Our 2023 local election activity
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Kent & Sussex branch are contesting this year’s local elections on 4 May, in Folkestone.
Here is our election manifesto:
Homes for People, not Profits
If you ever need to see the brutal reality of capitalism at work, look no further than the new apartment blocks being built along Folkestone seafront.
According to a County Council report, parts of both the Harbour and Central wards of Folkestone are among the 10 percent most deprived areas of England (*), so how many residents do you think will be able to afford the multi-million-pound apartments now being constructed in their front yard?
How many Folkestone residents got any real say in what the development would look like?
Of course, we already know the answer to those questions.
Like everything in the capitalist world we live in, profit is the only driving force. The only purpose in building homes under capitalism is that somebody somewhere makes a big fat profit. So despite the real housing needs of local residents, these apartments are not built for them.
The Socialist Party of Great Britain stands for the common and democratic ownership of the means of producing and distributing wealth in a global community without borders.
This means all of us will actually own the Folkestone Seafront. When we controlthe resources of the earth –from the farms to the mines and quarries – nothing will stop us building the best quality houses, with real community participation, for the people that need them. Access to these houses and apartments will be freeaccording to our real needs.
If we own everything, why do you need money?
Extend that to food production, clean energy, clean rivers and oceans. When we own the world, we will ensure that we live in harmony with nature. Taking what we need to live well and not destroying the planet in the name of profit.
That is why we are asking for your vote. We cannot fix the problems of poverty and conflict within capitalism. And that is why we stand for a world free from borders, free from wars over markets and trade routes – a world where our fellow humans are no longer forced to risk their lives to seek a dignified life.
This is a revolution. A world revolution. And it has to start somewhere – so why not Folkestone on Thursday, 4th May?
Let’s hope the SPGB chooses a candidate with a more convincing sounding name than Shannon Phineas Trahern Kennedy who was its representative in one of the local council elections held last year.
Something similar to Mr Blobby might have been a better choice! 🙂
Of course, as far as we are concerned the name of our candidates is not important – electoral law compels us to propose a named person not a political proposition. And we can’t do anything about that, except urge people not to vote for us on the basis of the person or their name but only if they want socialism as a society based on the common ownership of land and industry, with production directly for use not profit, and distribution in accordance with the principle of “ from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs.
As we have always put it, it’s the case not the face, the claim not the name.
As we have always put it, it’s the case not the face, the claim not the name.
Yes, yes, I know all about that, and much more about the WSM. After all, my father had a brief association with the Austrian Bund Demokratischer Sozialisten, which was considered at one time to be a companion party of the WSM, until it turned racist.
However, as most people are not particularly rational or objective, they’re likely to be understandingly wary of any party that has as its candidate someone perceived to have a suspiciously contrived name.
Interesting. tell us more about the BDS when you’ve time.
Incidentally, you are not suggesting that that wasn’t the real, legal name of our candidate, are you? Why would we waste our time inventing a silly name? We leave that sort of thing to Screaming Lord Sutch.
Anyway, a seemingly suspicious contrived set of prenames such as Alexander Boris de Pfeffel doesn’t seem to have put people off.
Being not particularly rational (whatever that means) would prompt one to vote for a candidate with a silly name. If you were sensible you wouldn’t.
Being not particularly rational (whatever that means) would prompt one to vote for a candidate with a silly name. If you were sensible you wouldn’t.
Which aptly demonstrates that the people of Tunbridge Wells must be eminently more sensible than those of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Shannon Phineas Trahern Kennedy received the grand total of 11 votes. 🙂
https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/election-results/district-council-2023-results
81 votes, that’s not bad.
81 votes, that’s not bad.
And a further 45 ‘marine’ votes here!
Absolutely amazing!
Kent & Sussex branch communicate:
Just a quick summary of the results today, where we stood in two wards in Folkestone (in two council elections), both wards are the same electors but councillor numbers vary.
We have seen some decreases and some advances in votes cast, but there are several factors which will have influenced the absolute vote numbers.
Folkestone Central
This is only the second time we have stood in this seat individually (rather than as part of County and Parliamentary seats).
District Council ward: 81 votes (first time contested)
Town Council ward: 121 votes (last contested 2021, 61 votes in by-election)Folkestone Harbour
This seat has been contested many times, individually and as part of County and Parliamentary seats.
District Council ward: 45 votes (last contested 2019, 59 votes)
Town Council ward: 61 votes (last contested 2019,131 votes)Maybe interesting to note that the Tories have been ousted as largest Party from Folkestone and Hythe District Council, reduced to a rump of five out of 30 councillors (UKIP and a Tory split group no longer have seats).
Gains made by Greens and Labour, leaving no overall control.
New Council:
Green 11
Labour 10
Cons. 5
Lib Dem 2
Ind 2Are there any efforts to try to measure how the election campaign brings extra enquiries to HO etc?
Yes, all our local election leaflets now have a QR code taking people to a dedicated page on our website. The numbers using this should be available soon.
We don’t know whether Royal Mail will allow this on free-delivery general election leaflets.
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