Support for TUSC rises in Bristol's elections

Bristol's mayoral election saw the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) vote rise by over 450 from 2012. TUSC candidate and Bristol Socialist Party member Tom Baldwin got 1,876 first preference votes. At the same time, TUSC's local council election candidates in Bristol picked up a total of 2827 votes, an increase of over 900 on last year. The best of these was 411 for Bristol Socialist Party member Chris Farrell in Ashley.

This election showed a thirst for change. Labour's Marvin Rees thrashed 'independent' incumbent George Ferguson as people turned their back on three and a half years of arrogance and austerity.
Given the swing to Labour, increasing our vote was impressive.

It remains to be seen whether a new mayor will mean the change of direction that is badly needed. The challenge is on for Labour to reverse the cuts made by the previous mayor. Unfortunately that was not offered by Marvin Rees during the election - he said we have to "pick our battles" when asked if he would pass on further Tory cuts of over £70 million.

TUSC got a great response to our policies of opposing austerity with a no-cuts, needs-based budget and a mass anti-cuts campaign to challenge the Tory government. The potential for such a campaign is there. Campaigning has won victories in Bristol recently, reversing closure plans for six libraries and virtually all public toilets.

During the election TUSC campaigners spoke to people on doorsteps and stalls, put out thousands of leaflets, spoke at several hustings and appeared in all the local media. We had to work harder than the establishment candidates, lacking their money. Campaigning does not stop and start with elections for TUSC and the Socialist Party. We'll continue to stand alongside working class people across the city to defend our living standards, jobs and services.

Save Bristol's Libraries!

Protecting our libraries has been an important part of Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition campaigning in Bristol. 7 libraries are set to be closed in a cut put forward by the independent mayor and his cross-party cabinet. Scandalously this closure programme has been fronted by the Green Party assistant mayor. Despite their avowed opposition to cuts they are at the sharp end of implementing Tory austerity. Saving our libraries and other services requires principled and consistent opposition to the cuts, in actions, not just words.

Local people will fight to save their libraries and we will stand with them. In many cases these are the only resource that communities have left. They are used by people across the generations and provide far more than just books. Below is an eyewitness account of one library user's experiences and how vital the service was to him.

Tom Baldwin

"In September last year I found myself evicted and unemployed, while I never had to sleep on the streets not having a place of your own still comes with its problems.  Due to my low mood and feeling of helplessness I started to drink, a lot.  I thought there was no way out and even one day called 999 to tell them that "a friend" was considering taking his life.  Of course the friend was me and the ambulance crew came and did their duty, but that is a different story.

"After hitting rock bottom I thought that I had to do something, and do something fast.  While I do have friends in Bristol I am from Belfast so I have no immediate family here.  And my friends were not in position to do much other than the occasional night on the sofa.

"Being homeless and without a internet capable phone I went to the local Bedminster library.  In my first session there I found a homeless charity, St Mungos, who I registered with and was able to get a free meal once a day.  They also helped me with the council as in getting on the homeless register.  So that was one meal a day sorted out and at least a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. 

"On the job front, I was able to use the library to search all of the main job sites, alter my CV and scan legal documents when required.  Again, the light at the end of the tunnel got a little brighter.

"While all of this seems logical and something that you would expect, there is another less tangible way the library helped me.  It gave me something to do, I was living in a squat with no amenities or facilities, literally sleeping on the floor in an empty room.  So each day when I woke up I knew that I could go to either Bedminster library for one hour internet or the central library for two hours.  Add to this that I was now attending interviews and able to go to St Mungos, this gave me some structure and hope.

"As of writing this today, I am in a job that I like, I viewed a property last night, again, found on the internet using the library, and it looks like I will be moving in next week.

"I have learnt a lot in the past months, about taking responsibility for yourself, about support there is out there for you and how important something that people take for granted, a local library, can be a life saver.

"I think the proposed cuts to the libraries are a disgrace and will put further pressure on people that rely on them, not just for books and education but for other services that people tend to forget about."

Sean R

TUSC Candidate for Lawrence Hill to speak at Husting - Thursday 25 April

Easton & Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Management have invited all candidates, including the Trade Unionist and Socialists Against Cuts candidate for Lawrence Hill Fiona Joyce, to speak at a husting next week. Please go along and ask the other councillors what THEY will do to protect local jobs and services.

Thursday 25 April

6pm to 9pm

City Academy, Russell Town Avenue

Workers of the world unite! May Day greetings from the Bristol Socialist Party

Members of the Bristol Socialist Party would like to give warm May Day greetings for all those workers and activists fighting the cuts, fighting victimisation and oppression from the bosses, government and police, and fighting against capitalism. For a socialist transformation of the world! This May 5th people in Bristol should remember to vote Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts - lets send a clear message that we will not accept any cuts to jobs and services, lets give the city of Bristol the highest Left vote ever achieved. Our candidates are:

Bedminster - Robin CLAPP
Brislington East - Martyn AHMET
Brislington West - John YEANDLE
Cabot - Chris FARRELL
Clifton East - Paddy BURLAND
Clifton - Jack JEFFERY
Cotham - Amy HILLGROVE
Eastville - Roger THOMAS
Filwood - Wayne COOMBES
Frome Vale - Mark BAKER
Hillfields - Matt GORDON
Knowle - Domenico HILL
Lawrence Hill - Matt CAREY
St George East - Mike LUFF
St George West - Bernie LYONS
Windmill Hill - Tom BALDWIN
http://www.facebook.com/TUSCBristol

Trade Unionists & Socialists Against Cuts - Campaign launch public meeting

Tomorrow
Tuesday 5th April 2011

Cheltenham Road Library, BS6 5QX

7.30pm

Trade Unionists & Socialists Against Cuts will be standing in the forthcoming local elections for Bristol City Council. Our candidates will be standing against all cuts and privatisation in contrast to the main parties Labour, LibDems and Conservatives, all of whom support the cuts. We believe that councils should refuse to implement government cuts as part of the wider mass anti-cuts movement.

With most of the nomination forms now completed we should be in a position to stand in about 16 wards in the city. Thanks for all your hard work to everyone who has helped collect the ten signatures we needed for each ward.

Come to our campaign launch meeting this Tuesday 5th April and hear from the candidates why you should vote for us to stop the cuts and what you can do to help the campaign.

Further information on Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition policies available here:
http://www.tusc.org.uk/policy.php