Candidates

An application form to be a TUSC council candidate and a guide to the rules

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) was set-up to enable trade unionists, community campaigners and socialists from different parties or none to stand candidates under a common anti-austerity and socialist banner. 

The only qualification for using the coalition’s name is that candidates are expected to endorse the TUSC core policies platform for the relevant election.  These are a list of minimum commitments that voters could expect from someone elected under the TUSC banner while leaving room for the candidates from the various parts of our coalition, and individual campaigners and socialists standing, to keep control of their own campaignsThe draft TUSC core policy platform for the local elections in May 2024 is at https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Local-election-platform-2024.pdf

Using the name on the ballot paper

By law candidates who wish to appear on the ballot paper using the name and logo of a registered party have to submit to the council election staff, along with their nomination forms, a Certificate of Authorisation to use a Party Description, signed by the registered Nominating Officer of the party.  In fact, unless they have a Certificate from a registered party they can only be listed as ‘Independent’ on the ballot paper, with no emblem or logo.

We have produced a form to process applications for a TUSC Certificate of Authorisation for local council elections, which is available on the TUSC website at https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2024-Application-form-Cllr.docx (if you are having difficulty opening this link, try copying it into your browser).  Submitting an application form will be taken as indicating your agreement with the TUSC election platform.

A guide to election rules

TUSC also produces summary guides for prospective candidates and election agents.  The Guide for Election Candidates and Agents for the May 2024 local council elections is available at https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/TUSC-Guide-for-Candidates-Agents-2024.pdf.

The guide contains information on the official regulations governing elections, based on publications produced by the Electoral Commission, along with some tips and pointers drawn from the previous experience of TUSC election campaigners. 

It also includes information on the procedures agreed by the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition all-Britain steering committee on how to become a TUSC candidate and prospective candidates and agents are encouraged to read it before submitting an application form.

The application form to be a general election candidate using the TUSC name

Most of the official regulations for contesting a parliamentary seat are the same as those that apply for local council elections.  There are some differences, such as the grounds on which someone can be disqualified from being a parliamentary candidate, which are explained in the relevant section (pages 17-18) of the TUSC Guide for Election Candidates and Agents for local council elections, available at https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/TUSC-Guide-for-Candidates-Agents-2024.pdf.

The same procedures for becoming a TUSC local election candidate also broadly apply to those who want to use the TUSC name and emblem in a general election, or one of its registered descriptions (these include Trade Unionist and Socialist Candidate, Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts, and Scottish TUSC and Welsh TUSC descriptions).

Prospective candidates are asked in this case to endorse the general election core policies platform – the latest version of which is available at https://www.tusc.org.uk/19517/01-08-2023/what-our-general-election-candidates-stand-for/ – but, with that provision, will be responsible for their own campaign.  That includes the right, if they wish, to campaign for policies beyond the TUSC core policy platform and promote their own organisation in their campaign material. 

The application form to be a TUSC general election candidate is available at https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Application-form-MP.doc.

Submitting the form to the TUSC steering committee will be taken as indicating your agreement with the TUSC election platform.

TUSC election candidates and results from 2011 to 2023

In every year since 2011 that the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) has contested elections* it has always published the detailed results of every candidate that appeared on the ballot paper under its umbrella as a public record – something which we are not aware that any other party or coalition standing candidates does.  Below are the results reports produced for each year.

TUSC election results May 2023

See https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Results-Report.pdf

TUSC election results May 2022

See https://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/472.pdf

TUSC election results May 2021

See https://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/446.pdf

TUSC local election results 2018

See http://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/424.pdf

TUSC local election results 2017

See http://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/400.pdf

TUSC election results May 2016

See http://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/380.pdf

TUSC election results May 2015

See http://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/338.pdf

TUSC election results May 2014

See http://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/307.pdf

TUSC election results 2013

See http://www.tusc.org.uk/pdfs/2013/2013TUSClocalelectionresults.pdf

TUSC election results May 2012

See http://www.tusc.org.uk/pdfs/2012/2012TUSClocalelectionresults.pdf

TUSC election results 2011

See http://www.tusc.org.uk/pdfs/2011/2011TUSClocalelectionresults.pdf

* TUSC recalibrated its electoral activity following Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader, a development which it warmly welcomed.  

Consequently TUSC did not contest either the 2017 or 2019 general elections and stood on a more limited basis in other elections, only against those Labour candidates who opposed Jeremy Corbyn and were carrying out austerity policies.  But with Keir Starmer’s election as leader TUSC agreed to resume standing more widely again, starting in the May 2021 elections.

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Policies

TUSC will oppose all cuts to council jobs, services, pay and conditions. Reject increases in council tax, rent and service charges to compensate for government cuts. Vote against the privatisation of council jobs and services.

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