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The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) was formed out of last year’s No2EU campaign in the European Elections. Significantly, that campaign was supported by the Executive of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union, as well as a number of political parties, including founders the Socialist Party (CWI) and Communist Party of Britain and Alliance for Green Socialism. However only the Socialist Party remain in TUSC from the No2EU founders but they have been joined by a few candidates from the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) who were part of Respect at the last general election 2005 but split acrimoniously in 2007. Solidarity in Scotland, a splinter from the Scottish Socialist Party led by Tommy Sheridan are also involved in TUSC.
Many of the 42 candidates are member of the Socialist Party, with a few from the Socialist Workers Party. However there are some broader forces involved including Socialist Resistance – the candidate in Brighton Kemptown is SR supporter and former Labour council leader Dave Hill. In Salford, the Hazel Must Go campaign is running under the TUSC umbrella with Socialist/Green/Community activist David Henry running an impressive campaign with backing from Respect and Greens against Hazel Blears. In Carlisle the campaign is led by a CPB/Morning Star supporter with their own ‘Carlisle Socialist and Trade Union’ electoral name.
The Socialist Party are standing four candidates (3 in Coventry and 1 in Lewisham) under their electoral name ‘Socialist Alternative’, but supporting TUSC.
As well as Brighton, Salford and Carlisle other seats to watch include Dave Nellist in Coventry who was the only SP candidate to save his deposit (5% of the vote – just!) in 2005, Lewisham councillor Ian Page, Kirlees councillor Jackie Grunsell in Colne Valley and Tommy Sheridan in Glasgow. TUSC are up against Respect in Manchester Gorton and the SSP in Glasgow North East.
TUSC candidates
| Bootle | Pete Glover | 472 votes 1.1% |
| Brighton Kemptown | Dave Hill | 194 - 0.5% |
| Bristol East | Rae Lynch | 184 - 0.4% |
| Bristol South | Tom Baldwin | 206 votes 0.4% |
| Cambridge | Martin Booth | 362 – 0.7% |
| Cardiff Central | Ross Saunders | 162- 0.4% |
| Carlisle | John Metcalfe | 376 – 0.9% |
| Colne Valley | Dr Jackie Grunsell | 741 – 1.3% |
| Coventry North East * | Dave Nellist | 1,592 votes 3.7% |
| Coventry North West * | Nikki Downes | 370 votes 0.8% |
| Coventry South * | Judy Griffiths | 695 – 1.5% |
| Doncaster North | Bill Rawcliffe | 181 – 0.4% |
| Dundee West | Jim McFarlane | 357 votes 1.0% |
| Edinburgh East | Gary Clark | 274 – 0.7% |
| Edinburgh North & Leith | Willie Black | 233 - 0.5% |
| Gateshead | Elaine Brunskill | 266 – 0.7% |
| Glasgow North | Angela McCormick | 287 – 1.0% |
| Glasgow North East | Graham Campbell | 187 - 0.6% |
| Glasgow South | Brian Smith | 351 – 0.9% |
| Glasgow South West | Tommy Sheridan | 931- 2.9% |
| Greenwich & Woolwich | Onay Kasab | 267 votes 0.6% |
| Huddersfield | Paul Cooney | 319 – 0.8% |
| Hull West & Hessle | Keith Gibson | 150 – 0.5% |
| Inverness Nairn Badenoch & Strathspey | George MacDonald | 135 - 0.3% |
| Leicester West | Steve Score | 157 – 0.4% |
| Lewisham Deptford* | Ian Page | |
| Liverpool Walton | Daren Ireland | 195 - 0.6% |
| Manchester Gorton | Karen Reissman | 337 – 0.9% |
| Midlothian | Willie Duncan | 166 -0.4% |
| Motherwell & Wishaw | Ray Gunnion | |
| Portsmouth North | Mick Tosh | 154 – 0.3% |
| Redcar | Hannah Walter | 127 – 0.3% |
| Salford & Eccles | David Henry | 730 votes 1.8% |
| Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough | Maxine Bowler | 656 - 1.7% |
| Southampton Itchen | Tim Cutter | 168 – 0.4% |
| Spelthorne | Paul Couchman | 176- 0.4% |
| Stoke-on-Trent Central | Matthew Wright | 133 – 0.4% |
| Swansea West | Rob Williams | 179 0.5% |
| Tottenham | Jenny Sutton | 1,057 – 2.6% |
| Walthamstow | Nancy Taaffe | 279 - 0.7% |
| Wellingborough | Paul Crofts | 249 – 0.5% |
| Wythenshawe & Sale East | Lynn Worthington |
Liam redux 
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