Steve Nally, photo Lambeth TUSC

Anti-poll tax campaigner Steve Nally is standing for TUSC in Tulse Hill, Lambeth, South London, on 25th July.

The old traditions of struggle are once again coming to the fore in Lambeth, which stood with Liverpool against Thatcher's cuts to local government.

Re-visiting old supporters to get nominations to stand, TUSC candidate Steve Nally, standing in the Tulse Hill by-election, was rebuffed by just one, only to receive a call the following day to say that, angry with Labour's choice of candidate, he wanted to nominate Steve after all.

THE ANNUAL conference (annual general meeting) of the RMT transport workers' union met in Brighton at the end of June, with the central themes being the continued attacks on jobs, pay and pensions, and the horrors of privatised and casualised transport industries.

But part of the solution to these problems is the need to build a political movement that will support workers' rights and a clear alternative to the failed policies of the current Con-Dem and previous Labour governments.

The debate this year on continuing support for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) bought out many of these issues and heavily rejected a call for the union to return to supporting the Labour Party.

JULY'S MEETING of the TUSC national steering committee discussed a 'half-term report' on the results achieved by TUSC candidates in council by-elections in the first half of 2013.

The results from the seventeen by-elections contested by TUSC in that period are listed below.

A total of 35,007 electors have voted in these contests, with TUSC's aggregate score of 1,266 votes representing 3.6% of all the ballots cast.

Waltham Forest Guardian 25/6/13

Waltham Forest Guardian, Tuesday 25th June 2013

Waltham Forest Guardian 25/6/13

The Trade Unionists and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) is looking for candidates to contest the 2014 elections in every ward of Waltham Forest.

The anti-cuts group is opposing all main parties because of their support for slashing public spending, and it is looking for trade unionists, community campaigners and others willing to stand as TUSC representatives in each ward.

Newham Recorder 24/6/13

Newham Recorder, Monday, June 24, 2013

Newham Recorder 24/6/13

Campaigners marched on the Town Hall last week to urge councillors not to evict people hit by government housing cuts.

Around a dozen protesters from newly-formed No Bedroom Tax in Newham (NBTN) loudly lobbied cabinet members as they made their way to a meeting on Thursday to get them to refuse to enforce the policy.

Brent and Kilburn Times

Brent and Kilburn Times, Monday, June 24, 2013

Brent and Kilburn Times

Brent Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) hope to 'shame' Rev Cllr David Clues into stepping down

A coalition party have launched a petition calling for a councillor in Brent who lives 80 miles from his ward to resign.

Camden New Journal 24/6/13

Camden New Journal, 24 June 2013

A HOUSING association's chief executive had to walk through a picket outside its headquarters yesterday (Wednesday) as workers protested about a cut in salaries.

Mick Sweeney was faced with around 50 demonstrators at the One Housing Group's offices in Chalk Farm.

THE WALSALL Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), whose candidates stand for election on a platform of refusal to implement Con-Dem attacks such as the notorious 'bedroom tax'.

This week Walsall DLP councilor Pete Smith submitted the following resolution to be debated at the next full council meeting:

"Given that this council at a recent meeting on 8th April 2013, unanimously expressed its opposition to the so called 'bedroom tax' and resolved to call on the government to scrap the 'bedroom tax', this council now calls upon the Walsall Housing Group (whg) and other social landlords of properties in the borough of Walsall to give assurances that they will take no eviction action against any of their tenants, solely as a result of arrears resulting from the imposition and impact of the 'bedroom tax'."

TWO RECENT council by-elections in Southampton and Newcastle have underlined the mounting challenge to Labour posed by UKIP.

They have also confirmed that translating the support that exists for TUSC's anti-austerity message into votes is not simple or straight-forward when the underlying anger at the establishment parties has an alternative outlet.

UKIP had not stood a candidate in Newcastle's Walkergate ward or Southampton's Woolston ward the last time these seats were contested in full council elections in May 2012, but came through to finish second in both seats this time.

THE Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) national steering committee met last week to begin the discussion on what intervention could be made in next year's scheduled elections.

Thursday May 22nd 2014 will see elections being held in 160 local councils in England, including mayoral contests in Watford and the London boroughs of Hackney, Lewisham, Newham and Tower Hamlets. The full list of councils with elections next year is available at 2014 council profiles

Labour controls 76 of these councils - with 54 Tory-controlled, 22 under no overall control, and eight Lib Dem-led - covering all the metropolitan areas of England, including the 32 London boroughs.

THE Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) has agreed candidates for forthcoming council by-elections in Plymouth (polling day, 27th June) and Brighton (11th July), running alongside the previously announced by-election campaigns in Newcastle (this Thursday), Southampton (13th June), and Salford (20th June).

The Brighton by-election follows the resignation of the sitting Green Party councillor for the Hanover and Elm Grove ward.

The contest will be taking place against the backdrop of a dispute between the Green Party leadership of the city council and the council workforce over cuts to terms and conditions.