This has arrived in my inbox. All right, so Dave Nellist (although he was a remarkably effective parliamentarian if he didn't really believe in it), Tommy Sheridan, the Communist Party of Britain, et al, are rather less than ideal, and make decidedly colourful bedfellows for each other. And all right, so they need to work on the correct use of the apostrophe. But Steve Radford (on the same slate as Harry Smith!) speaks of a broader base. And the Visteon lot, the Lindsey oil refinery lot and Peter Shore's old agent are exactly what we need. Look out for zero coverage while the BBC, in particular, lavishes attention on the BNP. Why? I think we should be told...
No2EU – Yes to Democracy declares slate of candidates for June 4th vote
No2EU – Yes to Democracy, Britain’s newest political party, today declared its full slate of candidates for the Euro elections on June 4th.
No2EU – Yes to Democracy is running in every region of the UK, with the exception of Northern Ireland, and will be the only national challenge from the left to the traditional political elite.
The party is opposed to the Lisbon Treaty and the attack on democracy from the EU but is also pro workers rights and public services and firmly opposed to the racist poison of the BNP.
Amongst the candidates on the No2EU-Yes to Democracy slate are Bob Crow, general secretary of RMT, leading human rights lawyer John Hendy QC, former Coventry MP Dave Nellist, Dyal Singh Bagri, President of the Indian Workers Association, Solidarity’s Tommy Sheridan and convenors from the Lindsey Oil Refinery and yesterdays Olympics site protest. They are joined by experienced trade union and community activists from every contested region.
“No2EU-Yes to Democracy is a grassroots movement which reaches into workplaces and local communities across the UK. That is reflected in the slate of candidates which we have announced today,” Bob Crow, No2EU Convenor, said.
“We now expect the media to respect our organisation and to give us the access to coverage that we expect and deserve as a national political party. The turn out on June 4th is a crucial issue for the future of politics in this country and it does nobody any favours to stifle debate on the whole undemocratic nature of the EU and its institutions.
“You can barely get a fag paper between the Euro policies of the main political parties so it’s little wonder the majority of people are disengaged. We want a proper debate, from the left, which challenges the hate agenda of the BNP and the narrow-mindedness of UKIP and which flies the banner of workers rights and public ownership. We stand opposed to the EU gravy train and the bankers and bosses Europe,” Bob Crow said.
Further information:
Geoff Martin 07818 513 435
Brian Denny 07903 376 303
NO2EU-Yes to Democracy candidate list
London – Eight candidates
Bob Crow – RMT general secretary
John Hendy QC – Leading human rights lawyer
Professor Mary Davis – Lecturer in trade union studies
Kevin Nolan – Visteon convener, Enfield site
Syed Islam – Social worker and Bangladeshi community activist
Onay Kasab – Greenwich UNISON branch secretary
John Rowe – Health worker and former election agent for Peter Shore MP
Nick Wrack – socialist barrister
West Midlands – Six candidates
David John Nellist – Socialist Party Councillor and Coventry MP from 1983 to 1992
Dyal Singh Bagri – President, Indian Workers Association (pc)
Malcolm Gribbin – Retired teacher, school governor
Jo Stevenson – Youth CND treasurer
Peter MacLaren – Alliance for Green Socialism
Andy Chaffer – Birmingham trades council
East Midlands – Five candidates
John McEwan – Lindsey Oil Refinery worker
Avtar Sadiq – Unity for Peace and Socialism party
Jean Thorpe – UNISON NEC member
Shangara Singh Gahonia – Unity for Peace and Socialism party
Laurence Platt – UNITE branch secretary (pc)
Wales – Four candidates
Rob Griffiths – Communist Party of Britain general secretary
Rob Williams – Unite convener of the Linemar plant in Swansea
Laura Picand – UNISON Wales staff member
Trevor Jones – Deeside trades council secretary
North West – Eight candidates
Roger Bannister – Unison NEC member
Les Skarrot – FBU executive committee
Craig Johnston – RMT executive
Alec MacFadden – President of Merseyside trades council
Steve Radford – Liberal Party councillor
Lynn Worthington – Community and healthcare campaigner
John Metcalfe – Former deputy Labour leader of Carlisle council
Harry Smith – One of the 47 surcharged Liverpool Labour councillors
Scotland – Six candidates
