Public Meeting - The Socialist Case for Leaving the EU

The Socialist Case for Leaving the EU

Bristol leg of the 20 City Tour organised by

TUSC - the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Speakers:

Judy Beishon - Socialist Party EC

Eddie Dempsey - RMT executive member for South West and South Wales (TBC)

Hugh Williams - Socialist Workers Party

Chaired by Tom Baldwin - TUSC Bristol mayoral candidate

Tuesday 31st May, 7.30pm

YHA Bristol (The Grain House)

14 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1571233666509476/

See tusc.org.uk/events for up to date information and details of other meetings in the tour.

The EU referendum debate is being dominated by right wing arguments on both sides. There's a clash between two wings of the establishment, each headed by an old Etonian. We're hearing what's good for business and how to best keep migrant workers down. The only voices claiming to be speaking for workers seem to think we can rely on the ruling classes on Europe to protect our rights, at a time when these are under attack across the continent.

To help widen the debate and inject the voice of workers TUSC have organised a tour of 20 cities with public meetings putting the socialist case for leaving the EU.

The EU is a bosses' club that is based on a series of free trade deals aimed at increasing the profits of big business. It has pushed austerity, most noticeably in Greece and has privatisation of things like railways and postal services enshrined in its laws. While the internal freedom of movement is breaking down it is still fiercely defending the idea of 'Fortress Europe' as shown by their recent deal with Turkey. It is thoroughly undemocratic, elected MEPs can only rubber stamp decisions taken by the council of ministers and officials. The EU is not a friend of the working class and we do not have any democratic mechanism to reform it in our favour.

Whether you agree with these arguments or are just interested in hearing a different point of view on the debate then please come along and invite others.

Socialist Party Branches in the South West

Bristol's New Labour Mayor Puts Tory In Charge of City's Education

Marvin Rees, Bristol's new Labour mayor has announced his cabinet today. Despite a resounding win in the mayoral election and Labour taking a majority of Bristol's council seats they've allowed the hated Tory party a seat on their cross-party cabinet.

Conservative councillor Claire Hiscott has been given the education brief. This is despite her party in government cutting education funding and pursuing the destructive policy of academisation.

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) former mayoral candidate  and Bristol Socialist Party member Tom Baldwin said:

“Bristol needs a fundamental change from the cuts policies of the last few years. This cabinet does not reflect the change people that voted for just 2 weeks ago. Education is absolutely vital to Bristol’s future and to put it in the hands of a Tory will be a slap in the face for many Labour voters. Unfortunately this is already beginning to look like the approach taken by the previous mayor. The main parties will be ‘all in it together’ on the cabinet, implementing anti-working class austerity.

“Tory policies of taking from ordinary people and giving to the rich are playing havoc in Bristol and across the country. We need a mayor who will oppose that party, not bring them onto the top table and into the running of the city. TUSC will continue to stand alongside ordinary people and campaign for the jobs and services we need, regardless of who is threatening them.”

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

Bristol TUSC on Protect Our NHS demo

The 1% ‘walk tall’ while the 99% are bowed by austerity

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition press release on today's budget:
TUSC Chair and ex-Labour MP Dave Nellist said: “Hoping to gain a few extra votes, the Chancellor has tried to sell this budget as a little relief from the endless austerity he has offered up for the last five years. It is nothing of the sort. The coalition once again banged the austerity drum, promising £30 billion worth of cuts, including £12 billion from welfare. George Osborne says austerity is working but the queues at food banks and pay day lenders tell a different story.

“This government of millionaires might think things are improving, but most ordinary workers are facing a Dickensian future rather than a bright recovery. George Osborne says wages have started to increase but – that is only if you include bankers’ bonuses in the figures! In fact they are still lower than they were before the ‘Great Recession’ – for young people a massive 12.5% lower. A 20p an hour increase in the minimum wage is a drop in the ocean compared to that. TUSC is campaigning for an immediate £10 an hour minimum wage for all with no exemptions.

“No one who has experienced five years of Con-Dem government will be surprised by this budget, but where is the opposition? Labour also promises continued austerity. When Osborne put his plans for £30 billion worth of cuts under the next government to parliament only five Labour MPs voted against it!

“It is time to take a stand. That is why the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition has attracted a record number of anti-austerity candidates in the elections on 7 May 2015.”