Stephen Brown, Oxford Socialist Party
The Socialist Party, standing as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), has proposed a people’s budget for Oxford. This would mean no cuts and, instead, meet the needs of the community and the environment – a budget that provides genuinely affordable homes and subsidised transport.
But the other parties, including the Lib Dems and Greens, rallied round to defend the Labour council. ‘Be sensible’ was their cry – a reminder that it’s all one big club, and we’re not in it.
There are more food banks in this country than McDonald’s outlets. But ‘be sensible’.
Pensioners will be freezing to death because they can’t heat their homes this winter. But ‘be sensible’.
On one hand, the Greens tell us that our grandchildren won’t be able to breathe, and the planet will be on fire. But ‘be sensible’, they say.
The last three years has seen the biggest increase in wealth among millionaires and billionaires in history, while our wages have plummeted. Instead of taxing the rich to take some of that money back, the Tories have cut their taxes.
The time has come to put people before profit. The time has come to renationalise the utility companies, railways and the health and care system.
And where has this ‘sensible’ approach from all the capitalist parties got us? It has brought us to the brink of climate catastrophe and impending economic collapse.
We should be demanding more. We need a new mass workers’ party to take on all the Tories, whether their rosettes are blue, red or yellow. And we need a socialist programme to save the earth from the greed-driven climate and cost-of-living emergency.
Now is the time to fight back
Melanie Dent, Reading Socialist Party
Labour no longer represents the working class. Now is the time for workers and those forced into hardship to fight back.
The solidarity shown for the strike waves is welcome. But still workers need the leadership and support denied to them by Labour.
The politicians in power didn’t get us through the worst of the Covid situation. It was ordinary working people. They are now saying: “Enough is enough”.
Socialists need to show support and solidarity, and present socialism as a credible alternative to capitalist chaos.
People are fighting for more than decent wages. They’re fighting for the right to be able to afford to eat, feed their families and keep them warm. Capitalist greed is behind the rising cost of living and energy price hikes.
The Tory leadership is becoming even more inept. I am fed up with the status quo and Tories thinking they know best when they have exactly no compassion or empathy with what it’s like to struggle.
I had heard of the Socialist Party’s predecessor, Militant. I reawakened my interest during lockdown through pro-Corbyn Facebook groups.
I met Socialist Party members at a campaign stall in Reading, and decided to go to a meeting. The rest is history.
