Clare Doyle, Hackney Socialist Party
The newly formed ‘Kurdish and Turkish Electoral Alternative’ in north London held a meeting on 26 June about the candidates they advocate support for in the general election.
Their statement included a list of clear demands – against attacks on the rights of migrants and trade unionists, an end to war, the eradication of poverty, no to privatisation, renationalisation of the railways and water, and for equal pay, justice, equality, and freedom.
They have produced a postcard promoting candidates in ten north London constituencies that agree with those demands. All the candidates or their representatives were invited to speak.
Paula Mitchell – representing the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidates Nancy Taaffe in Walthamstow, and Karl Vidol in Southgate and Wood Green – endorsed all the demands.
She delighted the audience with the idea that “the Tories – the oldest capitalist party in the world – are going to get smashed!” But she also warned that Labour under Keir Starmer, having wiped out the manifesto drawn up under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, would carry on with Tory policy, including over the war in Gaza.
Paula spoke of the 2014 TUSC campaign in London when, in Haringey, socialists and Kurdish and Turkish activists campaigned together. They condemned Labour councillors passing on Tory cuts, and got 4,166 votes. “The fight is on to build a working-class political voice”, she concluded to enthusiastic applause.
Ibrahim, in the chair, concluded the meeting by explaining that the new organisation will continue the vital campaign “for a party that will really benefit the interests of the working class.”
