As the scale of the Tory meltdown unfolded last July, the highlight of the election night coverage was when the news came through that Jeremy Corbyn had won a stunning victory in Islington North constituency, standing as an Independent candidate against all the establishment parties. 

And then there was the news that four more Independents had also won in Blackburn, Birmingham Perry Barr, Dewsbury & Batley, and Leicester South – and others had polled impressive votes elsewhere – in a wave of protest at the complicity of Starmer’s Labour Party with the slaughter of the Palestinians in Gaza.

The message was clear.  The grip on political representation of parties which uphold the capitalist system and the inequality, oppression, war, and climate destruction inherent in it – over the interests of the working class and poor in Britain and internationally – could be broken.  The challenge to do so was on.

Is Independent clear enough?

As we approach the first major electoral test of the Starmer government – the council elections on May 1st – it is certain that hundreds of candidates will again be appearing on the ballot papers as independents.  That can only be welcomed.  But it is also right to ask, is the Independent label clear enough to differentiate genuinely independent candidates fighting for working class people and their communities, from others using the word to hide their often right-wing views?

Nearly one in twelve of the councillors facing re-election in May, for example, were elected last time and sit in their town halls as ‘Independents’, while local public services face cut after cut.  Should working class fighters hold back from standing in these seats just because the councillors call themselves ‘Independent’?  But if anti-cuts or anti-war campaigners do stand, how would they distinguish themselves on the ballot paper?

In another example, a council by-election on February 13th in the Trevethin & Penygarn ward in Torfaen in Wales was won by Reform after a collapse in Labour’s vote.  In the last election there, in 2023, the Tories had stood, but not this time.  Instead two candidates appeared on the ballot paper as ‘Independent’.  But what did they stand for?  Were either of them a potential working class alternative to Labour – or closet Tories?

Meanwhile some local Labour parties are re-branding their newsletters and social media as ‘Putting Communities First’, with union flags but no Labour identifiers. 

In this age of political flux – compared to the more established party loyalties of the past – electoral studies show that around one in six voters do not make up their mind about who they will vote for until they have the physical ballot paper in their hand.

‘It does what it says it does on the tin’, goes the old advertising slogan.  The case for putting a description on the ballot paper that is as clear as possible about what a candidate actually stands for is a powerful one.

An Independent Socialist identifier is available

Under Britain’s election laws, candidates are only allowed to use a description on the ballot paper next to their name other than the word ‘Independent’ if that description has been registered with the Electoral Commission by a recognised organisation like TUSC, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.  TUSC has eight descriptions available to use, including for the first time the words, Independent Trade Union and Socialist Candidate.

Using a registered description also entitles a candidate to use, if they wish, an accompanying distinguishing emblem on the ballot paper too.  Otherwise there can only be a blank space next to the candidate’s name and the word, ‘Independent’.  But this is optional.  If someone just wants to use the words, Independent Trade Union and Socialist Candidate, without an emblem, they can.  It’s the candidate’s choice.

TUSC is an inclusive umbrella alliance with its registered descriptions and emblems available to every working-class fighter prepared to stand up to the capitalist establishment politicians at election time.

There is one qualification; which is that prospective candidates agree to abide by the minimum TUSC core policies platform for the relevant election if they were to be elected.  These are a list of basic commitments that voters could expect from someone using the TUSC banner – while leaving room for every candidate, whether from the various parts of our coalition or an individual independent socialist, to keep control of their own campaigns. 

To be clear.  TUSC enthusiastically welcomes the rise of working-class candidates prepared to stand independently against the establishment parties, however they present themselves on the ballot paper, as an important first step to a new mass workers’ party. 

But if you want to use an independent trade unionist and socialist identifier for the May local elections, you can!  ■

The core policies platform for the May 2025 local elections – ‘the six guarantees’ – can be found at https://www.tusc.org.uk/21300/18-12-2024/our-six-guarantees-for-the-may-2025-local-elections/

And the application form to use a TUSC description 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).

So far, over fifty candidates are planning to stand in May’s elections using one of the TUSC descriptions.  The most up to date list is available at https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Candidates-to-25-02-26.pdf and the list of councils with elections this year can be found at https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Elections-2025-directory-revised.pdf.

The next meeting of the TUSC steering committee meeting to discuss candidate applications will take place on March 24th, with completed application forms needing to be received by the TUSC National Election Agent – Clive Heemskerk, at [email protected] – by Friday 21st March in order to be placed on the agenda for this meeting.