Sunday 14 February 2010

TUSC takes shape

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition for the general election is beginning to take shape.

Let's have a look at a couple of newly confirmed candidacies.

The updated list of candidates on the TUSC website includes some of the seats the SWP are intending to stand in. Maxine Bowler will be standing in Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, against David Blunkett. Importantly, the BNP's Mark Collett, subject of the Channel 4 documentary Young, Nazi and Proud, will be standing in the same area. Collett openly expressed admiration for the Nazis and virulently homophobic and racist views. There's no doubt that, in Brightside, one of the most working class constituencies in the country, the BNP will be trying to promote itself as pro-worker, a sort of 'Old Labour' for white workers. The need to directly combat this propaganda and prevent the BNP from gaining a foothold in working class communities is one of the most important reasons for TUSC to stand.

The Hazel Must Go! Campaign in Salford and Eccles has voted to affiliate to TUSC, and their candidate David Henry also has the backing of the Green Party. It appears that David has had to resign from the Greens as a technicality, in order to stand under a different name, but they are still backing his candidacy. This is an example of a broad campaign to get rid of a particularly hated MP, but of course it is not just motivated by personality. The campaign's affiliation to TUSC gives it a clear left-wing, pro-working class orientation.

It is not yet clear whether candidates in local elections will be using the TUSC name, or keeping the name of the constituent organisations.

More details on TUSC campaigns as and when!

2 comments:

  1. its looking good at the moment

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  2. Salford's also got to contend with Nick Griffin's number one in command - the charming Tina Whingfield... who will be arriving in Salford by helicopter from her hometown of Cockermouth, Cumbria any time now. Then there's a couple of loony independents (an interesting Christian fundamentalist that combines comedy with insanity), the most boring Lib Dem candidate you'll ever meet (but he'd make a nice Lord Mayor!) as well as lots of far-friend friends like UKIP, the English Democrats, Gay Tories (?!), and of course Mrs Blears. Some may say we've got our work cut out... I say bring it on!

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