Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Last updated

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
AbbreviationTUSC
Leader Dave Nellist [1]
Founded2010
Headquarters17 Colebert House
Colbert Avenue
London
E1 4JP [2]
Ideology
Political position Left-wing [3] [4] to far-left [5]
Colours   
Pink, brown and red
Members
Election symbol
TUSC election logo.svg
Website
www.tusc.org.uk

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) is a socialist electoral alliance in Britain. It was originally launched for the 2010 general election. [6] [7] [8]

Contents

TUSC's co-founder was the RMT union general secretary Bob Crow. Members of the PCS, Unison, NEU, UCU, Napo and POA unions are on the steering committee. The biggest component section of TUSC was the RMT [9] until they disaffiliated at the 2022 RMT AGM. [10] The most prominent participating political groups are the Socialist Party and the Resistance Movement. [9] TUSC stood 135 (parliamentary) candidates across England, Wales and Scotland at the 2015 general election [11] and 619 the same day in local government elections. [12]

Following the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party, TUSC did not stand candidates in the 2017 UK general election and suspended electoral activity in November 2018. [13] It did not contest the 2019 general elections, stating: "TUSC recalibrated its electoral activity following Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader, a development which it warmly welcomed.". [14] In July 2020, after Jeremy Corbyn stood down, the Socialist Party called for the relaunch of the alliance [15] and in September the TUSC steering committee agreed to resume standing candidates in the 2021 UK local elections. [9] It stood further candidates in the 2022 UK local elections. [16]

History

Foundation

At the March 2009 Socialist Party congress, RMT executive members Alex Gordon and Brian Denny addressed Socialist Party delegates in an official capacity, outlining the RMT's proposal for workers' slates in the European elections in June. At a later congress session this initiative was formally agreed by congress delegates, and No to EU – Yes to Democracy (NO2EU) was formed. [17] NO2EU, an electoral alliance, headed by Bob Crow, between the RMT, the Communist Party of Britain and the Socialist Party, subsequently led to the formation of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. The Socialist Party, which had previously participated in the Socialist Alliance and Welsh Socialist Alliance and backed the Campaign for a New Workers' Party, termed No2EU "an important first step towards independent working class political representation", despite criticisms of the name and other minor issues. [18] The Socialist Party stated it "would prefer a name that includes 'socialism', for marked ideological contrast to New Labour, and also one that makes it clear that the coalition is a working class alternative." [18] Nevertheless, the Socialist Party noted the success of Die Linke in Germany, the New Anticapitalist Party in France and Coalition of the Radical Left in Greece, and emphasized the need for a "genuine socialist alternative" in the European elections. [19] [20] [21]

After the European elections, in July 2009, the CPB released a statement [22] expressing willingness to continue the No2EU programme and support left-wing alliance candidates in some constituencies, but also called for a vote for Labour Party candidates in others. However, on 17 January 2010 the executive committee of the Communist Party declined to formally participate in the coalition. [23]

Negotiations to found the coalition continued over several months after the EU election. One proposed name for the coalition was "Trade Unionists and Green Socialists Alliance". [24] The RMT, which had formally supported No2EU, initially decided, in January 2010, not to similarly back TUSC, but allowed individual branches to support it. [25] It later gave TUSC candidates its full backing (see below). On 12 January 2010, the coalition was announced [26] and subsequently, the RMT National Council of Executives supported 20 TUSC candidates on receipt of local RMT branch requests. [27] TUSC chairperson Dave Nellist stood as a candidate for the coalition in the constituency of Coventry North East. Among the other candidates were Jackie Grunsell in Colne Valley constituency, Keith Gibson in Hull West and Hessle, Dave Hill in Brighton Kemptown, Ian Page in Lewisham Deptford, Rob Williams in Swansea West and Tim Cutter in Southampton Itchen.

Some political groups such as the Alliance for Workers Liberty and the Weekly Worker newspaper have argued that the coalition was formed in secret and without democratic input. [28]

Meanwhile, just after the 2009 European Elections, the Socialist Workers Party, which had not taken part in No2EU but which had itself been part of the Socialist Alliance and the Respect Party, published its "Open Letter to the Left", [29] in which it called for "a united fightback to save jobs and services" and subsequently joined TUSC; it left TUSC (England and wales) in 2017, but remained part of the autonomous Scottish TUSC for a time, [30] before leaving entirely. [31]

In July 2020, the Socialist Party called for the relaunch of the electoral alliance [15] and in September the TUSC steering committee agreed to resume standing candidates in the 2021 UK local elections. [9]

