This month the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition was launched to contest a number of seats in this year’s local and general elections.

Workers can look forward to an alternative to the uniform policies of the three main parties – attacks on public services, trade unions, jobs, pay and living standards – and the racism of the BNP in the new electoral formation.

Although the RMT union executive have not agreed to formally support the coalition, RMTbranches and regional councils will be able to apply to the union’s national executive to support, politically and financially, individual candidates in their area. RMT general secretary, Bob Crow, is supporting TUSC in a personal capacity, and will serve on its steering committee. Other leading trade unionists involved include Brian Caton (general secretary of the Prison Officers’Association) and several prominent members from the PCS union.

Many RMT branches, and other trade unionists have already declared they intend to stand candidates in the general election but have not registered a party name. Now, if they wish, such candidates will be able to appear on the ballot paper as TUSC rather than as ‘Independent’. Candidates from community campaigns, and other socialist organisations that have not been involved in the discussions to date, are also welcome to stand under the TUSC banner.

The coalition has agreed a core policy statement which prospective candidates will be asked to endorse. As a federal, ‘umbrella’organisation, however, coalition candidates and participating organisations will also be able to produce their own supporting material. This will allow different individuals and organisations to collaborate with a common purpose under a common banner.

Given the persistent attacks workers have already experienced under the New Labour government in the recent ‘boom years’, the offensive on workingclass conditions is set to intensify over the next period. It is clear that the 2010 election will mark a turning point in British politics. It will usher in a new ‘age of austerity’, whoever wins, and socialists and trade unionists together will have to build a working class fightback in the new decade. The TUSC represents a modest but significant step in developing a future alternative to New Labour and the pro-big business policies of the British political establishment.

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