What We Stand For

What We Stand For

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Socialist Party documents

What We Stand For

What the Socialist Party stands for

NHS demo London, May 2011 , photo Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge)

The Socialist Party fights for socialism – a democratic society run for the needs of all and not the profits of a few. We also oppose every cut, fighting in our day-to-day campaigning for every possible improvement for working class people.
The organised working class has the potential power to stop the cuts and transform society.

As capitalism dominates the globe, the struggle for genuine socialism must be international.

The Socialist Party is part of the Committee for a Workers' International (CWI), a socialist international that organises in over 40 countries.

Our demands include:

Public services

N30: millions of public sector workers went on strike on 30 November 2011, photo Senan

No to ALL cuts in jobs, public services and benefits. Defend our pensions.
No to privatisation and the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Renationalise all privatised utilities and services, with compensation paid only on the basis of proven need.
Fully fund all services and run them under accountable, democratic committees that include representatives of service workers and users.
Free, publicly run, good quality education, available to all at any age. Abolish university tuition fees now and introduce a living grant. No to academies and 'Free schools'!
A socialist NHS to provide for everyone's health needs - free at the point of use and under democratic control. Kick out private contractors!
Keep council housing publicly owned. For a massive building programme of publicly owned housing, on an environmentally sustainable basis, to provide good quality homes with low rents.

Work & Income

Give us real jobs! Youth Fight for Jobs protest against Workfare in Stratford's Westfield shopping centre in London 25 February 2012, photo Senan

Trade union struggle to increase the minimum wage to Ł8 an hour without exemptions as an immediate step towards Ł10 an hour. For an annual increase in the minimum wage linked to average earnings.
All workers, including part-timers, temps, casual and migrant workers to have trade union rates of pay, employment protection, and sickness and holiday rights from day one of employment.
An immediate 50% increase in the state retirement pension, as a step towards a living pension.

Reject 'Workfare'. For the right to decent benefits, education, training, or a job, without compulsion.

Scrap the anti-trade union laws! For fighting trade unions, democratically controlled by their members. Full-time union officials to be regularly elected and receive no more than a worker's wage. Support the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN).
A maximum 35-hour week with no loss of pay.

Environment

Birds killed as a result of oil from the Exxon Valdez spill, photo Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council.

Major research and investment into replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy and into ending the problems of early obsolescence and unrecycled waste.
Public ownership of the energy generating industries. No to nuclear power. No to Trident.
A democratically planned, low fare, publicly-owned transport system, as part of an overall plan against environmental pollution.

Rights

Fight homophobic attacks - LGBT demonstration July 2012, photo Paul Mattsson

Oppose discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, disability, sexuality, age, and all other forms of prejudice.
Repeal all laws that trample over civil liberties. For the right to protest! End police harassment.
Defend abortion rights. For a woman's right to choose when and whether to have children.
For the right to asylum. No to racist immigration laws.

New workers' party

Socialist Party councillor Dave Nellist speaking during the Youth Fight for Jobs Jarrow March 2011 launch demonstration in Jarrow, photo Paul Mattsson

For a new mass workers' party drawing together workers, young people and activists from workplace, community, environmental and anti-war campaigns, to provide a fighting, political alternative to the pro-big business parties.
Trade unions to disaffiliate from the Labour Party now and aid the building of a new workers' party! Support the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) as an important step towards this.

Socialism and Internationalism

No to imperialist wars and occupations. Withdraw the troops immediately from Afghanistan!

Waltham Forest Socialist Party campaign on bankers' bonuses and bailout, photo Senan

Tax the super-rich! For a socialist government to take into public ownership the top 150 companies and banks that dominate the British economy, and run them under democratic working-class control and management. Compensation to be paid only on the basis of proven need.
A democratic socialist plan of production based on the interests of the overwhelming majority of people, and in a way that safeguards the environment
No to the bosses' neo-liberal European Union! For a socialist Europe and a socialist world!