People's Alliance of the Left

On 20 January 2022, it was announced that a "memorandum of understanding" had been agreed between TUSC, the Breakthrough Party, the Northern Independence Party and Left Unity. This alliance, known as the People's Alliance of the Left (PAL) would see the four parties work together on a future electoral strategy. [32] It did not last long, however, as TUSC was removed from PAL after its Steering Committee agreed "observer status" for the Workers Party of Britain, led by George Galloway. [33] In a statement, the NIP said that degrading statements made both by Galloway and other Workers Party members about women, non-binary people and immigration had made it impossible for TUSC to remain part of PAL. [34]

Towards the end of July 2023, a left-wing political party merger between Breakthrough, Left Unity, People's Alliance of the Left and Liverpool Community Independents under the name "Transform" was proposed. [35] [36] It was proposed in response to "an era of crisis" which the party merger proposal claims to be "a political organisation that offers a real solution" to. The party merger proposal also has 10 "core principles". If put forward, 5 left-wing parties will be merged, although it is not known for sure whether TUSC is considered to be a part of this merger.

Trade union interaction

Trade union endorsement

Three Annual General Meetings (2012, 2013 and 2014) of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) under the leadership of Bob Crow, endorsed RMT support for TUSC candidates and the RMT was formally represented on the TUSC steering committee.

TUSC claimed in September 2020 that the RMT executive urged TUSC to resume electoral activity after Jeremy Corbyn stepped down as Labour Party leader. TUSC stated: 'Representatives from the biggest component organisation of TUSC, the RMT transport workers’ union, reported to the [TUSC national steering committee] meeting on September 2, that the union’s national executive committee had debated the matter over the summer. They had agreed that, “in the new conditions of a Starmer leadership and the continued implementation of austerity cuts by many Labour-led authorities, we believe it is correct for TUSC to lift its suspension of electoral activity”. And that is what the steering committee agreed.' [37]

After the relaunch of TUSC, the November 11, 2021 steering committee meeting was attended, in a personal capacity, by members of the executives of five different unions: the public sector union, UNISON; the National Education Union (NEU); the PCS civil servants' union; the University and College Union (UCU); and the family court and probation workers' union NAPO. The RMT was absent. [38]

Unite the Union and TUSC

In 2022, under newly elected General Secretary Sharon Graham, Unite responded to TUSC's invitation and formally deputised the union’s Lead for Local Government, Onay Kasab, to TUSC's annual conference on Sunday February 6 to 'explain the extremely significant decision of [Unite's] recent policy conference to call on “Labour councils to set legal, balanced no cuts needs based budgets” rather than meekly accept the Tories’ austerity agenda', which echoed a policy position of TUSC. [39] [40]

Previously, in February 2015, senior figures from Unite the Union condemned the Socialist Party and by implication TUSC, for standing candidates against Labour in marginal constituencies for the 2015 general election. The open letter addressed to the Socialist Party, which does not mention TUSC, accuses the Socialist Party of having a "derisory" electoral record. [41] In response, the Socialist Party claimed that a Labour government "would be at best austerity-lite and a continuation of the crisis that faces working class people". [42]

Organisation

TUSC is an umbrella organisation with a federal structure. [43] It has been registered as a political party with the Electoral Commission since 2010. All candidates supporting the coalition must support a core policy platform, but beyond this each candidate is free to campaign on the platform of their own political party. [25]

All-Britain Steering Committee

Each of TUSC's constituent organisations is entitled to have representatives on the All-Britain Steering Committee, where they engage in decision-making regarding policy, strategy, and the selection of candidates. Until 2022, these organisations included, most notably, the RMT, the Socialist Party, the Socialist Party Scotland (Scottish TUSC), and the Resistance Movement. [43]

National and local steering committees

TUSC participants in Scotland are nationally organised with an autonomous Scottish TUSC Steering Committee. Additionally, local branches of TUSC each have their own steering committees established for local government areas and parliamentary constituencies where TUSC contests seats. [43]

Current and past participating organisations

The following organisations have been involved in TUSC at various times:

Trade unions
Other organisations

Policies

Under the title "TUSC backs the 'Rochdale insurgency against establishment politicians", published two weeks prior to the landslide victory of George Galloway [50] in the Rochdale by-election of 1 March 2024, TUSC posted a press release announcing: "An insurgency against the capitalist establishment and their tame politicians is brewing in Rochdale, and not just there. It’s obvious which side trade unionists and socialists should be on”. [51]

The press release further added: "The Workers Party of Britain, on whose ticket George Galloway is standing in Rochdale, has participated in the TUSC all-Britain steering committee since they were given observer status at its meetings in March 2022” and emphasised, "TUSC was always conceived from its foundation in 2010 by Bob Crow and others as an inclusive coalition...”

