What we stand for The Communist Party stands for socialism. We are fundamentally opposed to this immoral and bankrupt capitalist system, which allows enormous wealth to be made by the few at the expense of the many. Communists work to defend and extend working people’s economic and social interests and their democratic rights and are opposed to all forms of discrimination based on race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age or disability. We consider that socialism can be achieved in Britain by a combination of mass struggle and political campaigning, culminating in the election of a parliamentary majority of socialists and communists pledged to a genuine socialist programme. YOUR COMMUNIST CANDIDATE Martin Levy is a life-long communist and trade unionist, and has contested several local and Parliamentary elections in Newcastle. He writes: “People in Walkergate need a councillor who will stand up for their interests, resisting privatisation and cuts in services.” WANT TO FIND OUT MORE? Contact the Communist Party of Britain at Ruskin House, 23 Coombe Road, Croydon CR0 1BD www.communist-party.org.uk www.northerncommunists.org.uk Printed by Tyneside Free Press, 5 Charlotte Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4XF. Promoted by Margaret Levy (Election Agent) of 13 Shoreham Court, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 2XG on behalf of Martin Levy, of same address
Defend jobs, services, pay and benefits
Build broad-based campaigns against the cuts
Call time on the ConDem millionaires
Vote LEVY
Communist Party
Newcastle City Council Elections 2012 rd Polling day Thursday 3 May
WALKERGATE WARD
Vote Communist
MARTIN LEVY
Say no to austerity! Newcastle City Council claims to be delivering “A fair budget for a fairer city”. But £30 mn of cuts, on top of last year’s £44 mn, can by no means be “fair”. It cannot be FAIR to put meals-on-wheels charges up by 50p to £3.50. reduce the amount of time care providers spend in people’s homes from 30 minutes to 20 minutes. introduce a cap on ‘high cost’ care packages. cut another 370 Council jobs, on top of the 660 last year, at a time when there are over 17,500 people in the city out of work and seeking employment. These cuts will fall most heavily on: the elderly and disabled – as service users; women – who make up a high proportion of the Council’s workforce;; and young people – for whom job opportunities with the Council are being completely closed off.
By calling this a “fair” budget, Newcastle’s Labour Group is diverting attention from the wreckers in central government and implying that nothing can be done. Tragically, the same defeatist position has been taken by the leaders of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Both Ed Miliband and Ed Balls have said they will not be able to reverse the ConDem cuts if Labour is reelected in 2015. And they simply accuse the government of cutting “too far, too fast”. Not a word about the super-wealthy parasites. With such policies, why would anyone want to vote Labour? The Communist Party campaigns for fighting back now. That means mobilising in trade unions and communities, at first to protest against ConDem policies but ultimately to make it impossible for them to be enforced.
But the biggest UNFAIRNESS is that the ConDem government is imposing such cuts on cities like Newcastle, while buttering up their friends among bankers, private equity companies, hedge funds and the super-wealthy.
The real purpose of the ConDem cuts is to reduce the cost of public services so that they can be privatised.
Electors should vote NO in the referendum over whether Newcastle should have a directly elected mayor. The proposal is a con-trick and an attack on our local democracy. It has nothing to do with giving Newcastle more influence, powers or resources. The government which has imposed this referendum is the same government which is taking away vital funds that Newcastle’s people need. The ConDems don’t want strong local councils which can stand up to their plans. They would rather have personalities than politics. Councillors are elected locally and accountable locally. A directly elected mayor would be able to over-ride democratic decisions made by councillors and impose further cutbacks and privatisation – as the North Tyneside Mayor is trying to do now.
COMMUNISTS SAY: Charge a 2% wealth tax on the richest 10% of the population – to bring in £78bn a year.
The government and the mass media continue to spread the ‘Big Lie’ that the cuts are necessary in order to deal with the national budget deficit. They could solve the deficit overnight by taxing the wealthy. The Sunday Times Rich List shows that the 1000 wealthiest people in Britain have gained £137 bn over the last two years. That is more than the entire budget deficit.
Vote NO in the referendum – defend local democracy
End the waste on war – and fund public services instead. Electing a Communist councillor would be a big step forward in that campaign. It would send a message of resistance to central government, and provide the basis for building a broad alliance, which can mobilise to put pressure both on the Council and on central government.
Boost pensions, benefits and the national minimum wage. Launch a massive public sector housebuilding programme. Stop the break-up and privatisation of the National Health Service.
Tax the super-rich and big business