Gerry Cullen’s election campaign in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone (FST) constituency drew to a close on Monday evening, July 1st. Like almost everyone else, Cross-Community Labour Alternative (CCLA) were taken by surprise by the snap election. Nevertheless, we were able to mount an effective campaign during which we have knocked on 5000 doors and we have erected posters the length and breadth of the largest constituency. Over 67,000 election manifestos have gone through the doors of every home in the area.
Continue readingCategory: Elections: Raising the Banner of Socialism (Page 1 of 2)
Election Communication for Gerry Cullen Campaign, General Election 2024
21st June 2024
Cross-community Labour Alternative’s Gerry Cullen calls for urgent investment in mental health services for young people
Young people aged 19 are being kept on the CAMHS service simply because there is so little support available for young adults
CCLA call for funding for Public Health Agency to research impact of online abuse and misuse of social media on mental health, especially of young people
Continue readingThe outcome of the UK General Election will be decided in a battle between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party in England, Scotland and Wales. Neither party will win any seats in Northern Ireland. The Labour Party-certain to win after 14 years of austerity and government chaos-has members in Northern Ireland but does not contest elections. The Conservatives are standing but without enthusiastic central party backing and will make little impact.
The election instead will be dominated by five parties, four of which are based on sectarian division. The Democratic Unionist Party is the largest unionist party though it faces competition from the smaller Ulster Unionist Party for one of its eight seats (South Antrim). Sinn Fein has seven seats and is the largest nationalist party. The Social Democratic and Labour Party goes into the election holding two seats. It had a good election in 2019, in part because Sinn Fein’s policy of not attending the UK Parliament allows it to win voters who would normally vote Sinn Fein.
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Cross-community Labour Alternative Press Release: Environment
Gerry Cullen Cross-community Labour candidate in Fermanagh-South Tyrone calls out environmental vandalism
Continue readingGerry Cullen Election Leaflet, General Election, 2024
Support Our Campaign in Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Cross-Community Labour brings together trade union, labour and socialist activists, and environmental and community campaigners.
We believe that it is only through uniting working-class people that can we defend our public services and our living standards. Cross-Community Labour stands alongside every community campaign and every group of workers on strike.
We believe in fighting for every gain today. However, we will always face the same problems unless there is major change. This means the reorganisation of society under democratic socialist principles. The multinational corporations and big business which control most of the economy should be brought into public ownership and decisions should be made democratically to provide for a better life for all.
We are in favour of mutual respect and compromise on divisive issues. We support and work with trade unionists and campaigners North and South, and in Scotland, England and Wales. We are internationalists and support and link up with activists across the world. Together we can forge a better, shared future where the democratic rights of every individual and all communities will be guaranteed.
The Anti-Sectarian Left Tradition
We are part of the strong anti-sectarian left tradition which exists everywhere including Fermanagh and Tyrone. Cross-community socialists have previously won council seats in both Enniskillen and Dungannon, the two main towns in the constituency.
Davy Kettyles held a council seat in Enniskillen in the 1980s and 1990s standing first for the Workers Party and later as a Progressive Socialist. More recently Donal O’Cofaigh won a seat in the 2019 election for Cross-Community Labour.
Jack Hassard, a Protestant working-class activist was the voice of opposition to both unionism and nationalism on Dungannon Urban Council in the 1960’s and the 1970s as a Northern Ireland Labour Party councillor.
Continue reading31 May 2024
Gerry Cullen is standing to offer Fermanagh-South Tyrone electorate an alternative of socialist politics and class unity
Cullen launches his Westminster election campaign at a fringe meeting held at the annual NIPSA conference in Enniskillen
Cross-community Labour Alternative (CCLA) candidate for the upcoming Westminster election in Fermanagh-South Tyrone constituency, Gerry Cullen, wants to offer a radical socialist alternative to the failed and divisive politics offered by green and orange establishment parties.
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A Voice for Labour
On May Day we celebrate the unity of working people in our unions.
On January 18th we stood together when 150,000 workers took strike action for improved wages, better working conditions, and in defence of public services.
The strike illustrated better than any words the power of the trade union and labour movement which organises a quarter of a million people. Trade union members, their families and their supporters represent the majority of the population.
January 18th is just one of many examples of campaigns which unite working people:
On many occasions trade union members have taken action to protest against threats and violence- most recently when bus drivers stopped work after attacks on their buses in 2019.
Campaigners against cuts have united local communities time and again, for example, the vibrant campaign opposing the downgrading of the Southwest Acute Hospital outside Enniskillen.
Young people have come together for action on climate change, for the rights of women, refugees and asylum seekers, and all minorities.
Whilst workers and young people are united in our unions and campaigns there is no broad political movement which represents our shared views.
We do not have a united, anti-sectarian voice at the ballot box.
“A Voice for Labour” has brought together activists who believe that this must change. The time is now.
Join the Conversation
We need a new political movement which unites working class and young people from all backgrounds.
We are committed to a process of discussion and organisation to ensure that in elections to the Local Councils, the Assembly, and to Westminster, there is a united, anti-sectarian left alternative on the ballot paper.
We believe that the time is now to begin the process of creating such a movement based on agreed principles:
- We stand against division and base our politics on the proud tradition of the labour, socialist and trade union movement.
- We are opposed to all cuts in health, education, and other public services, and oppose privatisation.
- We support working class people in their struggles for better wages and conditions.
- We are in favour of green policies to protect our environment, with alternative employment for those whose job would be under threat as a result.
- We support the right of everyone to live a life free from discrimination, harassment, and violence.
If you agree with us join the conversation.
Contact A Voice for Labour and become part of the solution: email secretary@voiceforlabour.org
A future of sectarianism and poverty: Working class needs its own party
First published by Socialist Party 27th July 2010
Working class people in Northern Ireland face a future of sectarian conflict, unemployment and poverty. The North has now been in recession since November 2007, almost three years. The anaemic economic upturn in Britain has entirely passed us by.
Officially, unemployment in Northern Ireland rose to 56,100 in June, an increase of 600 on the previous month, and of 6,700 on a year ago. The rate of “economic inactivity” (the real measure of unemployment) is higher than in England, Scotland or Wales. The projected £1.5 billion of public expenditure cuts planned for the next four years will put thousands more on the dole. It is predicted that 14,000 more jobs will go in the next two years, meaning that unemployment will treble over the five years between 2007 and 2012. The unemployment rate for 18–24 year olds is already 17.4%.
None of the Assembly parties represent the interests of working class people. At times, these parties voice their opposition to public spending cuts — but this is nothing more than a cheap confidence trick. The sectarian parties consistently unite in the Assembly by supporting a programme of draconian cuts. This is one area they all agree on — that the working class must pay for the economic crisis.
Workers on strike, communities campaigning against the cuts, people opposed to water charges, public sector workers facing a Tsunami of attacks, anyone who rejects sectarianism — none of these people have a major political party that truly represents their interests.
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