European election 2014
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So we, the SPGB are standing in Wales in the 2014 European election. Are we standing in any other regions?
Edinburgh and Glasgow branches were consulted about standing in Scotland for the Euros but decided they were unable to do so. London branches i believe will be concentrating their resources on the London Assembly elections rather than the Euro-election. A election video will be hopefully made for the Euro.
alanjjohnstone wrote:London branches i believe will be concentrating their resources on the London Assembly elections rather than the Euro-election.It's actually the London borough elections, but there will also be local elections in other places where we have active branches, like Norwich, Maidstone (and Tunbridge Wells!) and Manchester. I'd hope that the branches there would want to contest too.The euro and local elections will take place on the same day: Thursday 22 May 2014.We've not actually decided whether or not to contest the London Region in the Euroelections (as we did in 2009). This is down for discussion at our Autumn Delegate Meeting in October. It costs at least £5000 to contest (that's the deposit you lose if you don't get 5% of the vote).
if the SPGB were standing in London next year in either Local elections or European elections then i would be willing to come out to London for a day or two to help with door to door leafletting where it is needed.
Yeah was just wondering whether the SPGB were standing in the South East because even though areas in the south east like Wokingham are unfortunately not strong areas for the SPGB I would be willing to hand out leaflets in Wokingham as I know several people locally who are fed up with the current system and want a change and a few votes in obscure areas can only be a benefit.
Actually contesting the South East Region instead of London might be another option. We have 2 branches in the area and West London and South London branches wouldn't have to venture too far to reach it:
Quote:The constituency corresponds to South East England, in the south east of the United Kingdom, comprising the ceremonial counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex.We've done London once, so this would be a chance to get our case across to a further, but different, six million electors.We'd also be standing against the Nigel Farage himself.Also, we would be less likely to face opposition from other lists calling themselves "socialist", eg the Scargill Labour Party. Apparently, Bob Crow of RMT is planning to revive the "No2EU" party so the Left can join in the xenophobic frenzy that these elections are going to be. A reason, incidentally, why we should contest under the registered variant of our name of "World Socialist Movement".Interesting to learn what Kent & Sussex and South West England branches think about it. Something to discuss at ADM.
If we did stand in the South East region then if the part has any leaflets they can forward some onto me and I know a cheap printing shop in Wokingham that could print hundreds, maybe thousands at an affordable price and I can distribute several hundred if not several thousand leaflets door to door in Wokingham. As well as possibly getting one or two posters up around town and I would hand out leaflets in the town centre in the run up to the European election speaking to the public telling them what socialism is and how it's not what they hear from the corporate controlled media. Thought this would just be some stuff I would do, as if we stood in the South East region a lot of work would be done.Finally could I ask, if we stood in the South East, how many candidates need to stand in the region and do these candidates need to be evenly distributed across different parts of the region to represent everyone across the region?
Unfortunately the state capitalist No2EU stood in the South East last European election and could well do again this coming European election, however if they do then we need to work very hard in convincing ordinary members of the public who are fed up with the status quo that No2EU are just the same as everyone else and how we are the only real alternative. The main thing here is about educating people what exactly is capitalism and what is socialism, the most simple way being capitalism is a money system and socialism is a moneyless system and we are the only ones wanting revolution as we are the only party wanting a moneyless system free of bureaucracy, banks, central government and hence we are the only part who embraces democracy.
Alex Woodrow wrote:Finally could I ask, if we stood in the South East, how many candidates need to stand in the region and do these candidates need to be evenly distributed across different parts of the region to represent everyone across the region?Elections to the European Parliament are for lists in multi-member constituencies with the seats allocated to the lists by proportional representation.The South East Region elects 10 MEPs, but a list doesn't have to have 10 candidates. It could have anything from 1 to 10. At the last Euroelections in 2009 we presented a full list of 10 in the London Region. We'll no doubt present a full list of 4 for the Wales Region.Any EU citizen from any part of the EU can stand on a list (even a one-person one). If we stood we shouldn't have any difficulty finding 10 candidates but we could equally choose to avoid the extra paperwork involved by putting up a list of 4 or 5. Electors vote for a list not individual candidates.
Guess if no candidate was in the Berkshire area of the South East Region and if the SPGB needed a candidate then if you wanted you could put my name down on the list because I turn 18 next February and therefore correct me if I am wrong but think I will be old enough to stand. Though if we got elected in proportional representation with 10% of the vote and had one MEP in the South East Region then I wouldn't take this role don't worry, I am not sure but if you stood as a candidate ALB and the party broke through with 10% of the vote then you would be the SPGB MEP, please correct me though if I am wrong here.
Yes, you are right. In a 10-member constituency, for a list to get an MEP it would have to have got about 10% of the votes cast. Less in fact, as the votes for lists with well under this are not taken into count. In 2009 Labour got its 1 MEP in the SE Region with only 8.2%. I hadn't realised Labour had done so badly as the region does, after all, include some big towns such as Southampton and Reading.
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