The Guardian has asked each parliamentary candidate to list five reasons why they should become an MP at the General Election on May 7.

Here the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidate for Walthamstow, Nancy Taaffe explains why you should vote for her.

1) If elected I would not vote for cuts.

I worked in local libraries, and loved my job. I enjoyed helping people select books, and organising activities around books. I did this for over a decade. When the Labour council voted to pass on Con/Dem cuts without any attempt at resistance, I lost my job. More recently Labour MPs went into the lobbies with the Tories to support £30 billion of cuts – to be implemented after the election.

I would never vote to cut jobs and services. I stand against all cuts. The banks and billionaires have more than enough wealth. Let’s organise a mighty campaign to take the banks and big companies, and all the utilities into public ownership and let’s use it to plan for people’s basic needs like homes, health and education.

2) I stand for a massive programme of public works to build thousands of genuinely affordable homes.

At the moment greedy profiteers see housing as an investment opportunity. It should be a social service with all profit taken out. As an MP I would advocate measures to enable councils to build homes. I would also re-introduce protection for private renters, like security of tenure, and rent tribunals to stop sky-rocketing rents.

3) I would outlaw zero-hours contracts.

These Victorian working conditions are the blight of a generation of our young people. They cannot hope to build a life on such precarious work on low pay and without holiday and pensions benefits. The bosses have gained the upper hand in the workplace by reducing the ability of workers to fight back collectively. The anti-trade union legislation introduced by Thatcher, and never repealed by Labour, must be wiped off the statute book straight away, so any law introduced by parliament could be backed up by trade union strength.

4) I would be a workers’ MP on a workers’ wage.

I am standing to offer the people of Walthamstow a genuine alternative. Many are disgusted at politicians who line their own pockets and help the richest 1% while doing nothing for us. MPs received an 11% salary increase whilst workers’ wages were either kept to 1%, frozen and even cut, as is the case with nurses at Whipps Cross. For too long those who vote for cuts live a lifestyle far removed from the people they represent, and removed from the effects of the cuts they were instrumental in bringing about.

5) I also stand for the right of immediate re-call.

Too often MPs break promises and electors have to wait a full five years to hold them to account. People draw conclusions, quite rightly, that establishment politicians betray workers. There are so many examples. The feelings of betrayal are particularly strong amongst young people, and the poorest people. Some parties will promise anything to get into power. If I was the MP and broke promises, the people of Walthamstow should be able to recall me immediately, through a petition or other agreed mechanism.