“A broad coalition, rather than a closed one, inevitably has to involve collaboration – and robust debate – between organisations and groups within the working class movement holding often sharply different views.”

Nevertheless, all candidates are expected to support a set of core policies, as decided at TUSC conference prior to the relevant elections.

2024

In January 2024, the core TUSC policies were announced as: [52]

● Oppose all cuts and closures to council services, jobs, pay and conditions.

● Vote for councils to use their reserves and prudential borrowing powers to avoid making cuts in their 2024-2025 budgets and demand from the incoming government additional funding to make up any future shortfall.

● Refuse to co-operate with any commissioners appointed by the Tories to attempt to impose cuts on local services.

● Demand that councils as employers refuse to issue ‘work notices’ against strikers under the new anti-union Minimum Service Levels Act.

● Reject council tax, rent and service charge increases for working-class people to make up for cuts in central funding, support a new redistributive revenue-raising system to finance local council services, and demand central government restores the cuts in funding imposed since 2010.

● Oppose the privatisation of council jobs and services, or the transfer of existing council services to social enterprises or ‘arms-length’ management organisations which are the first steps to their privatisation.

● Use councils’ powers to immediately begin a mass building programme of eco-friendly affordable council homes to tackle the housing crisis.

● Support democratically debated local Climate Emergency plans that create new employment, reduce emissions and improve air quality and the local environment, while protecting the jobs, pay and conditions of all workers.

● 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.

2015

Prior to 2024, TUSC's last major election campaign was in 2015, as it did not stand against Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party. TUSC launched its manifesto for the 2015 general election in London's financial district of Canary Wharf. [53]

Five key pledges in 2015

The 2015 manifesto outlines "five key pledges": [54]

Local election platform

TUSC local election candidates sign up to a platform, [54] which commits them to:

Elections

General elections

Summary of general election performance

YearNo. of candidatesTotal votesAverage votes per candidate % of voteChange (% points) Saved deposits *No. of MPsRank
2010 4415,5733540.10
2015 12636,3272840.10

2017

Did not stand candidates0000
2019 Did not stand candidates0000

2010 United Kingdom general election

TUSC and the Scottish TUSC (STUSC) announced 44 parliamentary candidates for the 2010 general election, including ten in Scotland. [55] They received a total of 15,573 votes, or 0.1% of the popular vote. TUSC's average vote nationwide was around 371 (1.0%); no deposits were returned. TUSC was registered with the Electoral Commission in January 2010. [56]

TUSC claimed that the possibilities of electoral success should not be exaggerated. TUSC consistently stated that "not too much can be drawn from a handful of electoral contests, either 'writing off' TUSC or exaggerating the possibilities at this stage." [57] Another claimed factor in 2010 was a perceived "squeeze" [58] that generated disappointing results for many smaller parties. "Fear of a Tory government galvanised people to vote Labour, and we were squeezed. People were too afraid to demand something better for fear of getting something worse." Tottenham candidate Jenny Sutton claimed. [59]

2015 United Kingdom general election

Map of the constituencies TUSC contested in the 2015 general election. 2015 TUSC Candidates.svg
Map of the constituencies TUSC contested in the 2015 general election.

TUSC stood 135 prospective parliamentary candidates across England, Wales and Scotland, [11] as well as 619 council candidates in local elections. [12]

The organisation announced in October 2014 that it had received a guarantee of funding from Socialist Alliance. [60] The funds would provide for one hundred deposits in parliamentary contests, as well as a Party Political Broadcast. [61]

The party performed badly at the election, winning 36,327 votes, or 0.1% of the popular vote. No parliamentary seats were gained and no deposits were saved. [62] [63]

2017 United Kingdom general election

TUSC called for a victory for Labour in the 2017 general election and did not run candidates in the elections. [64]

2019 United Kingdom general election

TUSC did not contest the 2019 general elections, stating: "TUSC recalibrated its electoral activity following Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader, a development which it warmly welcomed." [65]

Local elections

2011 United Kingdom local elections

TUSC stood 174 candidates in the May 2011 council elections. [66] In 13 seats TUSC polled over 10% and in over a quarter polled more than 5%.

2011 National Assembly for Wales election

TUSC stood a total number of 24 candidates out of two Welsh Assembly regions in the 2011 Welsh Assembly elections in which it came 10th place out of 11 parties in the South Wales West region with 809 votes (0.5%) and for the South Wales Central region, it came 11th place out of 12 parties with 830 votes (0.4%). It gained 1,639 votes in total with 0.2% nationwide.