John Foster – Scottish Campaign Against Euro Federalism secretary
Tommy Sheridan – Solidarity Co-Convenor
Leah Ganley – Student at Dundee University
Stuart Hyslop – Retired seafarer RMT
Ajit Singh Uppal – Indian Workers Association (pc)
Tom Morrison – Secretary Clydebank TUC
Yorkshire & Humberside – Six candidates
Keith Gibson – Lindsey oil refinery worker
Celia Foote – Alliance for Green Socialism
Councillor Jackie Grunsell – Save Huddersfield NHS councillor
Peter March – RMT regional secretary
Mike Davies – Alliance for Green Socialism secretary
Juliet Marie Boddington – Alliance for Green Socialism activist
South East – Ten candidates
Professor Dave Hill – Former East Sussex Labour Group leader
Garry Hassell – RMT executive committee
Kevin Hayes – Ford worker
Owen Morris – Construction worker and supporter of Lindsey and Olympic site protests
Gawain Little – Teacher and CND National Council member
Robert Wilkinson – NUT Wokingham and District Secretary
Jacqui Berry – Medway trades council president
Nick Wright – Graphic designer and teacher
Nick Chaffey – Youth worker
Sarah Wrack – Student Sussex University
Eastern – Seven candidates
Brian Denny – Journalist and democracy campaigner
Frank Jepson – Visteon factory convener, Basildon
Steve Glennon – shop steward at GSK in Ware, Hertfordshire
Phil Katz – Author and designer
Eleanor Donne – UNISON steward (pc), local government worker
Pete Relph – Environmental campaigner
Ron Rodwell – Former CWU activist RMT staff rep
North East – Three candidates
Martin Levy – Newcastle trades council president
Hannah Walter – UNISON shop steward (pc)
Peter Pinkney – RMT activist
South West – Six candidates
Alex Gordon – RMT executive committee
Roger Davey – Health worker
Rachel Lynch – NUT activist (pc)
Nick Quirk – RMT executive committee
John Chambers – Retired T&G union official
Paul Dyer – Barnstaple trades council secretary
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Aren't you standing in the European elections? I thought you were.
ReplyDeleteLong story.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, you cannot now sit both at Strasbourg and at Westminster.
Long story? Do tell.
ReplyDeleteFailing that, at least answer the question.
It's been on here at enormous length.
ReplyDeleteBack on topic, please.
So are these the people you are endorsing?
ReplyDeleteDepending on who else puts up in the North East, this is the list for which I currently expect to vote. I am not "endorsing" anyone.
ReplyDeleteThey sound like the worst excesses of 1980's Labour party and the like, whose failure was the single biggest reason for letting Thatcherism dominate the UK to so much cost. How anyone can countenance voting for them (its not as if they have even a hope of picking up a seat) simply baffles me.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me all sentimental and nostalgic, hearing one of the greatest hits of 1995 or 1996. You probably still have your hair parted down the middle.
ReplyDeleteExcesses compared to what, Cam? The Iraq war? The PFIs?
ReplyDeleteRemember, Jack, they are "the centre ground". By definition. No matter what they say or do. Anyone who disagrees with them is an extremist. By definition. No matter what we say or do. Have you got that?
ReplyDeleteIn the Eighties of which Cam speaks, his New Labour lot were Communists and Trotskyists busily deselecting mainstream Labour MPs. Among other things...
"It's been on here at enormous length."
ReplyDeleteI'm a very regular reader, and while I was aware that the BPA is no longer in operation, I was under the impression that you were still planning to stand as an independent. Am I to understand that this isn't true? Why?
No, the words used were:
ReplyDelete"Our Strasbourg campaign certainly goes on (though, of course, not using the name), not least here in the North East."
Oh, I see. Who's the candidate, then? Is it you?
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to have a candidate to have a campaign.
ReplyDeleteYou have to admit it's an impressive feat of organisation though.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is. But the BBC is dtermined to lavish attention on the BNP instead.
ReplyDeleteso no advice for those of us not in England, Scotland and Wales.
ReplyDeleteI quite like the sound of Ian Parsley(sic).....seriously Not a typo.
He is from North East England...well actually he is not but he tells people he is and has too different accents.
With a name like PARSLEY, he should be in GREEN party.