Our 2025 local election campaign
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A thoughtful response to our leaflet from an elector in Folkestone:
If I understand your position correctly, the Socialist Party of Great Britain believes that meaningful change can only happen through the democratic abolition of the current capitalist system, and the need for a system that prioritises human needs over profit resonates with me.
However, I would like to better understand how Socialist Party representatives would engage with the existing structures in the meantime.
If Socialist Party candidates were elected to our local council, would they seek to influence decisions in ways that could incrementally empower local people, for example, by advocating for greater community ownership, encouraging democratic participation, or supporting measures that improve housing conditions, even within the current system? Or would the position be to abstain from participating in decisions that do not directly challenge capitalism as a whole?
In essence, I am curious: while recognising that systemic change is the ultimate goal, how would Socialist Party councillors use their platform day-to-day to represent and support their constituents? Are there specific steps you envision towards addressing issues like homelessness, unaffordable rents, and poor-quality housing, to use your example? How would you use your voice, which is effectively the representation of your voters’ voices, in practical terms?
Online and video report in the Brixton Buzz on tomorrow’s local council by-election in Herne Hill and Loughborough Junction:l.
Note that the Green candidate describes himself as an “ecosocialist”.
We covered the May Day March in London today with leaflets left over from the Lambeth by-election. Met someone who had already voted for us in Folkestone and also the Trotskyist candidate who got less votes than us in Vauxhall, in the 2010 General Election. His group — Workers’ Power — is one of two Trotskyist groups which has suffered this indignity, from their point of view, despite offering a list of attractive-sounding reforms (the other is the Communist League) and us advocating socialism and nothing less.
Three of us will be off to the count at Lambeth Town Hall after voting ends at 10 o’clock.
Lambeth – Herne Hill and Loughborough Junction result;
Greens 1,774
Labour 1,459
Con 183
RefUK 135
LibDem 121
TUSC 30
Soc 16Turnout: 32.2%
Easy gain for the Greens in a ward where previously Labour had over 50% of the vote. This time the Greens got 48%. Voters punishing the Labour government but not, here, by voting ReformUK. This is Remain territory.
TUSC, despite their programme of reforms, only got twice as many votes as us with our straight socialism. For psephologists, this is par for the course on the other occasions in Lambeth when we are both on the ballot paper.
The counts for Folkestone and Stroud are taking place this morning and the result known about lunchtime.
This article suggests that on many issues the Reform party is more “left wing” than the average voter
Results from Folkestone:
Folkestone West
https://democracy.kent.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=724
Reform gain from Conservative. Turnout 38% (up from 2021). Socialist vote 55.Folkestone East https://democracy.kent.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=723
Reform gain from Labour. Turnout 32% (up from 26%). Socialist vote 38.
Incidentally, re Robbo’s point, ReformUK seem well on the way to winning control of Kent County Council.
Stroud Central Division of Gloucestershire County Council
Election Candidate Party Votes % Natalie Rothwell-Warn Green Party 2166 51% E Shelley Rider Labour 799 19% Daryl Leslie Arthur Smith Reform UK 697 16% Hena Mannan-Rahman Conservative 309 7% George William James Liberal Democrat 195 5% Chris Moore Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 49 1% Piers Hobson The Socialist Party of Great Britian 25 1% Shouldn’t we back up the effort expended in these elections with meetings in the constituencies contested (obviously as sole member in Shroud, Piers will need support from other members)
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