The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) was set-up in 2010, co-founded by the militant RMT transport workers’ union general secretary, the late Bob Crow.  It’s primary goal was to enable trade unionists, socialists, and working class social movement and community campaigners to stand candidates against pro-austerity establishment politicians at election times – a task even more important today.

Candidates who want to stand under the TUSC banner have autonomy to run their own campaigns.  TUSC is not a conventional ‘party’ in that sense but precisely a coalition. The only provision is that they are expected to endorse the TUSC core policy platform for the relevant election, which are discussed at TUSC conferences subject to the final agreement of the TUSC steering committee, encompassing the different component parts of the coalition (see How TUSC functions at https://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/482.pdf). 

The individual candidates and different organisations appearing on the ballot paper under the TUSC name and logo will almost certainly campaign for and promote far more issues than those covered in the core policies agreed for each election.  That’s what being a coalition is about. 

But what they will all do is fight to implement the core policies for the election they are contesting, as listed below.  Voters will know the minimum they can expect from any representative elected under the TUSC banner.