Looking head to TUSC conference this sat, building the political alternative

This Saturday trade unionists and socialists who are involved with building TUSC will gather in London to discuss the way forward and where we go from here. TUSC since its inception has had a modest impact with good results and some not so good. For those of us on the left who have drawn the correct conclusion in my view that we do need a political alternative to the 3 capitalist parties in the Tories, lib dems and new labour we do urgently need a new workers party to give ordinary working class people a voice. I’m a member of the socialist party and we have been a big supporter of TUSC since it was set up prior to the 2010 general election. We aim to continue on building on the good work we have done so far. TUSC is better known now but has still not as yet made that breakthrough but we feel confident in time it will do as voters and people who never vote are turned off moor and more by politics today they will be looking for something different. We understand initially many people will be sceptical of us and that is perfectly understandable as why would you think we are any different. But it’s in our actions that we will differ from your average careerist politician. I think it is key we lay down the marker now for a new workers party even if at the moment our votes are not massive its laying the ground work for future struggles to come and by us standing it sets us apart from the others and as more and more strikes, demonstrations and anger appears in society as the 80% of cuts still left to be made are pushed through at the expense of working-class people we will have been there to say there is an alternative. So if you like myself feel like you want to get involved and change how things are in society why not join us this s Saturday in London at ULU for the TUSC conference to discuss the political alternative for the 99%. TUSC conference 2012 Saturday 22nd September 2012, 11am-5pm, Room B34, Birkbeck College, Malet Street, London WC1E All welcome. Registration on the door £5 waged/£2 unwaged, with a pooled fare for waged attendees capped at £10 (i.e., if your travel costs are less than £10 you will be asked to pay the difference into the pooled fare). Agenda 11am to 1-15pm: TUSC ‘open forum’ - Building working class political representation against the austerity consensus An opening session to discuss how working class political representation could develop in the age of austerity, including the position in the trade unions, what is happening in the Labour Party, and where does TUSC fit in. Speakers include: Alex Gordon, RMT President, and John McInally, PCS Vice-President Plus: representatives of the Socialist Party, the Socialist Workers Party, Communist Party of Britain and the TUSC Independent Socialists Network. 1-45pm to 3-30pm: For councillors who will stand up to the Con-Dems Preparing for the 2013 elections, including a discussion on the draft TUSC local elections policy platform (see Draft 2013 Local Elections Policy). Speakers include: Walsall DLP Cllr Pete Smith, and TUSC Liverpool mayoral candidate and former ‘Liverpool 47’ councillor, Tony Mulhearn. 3-30pm to 5-00pm: ‘Reviewing TUSC’s structures’ Introducing the ‘Reviewing TUSC’s structures’ commission report (