Welsh voters given real alternative to mainstream parties in Senedd elections

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) has announced it is standing in the Welsh Parliament elections on 6 May.

It has decided to contest the South Wales West, South Wales East and South Wales Central regional lists.

TUSC is standing to provide a real alternative for working people, including traditional Labour voters, who have been abandoned by the main parties.

Mark Evans, lead TUSC candidate in South Wales West said: “Under Keir Starmer Labour has abandoned working people. Its defence of big business in opposing the raising of Corporation Tax is just the latest in a series of sharp moves to the right, which will see Labour support in Wales ebbing away.”

Mariam Kamish, TUSC lead candidate in South Wales East added: “Welsh Labour’s voting down of a proposal to allow all children of Universal Credit claimants to receive free school meals shows that Welsh Labour is also not prepared to stand up for the lowest-paid workers in Wales”.

TUSC will be standing for:

• Universal free school meals for all pupils

• Opposition to all cuts and closures to public services, jobs, pay and conditions.

• For an immediate investment in the NHS to reverse previous cutbacks and a 15% pay rise for all NHS and care workers

• A united working-class struggle against racism

• Renationalisation of rail and public transport to electrify Wales railways

• For rent controls, secure tenancies and end to evictions.

• Nationalise energy utilities to create a publicly-owned energy company to build tidal lagoons on the Swansea, Cardiff and North Wales coasts and to make Wales 100% green energy self-sufficient

• For a multi-option referendum on independence

• Full law-making and tax raising powers for the Welsh Parliament including the power to nationalise companies threatening closure

Candidates will include a council workers’ leader, NHS nurses and workers fighting for a decent pay rise in the pandemic, a leader of the rent strike at Swansea University, a prominent community anti-cuts campaigner, a Black Lives’ Matter activist and an 18-year-old college student.

All candidates have pledged to take only the average worker’s wage in Wales if elected.


TUSC list candidates

 

South Wales West

Mark Evans – Carmarthenshire council workers’ leader

Karen Gerrahty – Maesteg NHS occupational therapist

Gareth Bromhall – Secretary of Swansea Trades Union Council and care worker

Oision Mullholland – organiser of the rent strike at Swansea University

Charlie Wells – Swansea University organiser of Free Education campaign



South Wales Central

Ross Saunders – organiser of Cardiff Against The Cuts and secretary of Socialist Party Wales

Beth Webster – nurse at UHW hospital

Mia Hollsing – Cynon Valley campaigner against domestic violence

Kevin Gillen – Barry community activist



South Wales East

Mariam Kamish – Campaigner for A&E at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr

Cammilla Mngaza – Campaigning for justice for her daughter Siyanda Mngaza

Melanie Benedict – 18 year old campaigner for youth rights

Dave Reid – Trade union activist