The TUSC has now reached a whopping 240 candidates in May’s local elections

Left-wing political umbrella party TUSC has announced that it’s fielding around 240 candidates in May’s local elections – representing a potential headache for the Labour Party. Of course, this is without the candidates it will stand at the general election – whenever that may be.

TUSC: up to 240 candidates for the local elections

After the latest meeting of the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) all-Britain steering committee, two hundred and forty candidates have now been approved to stand in May’s local elections – representing one of the biggest left-wing challenges to Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.

The candidates will contest four constituency seats for the Greater London Authority, the directly-elected Salford city mayor, and council wards in 44 first or second-tier local authorities – just over 40% of the 105 local councils with elections this year. The full list of council candidates agreed upon so far can be found here.

TUSC said it:

wants to see the broadest socialist challenge to the establishment parties in the local and general elections.

That’s why, to avoid clashes and in a spirit of collaboration, before we adopted our candidates at the steering committee, we sent details of the council, ward, and TUSC applicant to the Breakthrough Party, Left Unity Party, Free North Now, the Transform Party, and Liverpool Independents for their comments.

When we’re informed of their candidates, we will list them on our website.

There’s still time for more TUSC candidates, the group said:

We are working to broaden the anti-austerity and anti-war electoral challenge – and there’s still time for more trade unionists, anti-cuts community campaigners, stop the war on Gaza protesters, and socialists from different parties or none to join us in what will be the biggest working-class left-of-Labour challenge to Sir Keir Starmer’s Tory-lite New Labour party in May.

Social media push

The main campaigning work for local elections this year will be done locally. However, as part of TUSC’s longer-term campaigning for a new party “rooted in the organisations and communities of the working class”, it wants as many people as possible to know it is standing anti-austerity and anti-war candidates.

So, TUSC is asking every supporter who uses X, Facebook, and WhatsApp to follow TUSC activists and supporters channel on WhatsApp on your mobile here.

This channel, which you will see on the Updates tab once you have followed, is aimed at candidates, agents, and supporters. It is for announcements only (a maximum of a couple a day in this election period). No replies or comments are possible, so you won’t be swamped with messages. It will mainly be used to let you know of social media posts on X and Facebook that TUSC would like you to share to raise the national profile of the group.

The final steering committee meeting to approve candidate applications will occur just before Easter. Completed application forms must be received by the TUSC national election agent, Clive Heemskerk, at cliveheemskerk[at]socialistparty.org.uk by Saturday 23 March to be placed on the agenda.

Featured image via TUSC