by Adam Gillman, South East London Socialist Party
At the local election hustings in Deptford, south London, there was huge anger at Labour. Lewisham Labour-run council has carried out brutal austerity, including threatening Lewisham Shopping Centre with closure. It has also made unpopular decisions such as pedestrianising Deptford High Street. Disgust at the Labour leaders’ support for the horrific genocidal slaughter in Gaza remains too.
campaign in Croydon — Photo: Berkay Kartav
There were lots of new young Green Party members in attendance, clearly enthused by Zack Polanski’s left-wing rhetoric. The young greens were very open to the ideas of the Socialist Party – a Green candidate even bought a paper for solidarity price, and was open to further discussion.
Socialist councillors
In the hustings itself, I asked: “Would the councillors take the ‘Liverpool road’ and implement legally balanced no-cuts budgets — the official position of the local authority unions of Unite, Unison and GMB?” I also highlighted how, when the Socialist Party had three councillors in Lewisham in the 2000s, we used this fighting approach of mobilising the working class to save Ladywell Hospital, and won millions of pounds for services.
Unfortunately, none of the candidates indicated they would support a no-cuts budget, with the Liberal Democrat even effectively calling for more cuts by highlighting “wasteful spending.” The Green candidate, Councillor Hau-Yu Tam, was originally elected as a Labour candidate in Evelyn ward but is now standing in Deptford. She is also the co-chair of internal Green Party campaign group Greens Organise, and replied to my question saying that “it was illegal, and that the council would have a section 114 notice”.
Green summit
She also highlighted that Greens Organise have a petition that’s calling for a summit to discuss a strategy to fight austerity. On its website it says it would invite “willing councillors, MPs, community organisations and trade unions”.
Contrary to what some argue, councils can’t go bankrupt and the government can’t just force a council to issue a section 114 notice. It’s also not true that a no-cuts budget is illegal. The strategy TUSC candidates are fighting for is no-cuts council budgets to be balanced by using reserves and borrowing powers.
The other essential part is for the council to help build a campaign with the trade unions and community to fight for the funding needed for our services that’s been stolen by central government. History shows that this fighting approach works – including in Lewisham itself!
Socialist Party members in the borough will be contacting all Green and other councillors, and look forward to continue the discussion with them and the trade unions on what strategy is needed to build the fightback.
- Jay Coward is standing as a TUSC candidate for Lewisham Mayor
- Chloe Rae Leslie is TUSC candidate for Deptford ward, one of five TUSC candidates across the borough