Matthew Wright will be standing as a Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition candidate for the Springfields & Trent Vale by-election on the following 5 point programme-

1. Oppose all cuts to council jobs, services, pay and conditions – we reject the claim that ‘some cuts’ are necessary to our services.

2. Reject increases in council tax, rent and service charges to compensate for government cuts.

3. Vote against the privatisation of council jobs and services, or the transfer of council services to ‘social enterprises’ or ‘arms-length’ management organisations, which are first steps to privatisation.

4. Use all the legal powers available to councils, including powers to refer local NHS decisions, initiate referenda and organise public commissions and consultations, to oppose both the cuts and government polices which centrally impose the transfer of public services to private bodies.

5. When faced with government cuts to council funding, councils should refuse to implement the cuts. We will support councils which in the first instance use their reserves and prudential borrowing powers to avoid passing them on – while arguing that the best way to mobilise the mass campaign that is necessary to defeat the cuts is to set a budget that meets the needs of the local community and demands that the government makes up the shortfall.

Update.

The post title was changed from ‘Socialist Party candidate‘ to ‘TUSC candidate‘ after a protracted twitter discussion about whether the party was correct in the title.