Tag: Syriza

Date set for EU referendum – the Socialist view

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Date set for EU referendum – the Socialist view

notobosses

For a Socialist Europe

David Cameron has announced that the EU referendum will take place on Thursday 23rd June. The months up until this date will see campaigns across the country advocating a leave or remain position.

What is the position of the Socialist Party?

The Socialist Party will be campaigning for a vote to leave the capitalist EU.

In a recent issue of our newspaper, The Socialist, we wrote

‘The Socialist Party opposes the EU because, as Greece showed (the EU enforced massive austerity on Greece which unfortunately has not been resisted by Syriza – Coventry SP), its laws and institutions, while they ultimately could not stop a determined workers’ government supported by a mass movement from carrying out socialist policies, are another hurdle to overcome. We oppose the EU, Cameron’s deal included, in order to defend working class interests and take forward the fight for socialism, in Britain and Europe.’

We will provide further comment over the coming weeks and months on the EU referendum, on our position and how we can build the fight against capitalism and support the struggle for a Socialist Europe.

For now, here are some links to articles which provide a useful resource of information

Cameron’s EU renegotiation charade

Don’t give taxpayers’ money to UKIP and Tory EU campaigners

Socialists and the EU referendum

No to a capitalist EU, yes to a Socialist Europe

Capitalists strangling Greece – article by a German Marxist

 

 

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Dave Nellist on the artist taxi driver

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Dave Nellist, National chair of the the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) and TUSC candidate for Coventry North West in the general election on May 7th, recently took time out for a 3-part interview with the highly acclaimed ‘Artist Taxi Driver’ .

Agree with Dave?

get in touch on 0753 0429 441

or come along to the Coventry TUSC pre-election rally ….

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Did you see the #TUSC election broadcast?

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Did you see the #TUSC election broadcast?

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) election broadcast with Dave Nellist was on TV tonight (Friday) – did you see it? You can watch it online here!

If you want to get involved in Coventry, fill in the form below – and come to our election launch rally with Irish MP Ruth Coppinger on April 30th!

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Socialist election campaign launched in Coventry

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Socialist election campaign launched in Coventry

Dave Nellist addresses the meeting

Dave Nellist addresses the meeting

77 people attended the launch of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) election campaign in Coventry on February 25th. The Socialist Party, which organised the meeting, is standing as part of TUSC alongside the RMT trade union and many leading trade unionists.

Judy Griffiths, Coventry CWU branch secretary and prospective TUSC candidate, chaired the meeting, at which speakers from the FBU, PCS, Unison, Unite, RMT, NUT and NUS spoke (all speaking in a personal capacity), reflecting the base of TUSC and the Socialist Party in the unions across the city.

Jordan Jefferies, a sixth-form student in Coventry and a Socialist Party member, spoke about the anger felt by many young people against austerity, and said that TUSC has been amazing in attempting to engage the people who are disillusioned and disinterested in politics. People are disillusioned and angry with establishment politics and rightly so. The Socialist Party and TUSC are out to build the opposition to “business as usual”.

Nicky Downes, Coventry NUT President and prospective TUSC candidate, spoke about the effects she sees of austerity on children in her job as a teacher.

Nick Harrison, Coventry Fire Brigades Union borough rep had been on strike with his union the same day – supported on the picket lines by Socialist Party and TUSC activists – and spoke about their dispute, and the need for a viable political alternative to Labour.

Lee Cooper, RMT Coventry No.1 branch secretary, spoke about the City Link scandal, the effect it had on workers and the need for a working class political voice.

Former Labour MP and Socialist Party councillor Dave Nellist spoke about the TUSC project more widely, and why it is significant in the development of a new party for ordinary people.

This meeting showed some of the appetite in Coventry for a political party that sticks up for ordinary people. Syriza in Greece and Podemos in Spain show the potential for building an anti-austerity alternative. The Socialist Party will build TUSC and fight for bold socialist policies to combat not just austerity, but the cause of austerity – the capitalist system.

Sign up here to get involved in the Socialist Campaign Team for the election!

Nellist welcomes left wing victory in Greece

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Nellist welcomes left wing victory in Greece

Dave Nellist

Dave Nellist

The following press release has been issued regarding the victory of Syriza in the Greek elections. We would also direct readers to this interview with a member of the Socialist Party’s sister organisation in Greece carried out before the election, which outlines the policies and approach that we are putting forward for Syriza.   

The Socialist Party will be holding meetings in Coventry over the coming weeks regarding the victory of Syriza and what it means for us here, if you would like more information about these meetings please call 07530 429441.

Press release

Commenting on exit polls this evening which indicate Greece’s left-wing party Syriza is heading for election victory, Dave Nellist leader of TUSC (Trade Union and Socialist Coalition) said:

“The win for the anti-austerity party Syriza in today’s Greek elections will reverberate around Europe.

“Millions of workers in other countries also suffering cuts in living standards and rising unemployment –  whilst facing a rich elite which has successfully protected itself from recession – will ask ‘if they can do it in Greece, why can’t we do it here?’

“On May 7 we intend to stand over 100 parliamentary candidates and 1000 council candidates in Britain’s elections, all challenging in the same way as Greek workers have done the idea from all the big parties promoting austerity that “there is no alternative”.

“There is: Greece has proved it today, and where Greece has led others will follow.”

Notes for editors:

A conference of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition launched the biggest left-of-Labour challenge since 1945 on Saturday, January 24th. TUSC is well on its way to fulfilling its aim to field 1,000 candidates in the local council elections and to stand 100 candidates for Westminster.

The conference featured former Labour councillors, now with TUSC, who had been kicked out of the party for voting against cuts.

Dave Nellist, former socialist Labour MP for Coventry South East from 1983 to 1992, was expelled from the Labour Party for his socialist views and consistent opposition to Tory policies such as the Poll Tax.

TUSC was co-founded in 2010 by the late Bob Crow of the transport union, RMT, together with the Socialist Party, the SWP, and other socialist groups, to provide an electoral alternative for those opposing austerity.

TUSC candidates will be available for interview at the Greek embassy in London at 6pm, Monday January 26th when anti-austerity candidates for Britain’s May elections will be among those celebrating the Greek election result.

For information, reports of the candidates conference and more, lists of candidates and video clips about TUSC: www.tusc.org.uk

For interviews and any other information requests, please email: TUSC2015media@gmail.com or call Clive Heemskirk, TUSC national election agent on 020 8988 8773 or 079 89 360 158

Follow TUSC on Twitter: @TUSCoalition