by Janine Booth
Tony Blair’s government does the bidding of big business and attacks working-class people – exactly the opposite of what a Labour government should do.
Here in Hackney, Blair’s lackeys in the Town Hall have cut and privatised services while lining their own pockets. Council workers face attacks on their pensions and local communities are neglected.
In the recent Council elections, Hackney Labour tried to present itself as having saved the Council from chaos. The truth is that – helped by the Tories and LibDems – it caused the chaos in the first place! And if it has not made cuts this year, that is only because it had cut so much over the past few years.
Hackney Socialist Unity stood two candidates in Hackney Central ward. Janine Booth and Charlie MacDonald were the only socialist candidates in the borough, and polled 11% and 7% of the vote.
We met lots of people during the election campaign who were angry at the way Labour has betrayed them, both in government and in the Council. But what can they do about it?
In isolation, we all feel powerless. But together, we are stronger. Hackney Socialist Unity is determined to unite people who want to fight back for a better deal for working-class communities and to promote socialist ideas.
Unlike Tony Blair, we don’t think that talking about class is outdated, or that war, privatisation and letting the rich get even richer are the answers to society’s problems.
We campaign as part of the labour movement, not trying to replace it but to change it and help it to fight more effectively against big-business power and for workers’ interests.
Unlike candidates from other parties, Socialist Unity will not be vanishing for the next four years only to reappear and beg for your vote again. We are part of this community, part of the labour movement, and will keep up the fight for human need not private profit. Join us.