In an innovative new procedure for reviewing a general election campaign The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) will be discussing this text at a candidates’ meeting.
Proposals for developing TUSC into 2011
Elections and policy:
● The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) should continue in existence after the 2010 general election, remaining registered with the Electoral Commission and maintaining a structure that enables it to fulfil its core task. This is, essentially, to provide an opportunity for local groups of trade unionists, community campaigners and socialist organisations who want to stand candidates in elections to appear on the ballot paper, if they so wish, as part of a wider challenge – as TUSC candidates rather than as ‘Independents’.
● To this end, TUSC will endeavour to co-ordinate challenges in the Scottish Parliament elections, the Welsh Assembly elections and the local elections that will take place in May 2011. We will organise a conference in Autumn 2010 open to local groups who are planning to stand candidates in the 2011 local elections and Welsh Assembly elections, and will support the Scottish TUSC steering committee in organising a similar event to prepare for the Scottish elections.
● TUSC will also consider, on a case-by-case basis, endorsing candidates to stand under its banner at parliamentary by-elections.
● The basic TUSC core policy statement developed for the 2010 general election shall remain in place subject to any revision agreed by the steering committee. In addition supplementary policy statements shall be developed for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and local elections, to be discussed at the relevant conferences. We also confirm that, as a federal ‘umbrella’ organisation, participating organisations will continue to be able to produce their own supporting material, subject to electoral law, as was the practise successfully adopted in the general election campaign, which allowed different organisations and local campaigns to collaborate under a common banner.
Structure:
● TUSC shall continue to have a Steering Committee comprised of one representative of the Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers Party, plus in a personal capacity, Bob Crow, Craig Johnston, Brian Caton, Nina Franklin, Chris Baugh , John McInally and Nick Wrack. The steering committee will operate by consensus.
● The adherence of further organisations will be subject to the approval of the steering committee. The steering committee can also agree to expand its membership to other leading trade unionists as it decides.
● The Scottish TUSC Steering Committee shall continue to meet and function on the same autonomous basis as it did during the general election campaign.
● The participants in TUSC recognise that this structure is only an interim arrangement and that discussions will need to take place on the best way to organise the coalition as it develops in the future. We will look to organise a broader conference to include a debate on this issue in 2011.
Candidates:
● Candidates from organisations participating in the Steering Committee and the Scottish TUSC Steering Committee can expect to have their nomination papers for the elections outlined above signed by the coalition nominating officer as TUSC candidates if they so request. They can also stand, if they wish, under the existing registered electoral name of their organisation.
● Other prospective candidates, from local trade union organisations or other organisations, can also request to stand as TUSC candidates. All such requests shall be referred to the Steering Committee for decision.
● Prospective candidates will be asked to endorse the coalition’s core policy statement – and the relevant supplementary policy statement for the election they are contesting – but, with that provision, candidates will be responsible for their own campaign.
● The Steering Committee will have the final say on all coalition seats and candidates.
Election organisation:
● Steering committees will be established, where possible, for local government areas and parliamentary constituencies where seats are being contested by the coalition on whatever broadly similar basis is appropriate for each.
● The Steering Committee will seek to raise funds for national campaigning. For local challenges, the normal expectation will be that local deposits and campaigns will be financed locally.
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