2012 United Kingdom local elections

TUSC stood 132 candidates in 38 councils, with 17 candidates for the Greater London Assembly. Two TUSC-backed candidates were elected, Michael Lavalette in Preston and Peter Smith in Walsall. [67] In the council elections in England and Wales TUSC candidates averaged 6.2% of the poll. Tony Mulhearn, one of the 47 Liverpool Councillors who refused to set a budget for the council, and led a campaign of defiance of the Conservative government in the 1980s stood as the candidate for Mayor of Liverpool, coming fifth with 4.86% of the vote. In Scotland, 38 candidates stood in nine councils as the Scottish Anti-Cuts Coalition (SACC). [68] The TUSC campaign for the Greater London Assembly was launched by Bob Crow of the RMT and Matt Wrack of the FBU, [69] and candidates included Alex Gordon, President of the RMT trade union and April Ashley a member of the UNISON National Executive.

TUSC stood candidates in the 2012 by-elections for Manchester Central (garnering 1.3%), Middlesbrough (1.6%) and Rotherham (1.3%).

2013 United Kingdom local elections and by-elections

A total of 120 candidates contested the English local elections on 2 May under the TUSC umbrella, 5% of the seats. In addition, TUSC stood a candidate in the Doncaster mayoral contest and two candidates in council by-elections that were held on the same day. It was mainly county councils up for election, largely Conservative controlled. The TUSC candidate for the mayor of Doncaster, Mary Jackson, polled 1,916 votes, achieving sixth place, ahead of the Liberal Democrats.

TUSC stood in the Eastleigh by-election. Candidate Daz Procter achieved 0.15% of the vote. Up to mid-November 2013, TUSC had contested 27 council by-elections in 2013 (with candidates in place for ten more). TUSC's average percentage share of the vote in these seats was just under 6%. Joe Robinson won a seat for TUSC on Maltby Town Council.

2014 United Kingdom local elections

TUSC announced the 'biggest left-of-Labour electoral challenge in 60 years' in the 2014 local elections, fielding 561 candidates. [70] There were 53 candidates who were members of the RMT transport workers' union, 19 Communication Workers' Union members who were candidates, 18 members of the National Union of Teachers, 16 PCS members, 20 members of the university and College Union. From the big Labour-affiliated unions, there were 74 Unison members standing for TUSC and 130 members of Unite. TUSC gained two seats in Southampton with the defection of Don Thomas from Labour and the re-election of Keith Morrell, also previously Labour, as Councillors Against Cuts, [71] as well as a second seat on Maltby Town Council. The overall popular votes achieved in the campaign exceeded 68,000. [72]

TUSC lost its representation in Maltby in the autumn of 2014 with the removal of their two councillors for non-attendance, [73] and lost its Preston councillor when Michael Lavalette retired his seat. [74] However, TUSC gained two affiliated councillors in the shape of Hull Red Labour, following their expulsion from Labour in 2014. [75] In January 2015, TUSC gained a councillor in Warrington (Fairfield and Howley ward) with the defection of Kevin Bennett from Labour. [76]

2015 United Kingdom local elections

TUSC renewed its promise to field the largest left-of-Labour challenge in the parliamentary and local authority elections. It bolstered its 2014 local election candidacy count by 70, bringing the total to 650. As it also fielded 135 PPCs, in every major town and city in England, Wales, and Scotland, TUSC subsequently exceeded the overall number of candidates to satisfy the BBC's fair coverage threshold, qualifying it for distribution of election material via the Royal Mail, as well as time on the major networks for the airing of a Party Election Broadcast. [77]

TUSC gained no seats (and, in one ward, no votes) and lost three anti-cuts councillors in Leicester and Hull. They retain one affiliated councillor each in Warrington, Walsall and Hull, and two in Southampton. [78]

2016 United Kingdom local elections

Following the 2016 elections, TUSC had three councillors in Southampton under the banner of Coxford Putting People First, [79] Kevin Bennett having lost his seat in Warrington; [80] Hull Red Labour and Walsall Democratic Labour also lost their remaining seats.

