In the ward where I was standing, we increased the percentage of the vote from 3.7% to 6.4% and we increased our votes in Wainbody. Our highest candidate, Rob Windsor achieved 30% of the vote in St Michael's - a result that all of us can be proud of. Labour might think we will just go away so they can get on with cutting services in peace - but we would be neglecting our role as socialists if we failed to speak up for ordinary people. Many people voted Labour in Coventry once again, not because Labour have the answers but because they are the lesser evil compared to the Tories. Sadly for the people of Lower Stoke, they have elected a Labour councillor who will continue to vote through cuts for the next three years.
This has been my first election as a candidate, the experience has opened my eyes as I begin to see how hard it become being involved with politics. Yet I have enjoyed spending more time out on the streets of Coventry, talking to all sorts of people about issues that concern them. We will build on our results in Coventry, meaning that Mr O'Boyle might need to use some more council reserves to pay for the rental of the removal lorry because true socialists in Coventry will not be going away - we are here to stay and we will continue speaking up for the people not the profiteers!
Latest news from Coventry Lower Stoke candidate Robert McArdle:
05/05/11: The day has arrived where voters will choose between the parties that will cut services (while claiming they fight for voters) or vote for a real alternative in Coventry. Anybody that knows Dave Nellist will testify that he speaks up for ordinary people and was the only councillor in Cov to vote against the £38m cuts. But we need more than one man - we need councillors who will stand shoulder to shoulder with Dave and the working class and actually defend our public services. It would be great to see Rob Windsor returned as councillor in St Michael's - speaking to the people in Hillfields and the Charterhouse, they speak highly about the work Rob has done over the years as a councillor.
Right across Coventry we have 18 candidates who are willing to stand up for the people of our city and fight the government cuts. Labour claim to fight - but the reality has been they take the Tory axe and hack into services across Coventry. While Labour stand and point at the pot holes they have filled, a black hole grows across the city as funding to services takes place. If Labour councillors (or Tory/Lib Dem) are elected - then Coventry faces budget cuts for the next THREE years. This is why we need Socialist Alternative councillors who would not only vote against cuts, they would fight for the people of Coventry and demand the coalition government return the money they are stealing from our budget. We asked Labour to fight with us, but they opted to vote for cuts (then claim they are the fighting party during elections!).
We are standing in all the wards in Coventry to give voters an opportunity to vote for something positive - a Socialist Alternative! While we might not get the publicity or the financial backing like the big parties but we will continue working each and every week in building a socialist society for the millions, not the millionaires.
23/04/11: Most voters will remember why Labour lost the General Election last year - after 13 years in power people had enough of New Labour. Had they been elected, Labour would have cut slower and longer but still would have cut billions from public services -that means thousands of jobs would have been lost!
Now Labour are in opposition, they have been very vocal about the NHS and university fees - yet Labour introduced Private Finance Inishative meaning tax payers pay more for hospitals than before PFI. Labour introduced university fees while in power, making it easier for the Tories and Lib Dems to raise them to £9,000. In Lower Stoke, Labour's John McNicholas claims, "as a Labour Councillor I am committed to protect the services we all need." Yet he and all the other Labour councillors voted through £38m of cuts this year and if re-elected on May 5th, will vote through cuts for the next three years. Hardly a protector of services for the people of Lower Stoke!
As a Socialist Alternative candidate, I would be able to hold my head up high and say to the people in Lower Stoke that I would join Dave Nellist in opposing cuts to Coventry. Inside the council chambers I would vote no to budget cuts instead of towing the Labour line. Socialists have opposed tuition fees from the start and we oppose the privatisation of the NHS - we believe in a fully funded health service free at the point of entry for everyone. There is no shortage of money in society, as the FTSE top 100 companies clearly demonstrate - they are sitting on billions not knowing how to spend it, while the government slash £81b from public services and raised our taxes. There is a better way to run society, one that is not dictated to by the market speculators.
09/04/11: Labour Lower Stoke councillor delivered his election leaflet today claiming he would be 'the first line of defence against the damage caused by this Tory led government'. Not much of a defender for Lower Stoke because HE voted to cut our services by £38m this year. If re-elected John McNicholas will vote through more cuts planned for next year and the two years after that. In fact EVERY Labour councillor in Coventry sided with the Tories and Lib Dems and voted to cut services, only Dave Nellist (Socialist) stood on the side of the people and voted against cuts and called for council reserves to be used to protect our services.
This is one of the reasons why Coventry Lower Stoke needs the Socialist Alternative - Robert McArdle would offer a better defence because he would actually vote NO to cuts. Along with Dave Nellist, Socialist councillors would call for the council to fight back against the Tory government and refuse to cut services in Coventry.
VOTE: Socialist Alternative on May 5th, 2011
