Thread by @MerryMichaelW

FOA @ScouseSocialis2 , & anybody else: Every trade unionist, anti-cuts campaigner, community activist and all those who want to see an alternative to austerity politicians can become a TUSC candidate. But voters should know that any councillor elected under the TUSC banner will:

(1) Oppose all cuts and closures to council services, jobs, pay and conditions. We reject the claim that 'some cuts' are necessary to our services or that the Covid crisis is a reason for austerity.

(2) Support all workers' struggles against government policies making ordinary people pay for the crisis.

(3) Fight for united working class struggle against racism and all forms of oppression.

(4) Reject council tax, rent and service charge increases for working class people to make up for cuts in central funding, support a redistributive revenue raising system to finance local council services, and demand central government restores the cuts in funding it has imposed.

(5) Use councils' powers to begin a mass building programme of eco-friendly affordable council homes to tackle the housing crisis.

(6) Vote against 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.

(7a) Use all the legal powers available to councils to oppose both the cuts and government policies which centrally impose the transfer of public services to private bodies.

(7b) This includes using councils' powers to refer local NHS decisions, initiate referenda and organise public commissions and consultations in campaigns to defend public services.

(8a) Vote for councils to refuse to implement austerity. We will support councils which in the first instance use their reserves and prudential borrowing powers to avoid making cuts.

(8b) But we argue that the best way to mobilise the mass campaign that is necessary to defend and improve council services is to set a budget that meets the needs of the local community and demand that government funding makes up the shortfall.

ENDS.

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