2016 National Assembly for Wales election

Welsh TUSC candidates obtained 2,040 Regional votes, 0.2% of the votes.[ citation needed ]

2017 United Kingdom local elections

TUSC stood a total of 78 council candidates in 24 councils across England, Scotland and Wales, contesting 71 wards or divisions. TUSC also stood candidates in two of the eight Mayoral elections held on 4 May.[ citation needed ]

2018 United Kingdom local elections

Following the 2018 elections, TUSC retained at least one affiliated councillor in Coxford, Southampton, following the re-election (as Independent - Putting People First) of TUSC national steering committee member Keith Morrell. [81] Two other former Putting People First councillors also retain their seats as Independents, but the group has since dissolved. [82] Morrell resigned in 2019. [83]

2021 United Kingdom local elections

TUSC claimed to have put up nearly 300 candidates in the 2021 UK local elections. [84]

2022 Birmingham Erdington by-election

Dave Nellist stood for TUSC in the 2022 Birmingham Erdington by-election, [85] [86] [87] finished in third place on 2.1% with 360 votes, ahead of Reform UK, the Greens and the Liberal Democrats. [88]

Electoral performance

Senedd elections
YearRegional VoteConstituency VoteOverall SeatsChange
2011 1,639 votes0.2%
0 / 20
0 / 40
0 / 60
New Party
2016 2,040 votes0.2%
0 / 20
0 / 40
0 / 60
Steady2.svg
2021 1,647 votes0.2%
0 / 20
0 / 40
0 / 60
Steady2.svg
Scottish Parliament elections
YearRegional VoteConstituency VoteOverall SeatsChange
2016
0 / 56
3,540 votes0.1%
0 / 73
0 / 129
New Party
2021 1,404 votes0.1%
0 / 56
959 votes0.0%
0 / 73
0 / 129
Steady2.svg
London Assembly elections
YearRegional VoteConstituency VoteOverall SeatsChange
2021 9,004 votes0.3%
0 / 11
8,011 votes0.3%
0 / 14
0 / 25
New Party

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Crow</span> British trade union leader

Robert Crow was an English trade union leader who served as the General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) from 2002 until his death in 2014. He was also a member of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress (TUC). A self-described "communist/socialist", he was a leading figure in the No to EU – Yes to Democracy campaign.

An electoral alliance is an association of political parties or individuals that exists solely to stand in elections.

The Respect Party, sometimes known as Respect – The Unity Coalition, was a left-wing political party in Britain between 2004 and 2016. In 2007, the party had one Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons and nineteen councillors in local government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers</span> British trade union

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers is a British trade union covering the transport sector. Its current President is Alex Gordon and its current General Secretary is Mick Lynch.

David John Nellist is a British Trotskyist activist who was the MP for the constituency of Coventry South East from 1983 to 1992. Elected as a Labour MP, his support for the Militant tendency led to his eventual expulsion from the party in late 1991. He is the National Chair of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), a member of the Socialist Party, and was a city councillor in Coventry from 1998 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Labour Party (UK, 1998)</span> Political party in the United Kingdom

The Democratic Labour Party was a small British left-wing political party in Walsall, sometimes known as the Walsall Democratic Labour Party. It was founded as a breakaway from the Labour Party after left-wing members were expelled in the mid-1990s.

The Campaign For A New Workers' Party was an initiative of the Socialist Party of England and Wales that argued for the establishment of a new mass workers' party, involving trade union activists, socialists, anti-capitalists, anti-war and environmental activists. It was launched at the party's annual Socialism event in November 2005. There were more than 4,000 signatories to the campaign's founding declaration, many of whom were trade unionists. Some left parties claimed that the CNWP was a front for the Socialist Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Socialist Party Scotland</span> Political party in the United Kingdom

Socialist Party Scotland is the Scottish affiliate of the worldwide Marxist and Trotskyist organisation the Committee for a Workers' International. Socialist Party Scotland is the sister party of the Socialist Party in England and Wales. Socialist Party Scotland plays a leading role in the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), which stood ten candidates in Scotland at the 2015 general election and the 2016 Scottish Parliament election. Four of the ten Scottish TUSC candidates in 2015 were members of Socialist Party Scotland. TUSC did not stand candidates in the 2017 UK General Election or the 2019 UK General Election as it supported Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the UK Labour Party. TUSC stood in the 2017 council elections in Scotland alongside Dundee Against Cuts.

The British left can refer to multiple concepts. It is sometimes used as shorthand for groups aligned with the Labour Party. It can also refer to other individuals, groups and political parties that have sought egalitarian changes in the economic, political, and cultural institutions of the United Kingdom. There are various subgroups, split between reformist and revolutionary viewpoints. Liberals, progressives and social democrats believe that equality can be accommodated into existing capitalist structures, but they differ in their criticism of capitalism and on the extent of reform and the welfare state. Anarchists, communists, and socialists, among others on the far left, on the other hand argue for abolition of the capitalist system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No2EU</span> Political party in the United Kingdom

No2EU is a left-wing Eurosceptic electoral alliance in the United Kingdom. It was first founded in 2009 when it campaigned under the campaign slogan No2EU — Yes to Democracy; it was led by Bob Crow and backed by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), who provided most of its funding, the Communist Party of Britain and Solidarity (Scotland) among others. It participated in the 2009 European Parliament elections and the European elections in 2014 with the party name "No2EU" and the campaign slogan No2EU — Yes to Workers' Rights.

