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Tenacious TUSC celebrates hard-won progress

Dave Nellist with other TUSC candidates at the manifesto launch in London's Canary Wharf, photo Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge)

118,000 votes against all cuts

Including the local elections taking place on the same day across England (outside London), the 100% anti-austerity Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC - see box below) received 118,125 votes.

In Coventry North West, Dave Nellist, chair of TUSC, received 1,769 votes. In Southampton, Councillor Don Thomas, a TUSC supporter who has taken a clear anti-cuts stance, retained his seat with 2,350 votes, a majority of 1,000.

Millions of those who abstained or voted for other parties could have been won to voting Labour if it had clearly opposed austerity. A successful programme might have included measures such as renationalising the railways, energy companies and Royal Mail; introducing an immediate and substantial increase in the minimum wage; and planning a mass council house building programme.

Renewed austerity needs to be met with a renewed and strengthened movement against it. The last government could have been defeated if the public sector general strike in November 2011 had been used as a starting point for a mass movement against austerity.

Workers have suffered the longest and severest wage squeeze since the Victorian era. And despite Chancellor George Osborne's claim that there is now a recovery, average incomes remain 2% below the pre-recession level.

In one opinion poll the SNP, who portrayed themselves as anti-austerity, won 9% support in English and Welsh seats - despite only standing in Scotland! During the election debates, "can I vote SNP in England?" was one of the most frequent Google searches. This, combined with the growth in the Green vote, shows part of the potential for a genuine anti-austerity party.

Workers' voice

The workers' movement needs to create a political voice. Unite, and the other big trade unions, gave many millions to Labour to fund its election campaign. Yet they had no say over how it was conducted. The Collins Review now means trade unions do not even have a voice in the election of the Labour Party leader.

The heads of Labour-affiliated unions are likely to back Andy Burnham, with some of them hoping he will be a more left-wing leader. His record, however, is not more left wing than other figures in the Labour leadership. As health minister in the last Labour government he oversaw the dramatic extension of privatisation in our NHS.

Before the general election, Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, suggested that if Labour could not even defeat the Tories, the time had come to look at a new party. Labour's failure on 7 May puts that issue centre stage. The trade union movement as a whole needs to urgently discuss how to create a new mass workers' party.

In these elections TUSC did not yet have the numerical strength or profile to attract and channel the majority of the anti-austerity mood. Nonetheless, its campaign gave a glimpse of the enthusiasm that a new mass anti-austerity force could create.

Southampton TUSC councillor crushes cuts labour

Don Thomas (centre, wearing tie) celebrates keeping his council seat in the 2015 elections, photo by Southampton TUSC (Click to enlarge)

Southampton anti-cuts councillor Don Thomas has been re-elected with a huge 1,000-vote majority over his closest rival, the Labour candidate.

If Labour had shown the determination of Don and fellow anti-cuts councillor Keith Morrell, the Tories would have been swept aside. Since taking the council in 2012, Labour has cut more jobs and services than the Tories did since 2010!

After the council strike of 2011, enthusiasm among trade unionists for Labour as an alternative has disappeared. After this general election defeat many trade union members will ask why their subs should go to back Labour candidates who carry out cuts.

What if they had backed Don and the TUSC anti-cuts candidates in the city, as many activists have done? What if they had put their money and enthusiasm into building a political voice to oppose cuts?

Anti-academies activist vows to fight on

Locally, TUSC and the Socialist Party will be getting straight on with the job of supporting Stop Academies In Lewisham and the teachers' unions. We are building the fight to stop the break-up of local schooling into academy chains.

We were more active on the streets than any other group standing.

Silenced in most of the press, many voters still saw TUSC as a 'minority' option; the Greens picked up most of the 'anti-cuts' votes locally. How reliably anti-cuts every Green would be once elected is debatable, as we found out ourselves when both Greens and the Socialist Party had councillors on Lewisham council.

For now, TUSC's support came from the most determined voters who have seen through the austerity lies or have worked with us in trade union and community campaigns.

Labour shipwreck

Some of those who still refuse to jump from Labour's shipwreck will say that TUSC's relatively modest votes show a new voice cannot be built. Far from it! TUSC campaigners know that, wherever we were able to get our views across, they were enthusiastically supported.

That was certainly my experience at hustings - and at our TUSC pre-election rally that was packed with new faces, most much younger than mine!

Buoyant TUSC campaigners report back

Fleetwood, Lancashire

Simon Roberts joined the Socialist Party after he realised he was better qualified than the 'medical professional' from ATOS who assessed his eligibility for benefits. Now he's a TUSC town councillor in Fleetwood, elected unopposed, and has helped to shake up the politics of this town.

