With the government at last confirming which English local council elections are going ahead on Thursday 1st May, the first set of candidates using one of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) descriptions on their ballot paper have been approved by the TUSC all-Britain steering committee.

Under Britain’s election laws, candidates are only allowed to use a description other than the word ‘Independent’ – and a distinguishing emblem next to it rather than a blank space – if that description has been registered with the Electoral Commission by a recognised party.  TUSC is registered with the Commission and has eight descriptions available to use, including for the first time the words, Independent Trade Union and Socialist Candidate.

TUSC is an inclusive umbrella alliance with its banner available to be used on the ballot paper by every working-class fighter prepared to stand up to the capitalist establishment politicians at election time.

The only qualification for prospective candidates who wish to use a TUSC-registered description (and the option of an emblem) is that they endorse the TUSC core policies platform for the relevant election.  These are a list of minimum commitments that voters could expect from someone elected while using the TUSC banner – while leaving room for every candidate, whether from the various parts of our coalition or an independent individual socialist, to keep control of their own campaigns. 

The core policies platform for the May 2025 local elections – ‘our six guarantees’ – are to:

1. Oppose all cuts and closures to council services, jobs, pay and conditions; or their privatisation or transfer to social enterprises or ‘arms-length’ management organisations which are the first steps to their privatisation.

2. Reject council tax, rent and service charge increases for working-class people to make up for cuts in central funding.

3. Vote for councils to use their reserves and prudential borrowing powers to avoid making cuts in their 2025-2026 budgets and demand from the Labour government the additional funding needed to make up any future shortfall.

4. Refuse to co-operate with any commissioners or ‘envoys’ appointed by the Labour government to attempt to impose cuts on local services.

5. Support only democratically debated local Climate Emergency plans that create new employment, build flood defences, reduce emissions and improve air quality and the local environment, while protecting the jobs, pay and living standards of all workers.

6. Fight for united working-class struggle against racism, sexism and all forms of oppression.  Back all workers’ struggles against government policies making ordinary people pay for the crisis.

To date there are 22 candidates who have been authorised to use a TUSC description, contesting seats in three local authorities in England.  The list is available at https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Candidates-list-to-25-01-29.pdf.

The next steering committee meeting to discuss candidate applications will take place on February 26th, with completed application forms needing to be received by the TUSC National Election Agent – Clive Heemskerk, at [email protected] – by Saturday 22nd February in order to be placed on the agenda for this meeting.

The form can be downloaded at https://www.tusc.org.uk/2025-application-form-cllr/ (if you are having difficulty opening this link, try copying it into your browser). ■

For more details of the election process check out the TUSC guide to electoral law for prospective candidates and election agents, available as a downloadable PDF at https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2025-Guide-for-Candidates-Agents.pdf