Valerie Wise is a British socialist politician and activist. She is among the fourth generation of Labour Party activists in her family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Communist Party of Britain</span> Political party in the United Kingdom

The Communist Party of Britain (CPB) is a communist party in Great Britain which emerged from a dispute between Eurocommunists and Marxist-Leninists in the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1988. It follows Marxist-Leninist theory and supports what it regards as existing socialist states, and has fraternal relationships with the ruling parties in Cuba, China, Laos, and Vietnam. It is affiliated nationally to the Cuba Solidarity Campaign and the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign. It is a member of the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties, together with 117 other political parties. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the party was one of two original British signatories to the Pyongyang Declaration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the socialist movement in the United Kingdom</span>

Socialism in the United Kingdom is thought to stretch back to the 19th century from roots arising in the aftermath of the English Civil War. Notions of socialism in Great Britain have taken many different forms from the utopian philanthropism of Robert Owen through to the reformist electoral project enshrined in the birth of the Labour Party that was founded in 1900.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Socialist Party (England and Wales)</span> Political party in the United Kingdom

The Socialist Party is a Trotskyist political party in England and Wales. Founded in 1997, it had formerly been Militant, an entryist group in the Labour Party from 1964 to 1991, which became Militant Labour from 1991 until 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Socialist Labour Party (UK)</span> Political party in the United Kingdom

The Socialist Labour Party (SLP) is a socialist political party in the United Kingdom. The party was established in 1996 and is led by Arthur Scargill, a former Labour Party member and the former leader of the National Union of Mineworkers. The party's name highlights its commitment to socialism and acknowledges Clause IV of the Labour Party's former constitution, as fundamental to the party's identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Lavalette</span>

Michael Lavalette is a member of the Socialist Workers Party and former local councillor in Preston, Lancashire, England. He was first elected as a Socialist Alliance candidate shortly after the Iraq War began in 2003. In 2007, he was re-elected, this time standing for the Respect Party. In the Respect split in 2007 he remained loyal to the SWP and broke with George Galloway. Re-elected in 2012 as an Independent Socialist, he was affiliated with TUSC until he retired from his seat in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Harrogate Borough Council election</span>

Elections to Harrogate Borough Council were held on 22 May 2014. A third of the council was up for election, with voting only in the urban wards of Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon. The elections were held on the same day as the British local elections and the European Parliament elections. Each ward up for election returned a councillor for a four-year term of office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Liverpool City Region mayoral election</span>

The inaugural Liverpool City Region mayoral election was held on 4 May 2017 to elect the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and won by Steve Rotheram. Subsequent elections were planned for May 2020 but were postponed until May 2021 due to the covid pandemic with subsequent elections due every four years. The metro mayor will have control over the whole Liverpool City Region combined authority area which consists of the following local authorities:

