Letter to The Argus, sent 31 March 2010
There’s lots of justifiable anger about greedy MPs (Letter, 31 March). There’s just one candidate in the Brighton general election who won’t be claiming an MPs full pay packet, or expenses- other than a second class season ticket from Brighton-to Victoria. That’s me. Fighting Brighton Kemptown as parliamentary candidate for TUSC, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. Our candidates- around 50 standing in different cities on socialist policies- are standing as `A Workers’ MP on a Worker’s wage’. If elected, I’ll be taking only the average wage of a skilled worker in Brighton.
And yes, I am happy to sit in Bartholomews Square, outside Brighton Town Hall, (inside if/ when wet) every Saturday afternoon from 12 till1, in a Town Hall meeting, to explain my votes and actions as trade unionist and socialist coalition MP- not New Labour, not, LibDem, not Tory- for Brighton Kemptown. And to show publicly all my expenses- my train and bus tickets! It’s a job and a privilege.
We’re not in it for the gravy train, we’re in it to make sure the gravy- it’s the workers that produce it after all!- flows to the workers, and doesn’t get creamed off by greedy fatcats and on the make politicians. We’re in it to protect workers’ jobs and conditions, and to protect and improve them. Not like New Labour/ LibDems and Tories, all three big business parties promising to decimate public services, attack trade unions, and chop out thousands of public sector jobs- teachers, care assistants, social workers, police, nurses.
That’s why much of our campaign in recent weeks in Brighton has been supporting workers in struggle- PCS strikers, college lecturers (UCU) strikers, and other groups of workers battling bullying bosses (like the Unite union trying to protect their pay and conditions at BA). Have a look at our blogspot, www.brightontusc.blogspot.com to see the focus of our campaign.
I’m not in this election to make money. I want to get elected to speak for the people. Many will not vote in this election because they see all politicians as the same.
By standing as a "workers' MP on a worker's wage", I am offering the chance to vote for something different, a real alternative. An alternative to stop the cuts, improve public services, to fight for working people!"
Dave Hill
Trade Unionist and Socialist Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Kemptown
