Sutton and Croydon TUSC

WHAT A MARVELLOUS RESULT FOR CORBYN! 

UK politics will never be quite the same again! TUSC wholeheartedly and unreservedly welcomes the result!

Very many thousands of people, young and old, through their enthusiasm and motivation have delivered this result. Hopes everywhere have been raised that at last we might start the push back against the pro-austerity, pro-rich onslaught of the last period.

Some anti-austerity and socialist arguments are beginning already to gain a wider audience. As a result the corporate media is spitting blood and bile. We will see much more of this in the weeks and months ahead.

Many of Corbyn’s policies are, of course, those that TUSC has been pressing forward for some time - against cuts in public expenditure; for the renationalisation of the utilities, Royal Mail, the railways; ending privatisation; opposition to war and conflict abroad, etc. Policies consistently supported by the wider public.

We look forward to continuing our work in friendly partnership with Corbyn’s supporters in building a renewed movement for democratic socialism and a powerful and unflinching working class party.

But the right-wing of the Labour Party will fight back. We don’t yet know what form that will take. It is likely they will bide their time before they act openly - leaving the media to do their dirty work; seeking to undermine Corbyn and his supporters.

He will find he suddenly has many “friends” from Labour’s right-wing who will suddenly rediscover left-sounding phraseology. They will curry favour - there will be much flattery and fawning - especially since Corbyn has said he will be “inclusive”.

However, some Labour MPs have already made plain they will not co-operate. Let’s not forget that Corbyn’s support amongst Labour MPs hitherto has been around 10% at most!

We mustn’t lose sight of the fact that the body of the Labour Party is still pro-austerity. For example, compare Corbyn’s pronouncements with the contents of Labour’s Manifesto!

Labour became an undemocratic, Tory second eleven through a long and painful process which was started in the 1980s with the expulsion of many left wingers - TUSC Chair Dave Nellist (once a Labour MP himself) amongst them.

Will Labour MPs and the thousands of Labour councillors now start fighting back against cuts in social expenditure and privatisations?

Will Labour councils now start refusing to implement Tory cuts and policies? Will Croydon Council, to be specific, lead this process? What will Steve Reed do?

It is clear there is much still to be done. Some of that work will occur within the Labour party no doubt (if its undemocratic structures will permit!). But very much work will take place in the wider Labour movement - and that’s where TUSC comes in.

For TUSC the question is - how can this significant left victory be converted into  long-lasting change; how can it help build a renewed, unflinching working class party that will rid us of the Tories and everything they represent?

FOR ANSWERS, COME TO THE NATIONAL TUSC CONFERENCE IN LONDON ON SATURDAY 26th SEPTEMBER. 

> STUDENT CENTRAL, MALET STREET, WC1E 7HY.

> 11am until 4.30pm.

The opening session, "The role of TUSC in the new situation", will be a chance to assess these issues and what needs to be done after Jeremy Corbyn's success.

A great start has been made.

Big business and its craven representatives within Labour have collectively taken a solid left hook!

It's left them staggering. Let’s follow it through!

For more info - see HERE.