Defection

[StacySocialist]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site. I am a District Councillor representing the Labour Party but following some pretty nasty harassment from certain members and gaining zero support from the Labour Party over this treatment I am looking to defect and represent TUSC. I have felt disenfranchised from the Labour Party for some time, especially seeing at a local level the kind of things this party stands for is not the same as when I first joined.

I am extremely worried about the local press and how they will deal with it and also how I will deal with being a lone party representative in the council chamber. Could anyone offer any advice please? I am aware a press release will cover my reasons but I suppose I'm just naturally cautious.

Thanks.

[seagull]

I think you should contact Mr Nellist. He is just down the road in Coventry.

[paralreg]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site. I am a District Councillor representing the Labour Party but following some pretty nasty harassment from certain members and gaining zero support from the Labour Party over this treatment I am looking to defect and represent TUSC. I have felt disenfranchised from the Labour Party for some time, especially seeing at a local level the kind of things this party stands for is not the same as when I first joined.

I am extremely worried about the local press and how they will deal with it and also how I will deal with being a lone party representative in the council chamber. Could anyone offer any advice please? I am aware a press release will cover my reasons but I suppose I'm just naturally cautious.

Thanks.

The local population voted for you as a Labour candidate, I believe that if you wish to change groups, as you have a right to do, you should resign and stand again. I see no validity in any member of any group that swaps parties etc without a mandate from the electorate to support the move. It makes the electoral process pointless.
I would suggest you follow the publish and be damned route, announce your reasons for stepping down as far as you can prove, and your intended aims. Then trust the public, ask for their support on the basis of the evidence you have shown if you have any. This seems a far more honourable way forward than simply being labeled a turncoat existing on a false mandate. I wish you well and feel if you can prove your points then you may well be surprised by the results.

As a former union member and a socialist I find that now a days the two ideas are inimical to each other. Unions are the real champagne somethings but socialists they are not, as each vies with the others for power they talk socialism and live like lords. If you are truly socialist then BE socialist and stand as that, don't sell your principles to the union demagogues for your seat.
Resign, denounce your Labour group, speak the truth and stand as a SOCIALIST.

[the_modgardener]

I agree with a lot of what you say paraleg. There are now many that you could call 'Career Trade Unionists', but I think its more likely these can be ousted than a champagne socialist within the Labour Party.

Good luck with your move anyway Stacy. I think when dealing with the press you have to stand on your record as a councillor and stand your ground on this. Like Seagull says, contact Dave Nellist and other TUSC councillors, plus maybe align yourself with any Greens or similar minded independents on the council.

[paralreg]

I agree with a lot of what you say paraleg. There are now many that you could call 'Career Trade Unionists', but I think its more likely these can be ousted than a champagne socialist within the Labour Party.

Good luck with your move anyway Stacy. I think when dealing with the press you have to stand on your record as a councillor and stand your ground on this. Like Seagull says, contact Dave Nellist and other TUSC councillors, plus maybe align yourself with any Greens or similar minded independents on the council.

Trade union leaders are like the monkeys at the top of a tree, they look down and see smiling monkeys trying to reach their perch, but when the smiling monkeys look up they can see only ar53holes. There is no socialism in trade unions at higher levels only greed, there is no socialism in the Labour party that I can see. Both parties are populated at top level by greedy spoilt got it all rich kids in the job to feed their egos, simply dross and union leaders are even worse as they turn their back and deny their roots and those who went before.
Only when Capitalist and Socialist realise they are not natural enemies but simply each is one side of a divided society when the realisation arrives that to prosper they have to co-operate and the same with government consultation instead of confrontation politics would save many billions of pounds by eliminating the four yearly left right economic chicane of General Elections.
This countries politicians have sniped, bickered and derided the people and each other, while the land has fallen into economic failure.

I wish Stacy the best of luck, but I do hope she nails her colours to the mast and says this (whatever) has happened so I am doing this as a Socialist and I want you to back me.

[Red Zed]

Trade union leaders are like the monkeys at the top of a tree, they look down and see smiling monkeys trying to reach their perch, but when the smiling monkeys look up they can see only ar53holes. There is no socialism in trade unions at higher levels only greed, there is no socialism in the Labour party that I can see. Both parties are populated at top level by greedy spoilt got it all rich kids in the job to feed their egos, simply dross and union leaders are even worse as they turn their back and deny their roots and those who went before.
Only when Capitalist and Socialist realise they are not natural enemies but simply each is one side of a divided society when the realisation arrives that to prosper they have to co-operate and the same with government consultation instead of confrontation politics would save many billions of pounds by eliminating the four yearly left right economic chicane of General Elections.
This countries politicians have sniped, bickered and derided the people and each other, while the land has fallen into economic failure.

I wish Stacy the best of luck, but I do hope she nails her colours to the mast and says this (whatever) has happened so I am doing this as a Socialist and I want you to back me.

Paraleg you are not a socialist so theres no point in trying to kid yourselff or others. Capitalism will always put the millinaires befor the millions and you want it to survive but call yourself a socialist. kid us not

[paralreg]

Paraleg you are not a socialist so theres no point in trying to kid yourselff or others. Capitalism will always put the millinaires befor the millions and you want it to survive but call yourself a socialist. kid us not

Struggle Solidarity Socialism, Why? It has been the pointless and all consuming contest between half baked union leaders and grasping short sighted capitalists that has destroyed this land. England is a small country but a potentially rich one all it takes is for both sides of the economic/political argument to realise we are all in the same hole. There are some minor signs of capitalism taking on a greater degree of social commitment, OK, at the moment its probably just for publicity reasons but instead of knocking it we should encourage it by backing those expending money in such a fashion. The red flag and the International are thankfully, realistically long gone and a new reality is coming ever more to the fore, one that realises a strong society means strong industry and visa versa to build the new society we need Capitalists money and to run their businesses capitalists need society not only as a work force but also as customers it is a simple circle each servicing the other. Cooperation is better cheaper and more productive than confrontation.

[Red Zed]

Struggle Solidarity Socialism, Why? It has been the pointless and all consuming contest between half baked union leaders and grasping short sighted capitalists that has destroyed this land. England is a small country but a potentially rich one all it takes is for both sides of the economic/political argument to realise we are all in the same hole. There are some minor signs of capitalism taking on a greater degree of social commitment, OK, at the moment its probably just for publicity reasons but instead of knocking it we should encourage it by backing those expending money in such a fashion. The red flag and the International are thankfully, realistically long gone and a new reality is coming ever more to the fore, one that realises a strong society means strong industry and visa versa to build the new society we need Capitalists money and to run their businesses capitalists need society not only as a work force but also as customers it is a simple circle each servicing the other. Cooperation is better cheaper and more productive than confrontation.

Just about sums it up your not a socialist so admit you are trying to fool people that say you are.
So you think the red flag and internationale are dead. They certainly werent dead on N30. There is more interest in parties on the left and trade unionism then there has been in years.
We need the money of the rich you think. But instead of investing in jobs they tried to boost their profits by building up the financial sector and not creating jobs. Socialism would use that money to create jobs.

[paralreg]

Just about sums it up your not a socialist so admit you are trying to fool people that say you are.
So you think the red flag and internationale are dead. They certainly werent dead on N30. There is more interest in parties on the left and trade unionism then there has been in years.
We need the money of the rich you think. But instead of investing in jobs they tried to boost their profits by building up the financial sector and not creating jobs. Socialism would use that money to create jobs.

As you wish.