Before TUSC came along, the town council was 'independent' - despite its members being from Labour, the Conservatives and even the BNP. The town might never be the same again.

Warrington, Cheshire

Councillor Kevin Bennett, TUSC parliamentary candidate for Warrington South, said: "Here in Warrington it has been a short campaign. I only resigned from Labour at the end of February. But it has been an intense campaign, and we have raised the profile of TUSC.

"I stand fully behind the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, and agree that we need a radical left agenda. TUSC will put forward an agenda for the people, and I will be proud to fight for a better future."

Kent

Medway TUSC's high-visability vests, photo Medway TUSC (Click to enlarge)

Highlights include presenting outgoing Ukip MP Mark Reckless with a giant P45 one week ahead of the count - TUSC called it first! Our eye-catching use of high-visibility vests (see pic below) - instead of rosettes - helped identify us as the most vibrant party.

Manchester

Parliamentary candidate Alex Davidson and council candidate Emma Clark appeared on local radio debating Labour and the Greens. They were able to challenge both parties on their record of voting for cuts, as well as making the point that only TUSC candidates pledge to accept no more than a worker's wage.

Feedback from the show was fantastic, and a flood of visitors to our campaign stall confirmed dissatisfaction with the status quo across Manchester's working class communities.

Tower Hamlets, London

I watched four Poplar and Limehouse candidates thank their agents and election teams on the platform at the count. Three spoke of the 'fair fight' now being fought in Tower Hamlets. They thanked the justice system for its shameful attack on democracy in suspending the elected mayor.

One candidate instead thanked the council workers: TUSC's Hugo Pierre. He was the only candidate to mention working class people and the anti-cuts movement, reminding us that "it's better to break the law than break the poor."

"So we have the blue Tories back in instead of the red ones."

Harrow, London

Leafleting in Harrow at the end of a successful day's campaigning, we met a young woman who had just been to vote.

When she got to the polling station, she saw the TUSC candidate at the top of the ballot paper. She had not heard of TUSC before. She searched for us on the web, and liked what she read so much that both she and her mum voted TUSC.

Wakefield, Yorkshire

TUSC candidates in Wakefield polled 1,627 votes - a 29% increase on 2014. One supporter said: "I wanted to phone you to express my support, and say it is refreshing that there is a real alternative to vote for."

Salford, Lancashire

One of Salford TUSC's fundraising cakes, photo by Salford TUSC (Click to enlarge)

The generosity of our supporters was impressive: £650 from the RMT, two anonymous donations of £100 each, £130 from a coffee and cakes afternoon (see pic right) and £180 from a meeting collection!

Totnes, Devon

I have lived in Totnes for about ten years, but was not known for my political views. It took a bit of guts to stand for the first time.

The best thing is that I keep meeting people who have spotted my TUSC badge, come up to me and say "I voted for you." Shop workers, a launderette manager, a bar worker at one of the pubs. People you only know because you have gone up to buy a bottle of milk - suddenly we have become friends and allies.

Darlington, County Durham

We did seven hustings to audiences of more than 70. Feedback was that TUSC 'won' or was close to being the best performer at all of them.

Spelthorne, Surrey

"I just wanted to say a big thank you for cheering up such a depressing and sad morning! It was fab to see all those votes for you! When I think of the small band we were on the night of 29 April in Staines Community Centre, it's gobsmacking that translated into 228 votes. Especially when we see what has happened nationally.

"This is testament to all the amazing hard work you have put in - and your courage. You've established an alternative voice in Spelthorne, and shone a light in the gloom we've woken up to. Thank you so much."

York

Our highlight was seeing 50 people at our public meeting. Many were impressed enough to join the campaign!

The Greens won four council seats, which may give hope that an anti-austerity party could hold the balance of power. This, unfortunately, is not the case. Greens have been complicit in cuts budgets before, by abstaining rather than voting against.

TUSC stood city wide. In the ward we have contested before, Nigel Smith increased our vote to 385 - ahead of his Tory rival!

Coventry

The first ever Socialist candidate in Kenilworth has received a fantastic 397 votes in the district and town council elections. Non Frenguelli, an 18-year-old school student and Socialist Party member, said: "For the first Socialist to ever stand in Kenilworth, I am pleased that we gained hundreds of votes.

"Young people have been hit hard by austerity policies from both the Tories and Labour - whether they're in low-paid jobs, on zero-hour contracts, affected by benefit cuts or hit by massive university fees. If you want to fight back, join the Socialist Party and get involved with TUSC!"

Coventry TUSC candidates received a total of 7,440 votes in the local and general elections.