References

  1. "Dave Nellist on the Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition". Daily Politics. BBC. 22 April 2010. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  2. "View registration - The Electoral Commission". search.electoralcommission.org.uk. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  3. Waugh, Paul (20 September 2019). "Harriet Harman Urged To Pull Out Of Commons Speaker Race By Local Labour Party". Huffpost. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2020. The motion by Nick Wrack, who was readmitted to Labour after standing against Harman for the left-wing TUSC party four years ago, cites the precedent of Tories warning they would stand a candidate against John Bercow if he stayed on.
  4. Prest, Victoria (18 April 2015). "Trade Union and Socialist Party (TUSC) to contest eight seats in York council elections". The Press . Archived from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2020. The left-wing party Trade Union and Socialist Party (TUSC) is fielding eight would-be councillors for seats on City of York Council, as well as a parliamentary candidate in York Central.
  5. Cohen, Tamara (2 June 2017). "Can far-left fringe parties make a difference to Labour's election push?". Sky News. Archived from the original on 16 December 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2020. Britain's largest far-left party, the Trade Union Socialist Coalition (TUSC), founded by the late Bob Crow, is standing no candidates this year.
  6. "Election 2015: TUSC launches '100% anti-austerity' manifesto'". BBC News. 10 April 2015. Archived from the original on 20 March 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2016. They are members and supporters of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC); a left-wing political group standing candidates across the UK at the general election
  7. Fisher, Lucy (7 August 2015). "Revealed: Labour's hard-left infiltrators" . The Times. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  8. Silvera, Ian (14 September 2015). "Far-left TUSC seeks anti-austerity electoral pact with Jeremy Corbyn's Labour". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 20 March 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Back at work! TUSC to stand in elections again against pro-austerity politicians". www.tusc.org.uk. 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  10. "RMT AGM: Missed opportunity in the fight for workers' politics". Socialist Party. 13 July 2022.
  11. 1 2 "TUSC Prospective Parliamentary Candidates for 2015" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  12. 1 2 "TUSC Council Candidates for 2015" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  13. "TUSC SUSPENDS ELECTORAL ACTIVITY NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE STATEMENT". www.tusc.org.uk. 8 November 2018. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  14. "TUSC election candidates and results from 2011 to 2023 - TUSC" . Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  15. 1 2 Archivist (22 July 2020). "Time to relaunch TUSC". Socialist Party. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  16. "Where you can vote for a left-wing candidate on May 5th". tusc.org.uk. 30 April 2022. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  17. Archivist (19 March 2009). "Socialist Party congress reports". Socialist Party. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  18. 1 2 Archivist (3 November 2009). "Action needed to bring election coalition into shape". Socialist Party. Archived from the original on 19 January 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  19. "Europe". Socialist Party. 9 June 2009. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  20. "Europe". Socialist Party. 29 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  21. Archivist (21 September 2011). "Rising class struggles across Europe". Socialist Party. Socialistparty.org.uk. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  22. "Campaigning and the General Election" (PDF). Executive Committee, Communist Party of Britain. 11 July 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  23. "Executive Committee statement on elections". Communist-party.org.uk. Community Party. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  24. Archivist (3 November 2009). "Capitalism: British politics". Socialist Party. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  25. 1 2 Heemskerk, Clive (3 February 2010). "Trade unionist and socialist coalition". The Socialist. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
  26. Archivist (12 January 2010). "Launch of Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition". Socialist Party. Archived from the original on 18 January 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  27. "Becoming a TUSC candidate". TUSC. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  28. ""Son of No2EU" goes public as "TUSC"". Workers' Liberty. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  29. "Open letter: Left must unite to create an alternative". Socialist Worker (Britain). Socialistworker.co.uk. 9 June 2009. Archived from the original on 27 March 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  30. Archivist (15 March 2017). "TUSC: SWP suspends participation in England/Wales". Socialist Party. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  31. 1 2 "Socialists and elections – a response to the SWP". 23 April 2021. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  32. Breakthrough Party [@BThroughParty] (20 January 2022). "ANNOUNCEMENT
    The People's Alliance of the Left #PAL is delighted to announce that a memorandum of understanding has been agreed between @BThroughParty, @FreeNorthNow, @TUSCoalition & @LeftUnityUK.
    This Alliance will work together on a future electoral strategy"
    (Tweet) via Twitter.
  33. The Workers Party of Britain... has now taken up observer status on the TUSC all-Britain steering committee, 3 May 2022, archived from the original on 4 May 2022, retrieved 5 May 2022
  34. Northern Independence Party [@FreeNorthNow] (23 May 2022). "Statement on the Change of Relationship Between the People's Alliance of the Left (PAL) and the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) https://t.co/xi6ivb4klY" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 May 2022 via Twitter.
