The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition says:

“No to Cuts and Privatisation!

Make the Bosses pay!”

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TUSC stands in opposition to public spending cuts and privatisation, calls for investment in publicly owned and controlled renewable energy, the repeal of the anti-trade union laws, and the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Read more ...

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Printed and published by TUSC, 17 Colebert House, Colebert Avenue, London E1 4JP

Telephone: 020 7702 8667

email: info@tusc.org.uk

Press: 07984 027754

Stand up to the Con-Dem government

For councillors who refuse to implement the cuts!

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) Steering Committee has agreed a draft policy platform, outlined below, to contest the local council elections that will take place in May 2012, in 158 councils in England and all councils in Wales.

There are also local elections in 2012 for all councils in Scotland, and TUSC supporters there are discussing a similar platform.

The local elections policy platform, to be discussed at a conference of TUSC supporters in January, will be the basis on which any prospective council candidate who wishes to can stand under the TUSC name in May's elections.

This policy platform is a supplement to the core policy statement that TUSC candidates endorsed when they stood in the general election in May 2010, which still stands as the basic policy position of the TUSC coalition (see below).

An application form for the legally necessary 'Certificate of Authorisation' to stand as a TUSC candidate is available on the website (see Candidates).

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition policy platform for the 2012 local elections in England and Wales:

• Oppose all cuts to council jobs, services, pay and conditions - we reject the claim that 'some cuts' are necessary to our services.
• Reject increases in council tax, rent and service charges to compensate for government cuts.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Trade Unionists and Socialist Coalition policies

The following is the core policy statement that TUSC candidates endorsed when they stood in the general election in May 2010, which still stands as the basic policy position of the TUSC coalition

The working class and peoples of Britain face a ruling class offensive which will intensify over the coming period.

It is an offensive against public services, incomes, living standards and trade union rights in order to boost monopoly profit. Not content with the banks receiving the biggest bail-out in the history of British capitalism, big business aims to make workers and their families pay to serve the interests, first and foremost, of the City of London's financial institutions.

It is also an offensive which will be stepped up regardless of which party wins the forthcoming General Election. The likelihood is that a Tory government will make earlier and deeper cuts in public spending than a New Labour one. A Labour government may also be more vulnerable to trade union pressure not to outlaw industrial action in 'essential' services.

But both main parties intend to prolong the imperialist occupation of Afghanistan and to maintain the expansion of nuclear power and a new generation of British nuclear weapons.

Therefore this coalition is contesting the General Election to show that there is a clear left-wing alternative to policies of public sector cuts, privatisation, militarism and environmental degradation.

We recognise that there will be Labour and non-Labour candidates standing in the general election who agree with our policies, who share our socialist aspirations and who will be supported by left and labour movement organisations participating in our coalition.

We also recognise that there are different strategic views about the way forward for the left in Britain, whether the Labour Party can be reclaimed by the labour movement, or whether a new workers' party needs to be established.

But our coalition is united on the need for mass resistance to the ruling class offensive, and for an alternative programme of left-wing policies to help inspire and direct such resistance. These are the policies which we therefore propose to put before the people:

Stop all privatisation, including the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and the immoral privatisation of prisons. Bring privatised public services and utilities back into public ownership under democratic control.

Take rail back into public ownership and build an integrated, low-pollution public transport system.

For a high-quality, free National Health Service under democratic public ownership and control.

Stop council estate sell-offs and build eco-friendly, affordable public housing.

Good, free education for all, under democratic local authority control; student grants not fees.

Keep Royal Mail as a publicly-owned service, not a privatised cash cow.

Bring banks and finance institutions into genuine public ownership under democratic control, instead of giving huge handouts to the very capitalists who caused the crisis.

Tax the rich. For progressive tax on rich corporations and individuals, with a crackdown on tax avoidance.

For massive investment in environmental projects.

Repeal the anti-trade union laws.

A minimum wage set at half average adult male earnings, with no exemptions.

Invest to create and protect jobs, including for young people.

Solidarity with workers taking action to defend jobs, conditions, pensions, public services and trade unions. Reinstate full trade union rights to prison officers.

Deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions - otherwise climate change, caused by capitalism, will destroy us.

Invest in publicly-owned and controlled renewable energy.

Move to sustainable, low-pollution industry and farming - stop the pollution that is destroying our environment.

Recognise that many of our planet's resources are limited and that capitalism fritters them away for profit.

Produce for need, not profit, and design goods for reuse and recycling.

Restore the pre-Thatcher real value of pensions. Reinstate the link with average earnings.

Protect entitlement to benefits; for living benefits; end child poverty.

Welcome diversity and oppose racism, fascism and discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, disability, sexuality, age and all other forms of prejudice.

Defend the right to asylum. No scapegoating of migrant workers.

Ensure women have genuinely equal rights and pay.

Defend our liberties and make police and security democratically accountable.

Bring home all British troops from Afghanistan immediately - no more wars for resources.

No more spending on a new generation of nuclear weapons, huge aircraft carriers or irrelevant eurofighters - convert arms spending into socially useful products and services.

An independent foreign policy, based on international solidarity – no more being a US poodle, no moves towards a capitalist, militarist United States of Europe, no Lisbon Treaty.

For a democratic socialist society run in the interests of the people not the millionaires. For democratic public ownership of the major companies and banks that dominate the economy, so that production and services can be planned to meet the needs of all and to protect the environment.