
I was there, I witnessed it all and I was not in that contest.
To suggest the actual winner of that contest was a supporter of anything that cuts, is a myth without foundation.
You supported a striking miner against him.
To suggest that I, or people like me welcomed or agreed to service slashing is pure nonsense.
I gather that one of your former members of The Militant Tendency (outlawed via expulsion from Labour) was none other than our former Mayor himself, the chief apologist of service culling.
You and your mates have a lot to answer for.
A bit of a joke really Andy, isn’t it.
That should read, you supported a non-striking miner (who waved his pay packet at strikers) against him.
7th line.