  35. "Transform | Together, we call for a new party of the left". transformpolitics.uk. 24 July 2023. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  36. "Sign Up to Transform Politics | Left Unity". 25 July 2023. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  37. "Back at work! TUSC to stand in elections against pro-austerity politicians" . Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  38. "About the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition" . Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  39. "Unite and the Bakers Union to speak at TUSC conference" . Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  40. "Workers politics: supporting anti cuts candidates". Unite Housing Branch. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  41. "Unite's left urges Tusc to reconsider". Morning Star. 27 February 2015. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  42. Archivist (26 February 2015). "Discussion in Unite 'United Left' on stance in general election". Socialist Party. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  43. 1 2 3 "How TUSC functions" (PDF). tusc.org.uk. TUSC. 16 December 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  44. "2014 local elections: The TUSC results" (PDF). TUSC. 27 May 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 May 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  45. 1 2 "There Is An Alternative To Austerity Rebel Councillors Show So Could You Be A Candidate". Tusc.org.uk. TUSC. 4 March 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Local elections 2014: The TUSC results in full". TUSC official website. 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  47. RESIST FAQ: Chris and Sian our National Coordinators sit on the committee representing Resist, archived from the original on 14 April 2021, retrieved 4 May 2021
  48. "The SWP, TUSC and Labour—how do we take on the Tories?". 7 March 2017. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  49. "TUSC councillors lay down fight-back challenge to Labour – who wave white flag in reply". TUSC. 26 November 2013. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  50. "Rochdale by-election: Landslide win for George Galloway" . Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  51. "TUSC backs the 'Rochdale insurgency against establishment politicians" . Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  52. "TUSC's core policy platform for the May 2024 local elections - TUSC" . Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  53. "TUSC launch election manifesto". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  54. 1 2 "Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 2015 Press Pack" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  55. "Candidates for TUSC". TUSC. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  56. "Electoral Commission: Register of Political Parties". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  57. "November by-elections". Tusc.org.uk. TUSC. 1 December 2012. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  58. "Britain's general election: no winner and no mandate". Socialist Worker (Britain). Socialist Worker. 6 May 2010. Archived from the original on 13 October 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  59. "The left in the election: good campaigns but TUSC vote squeezed". Socialist Worker (Britain). Socialist Worker. 11 May 2010. Archived from the original on 3 August 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  60. "Socialist Alliance agrees to use large part of recent legacy to help fund largest possible left electoral challenge – through TUSC". socialistalliance.org.uk. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  61. Vote TUSC against CUTS – TUSC election broadcast. 17 April 2015. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021 via YouTube.
  62. "Results of the 2015 General Election – Election 2015". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  63. Wintour, Patrick (26 July 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn: I only want genuine Labour supporters to vote for me". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  64. "Tusc Confirms No Candidates In June And Full Support For A Corbyn Led Government With Socialist Policies". Tusc.org.uk. TUSC. 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 15 May 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  65. "TUSC election candidates and results from 2011 to 2023 - TUSC" . Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  66. "TUSC candidates for May council elections 2011 – regional breakdown". Tusc.org.uk. TUSC. Archived from the original on 7 April 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  67. TUSC 2012 local election results http://www.tusc.org.uk/press030512.php Archived 9 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  68. TUSC candidates in the 2012 elections http://www.tusc.org.uk/press110412.php Archived 13 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  69. GLA Election campaign launch http://www.tusc.org.uk/london_tusc.php Archived 6 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  70. "TUSC announces 'biggest left-of-Labour electoral challenge in sixty years'". Tusc.org.uk. TUSC. Archived from the original on 23 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  71. "LOCAL ELECTIONS 2014 GREAT VICTORY AS TUSC REBEL COUNCILLOR RE ELECTED". tusc.org.uk. 23 May 2014. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  72. "SECOND MALTBY COUNCILLOR FOR TUSC". tusc.org.uk. 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  73. "Angry at Maltby council decision". Rotherham Advertiser. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  74. "SOCIALIST COUNCILLORS CAN HELP BOOST RESISTANCE". tusc.org.uk. 12 May 2014. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  75. Archivist (8 March 2010). "TUSC". Socialist Party. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  76. "Councillors". warrington.gov.uk.[ permanent dead link ]
  77. Dave Nellist on RT. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021 via YouTube.
  78. "RESULTS STILL COMING IN BUT TUSC SET TO POLL 100000 VOTES FOR BOLD NO CUTS MESSAGE". tusc.org.uk. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  79. "Third anti-cuts councillor elected in Coxford! Congratulations Tammy Thomas!". Southampton TUSC. 12 May 2016. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  80. "Borough council election results, May 2016". Warrington Borough Council. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  81. http://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/424.pdf Archived 16 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine [ bare URL PDF ]
  82. "Southampton council group announce split". Daily Echo. 20 June 2018. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  83. "Councillor who once rebelled against Labour resigns - but hasn't given a reason why". Daily Echo. 3 January 2019. Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  84. "2021 elections" (PDF). www.tusc.org.uk. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  85. "Birmingham Erdington by-election 2022: The candidates standing". BBC News. 6 February 2022. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  86. "Conservatives select local councillor Robert Alden to run in Erdington by-election". ITV News. 4 February 2022. Archived from the original on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022. David Nellist will contest the election for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. He served as Labour MP for Coventry South East between 1983 and 1992.
  87. "Trade unionists support Dave Nellist's Birmingham Erdington by-election campaign". tusc.org.uk. 5 February 2022. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  88. Craig, Jon (4 March 2022). "Birmingham Erdington by-election: Labour survives four storms and an earthquake - but there's a little tremor from the left". Sky News. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.