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Report from march TUSC Steering Committee from Pete McLaren

REPORT TUSC STEERING COMMITTEE 23/03/16

In attendance: John McInally (PCS); Hannah Sell (SP); Pete McLaren (independents); Charlie Kimber (SWP); Clive Heemskerk (National Election Agent); and Dave Nellist (Chair).

MAY ELECTIONS

a) Candidate applications

Previously circulated lists of 140 Council applications and two for Mayor were discussed. The SWP had concerns about 3 of the Council applications due to local knowledge of the Corbyn-supporting Labour candidates TUSC would be opposing, and these were therefore not authorised. The SWP also had concerns about the TUSC Mayoral candidate in Salford, and it was agreed the SWP hold further internal discussions over the next 7 days in a positive light, given that the SC agreed that in Mayoral elections TUSC might support second votes going to the Labour candidate, and, failing consensus, the SWP could note their ‘objections’ on the TUSC web site. The SWP supported all other TUSC candidates, although Charlie Kimber stated the SWP was unlikely to put forward any of its members as candidates this year.

The SC accepted all other candidate applications

b) Procedure for late applications

Given the fact that Nominations closed at 4pm on April 7th, the following procedures were agreed:

§ Further candidate applications would be circulated, with a four day turn around for objections unless longer was requested for any individual

§ No more candidate applications would be accepted after April 2nd

c) Possible TUSC Election broadcast

Clive Hemskerk reported that the BBC and ITV had insisted on 457 candidates, rather than 362 wards, as the ‘one-sixth’ threshold to qualify for a local party elections broadcast (PEB). It was agreed that if TUSC is not therefore allocated a broadcast one would still be produced for social media use under the heading, ‘The election broadcast they wouldn’t show’.

d) Election Finances

The SC agreed to pay £500 election deposits for the Mayoral candidates in Liverpool and Bristol (and Salford if the application is subsequently approved) and the two Welsh Assembly regional lists from national TUSC funds, and to donate £1,000 to the Scottish TUSC steering committee for their election campaign. As there were no TUSC candidates in this year’s GLA elections it was agreed to transfer £1,000 from the London Elections Fund account to help finance them.

TUSC EU REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN

i) The ‘Don’t fund UKIP and the Tories’ campaign

A draft letter to the Electoral Commission had been circulated, requesting them not to make an ‘official campaign’ designation for Leave supporters in the EU referendum, and requesting a formal meeting to discuss this.

The letter was agreed with drafting amendments, and it was also agreed that if the Electoral Commission was not prepared to meet with TUSC, a ‘spoiler’ application against the Tory/UKIP applications for TUSC to be given ‘lead campaign status’ for Leave would be submitted. Any meeting would provide the opportunity to hand in the TUSC petition.

ii) ‘The socialist case against the EU’ 20-city tour

It was agreed to organise a ’20-City Tour’ of meetings, hosted by TUSC between May 5th and June 23rd, on ‘The socialist case against the EU’, with speakers from the constituent organisations but with invitations also issued to unions that have taken a Leave position and other left-wing Leave campaigns. This would help promote TUSC and inject socialist politics into the whole debate

It was also agreed to write to unions with conferences taking place before the referendum to ask for a TUSC speaker in any EU debate they may be holding.

DATE OF NEXT SC MEETING

Wednesday April 24th, 4pm, was agreed

Pete McLaren 03/04/16