Since Jeremy Corbyn's fantastic election victory to lead the Labour Party there has been an upsurge in enthusiasm for socialist ideas and the Socialist Party warmly welcomed this.
However the same cannot be said of the thousands of Labour councillors, the vast majority of whom did not support Jeremy and none of whom has stood up and declared that they will refuse to pass on the Tories' cuts.
In Birmingham not one Labour councillor or candidate has said that they will vote against cuts in the chamber, despite our offer to provide support and assistance if they did. They have all been willing to vote through tens of millions of pounds of cuts though.
We feel this refusal to fight undermines Jeremy Corbyn's anti-austerity position in practice and will result in support slipping away. We think that councillors should stand up for their communities and fight to protect services and jobs from cuts and privatisation.
Therefore we have decided to stand Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidates in wards across the city who ARE prepared to vote against implementing the Tories' vicious cuts.
We'll be holding two public meetings, where you can hear about our strategy to beat the cuts, and meet our candidates:
7pm, Thursday 28th April
Highcroft Community Centre
485 Slade Road
Stockland Green
B23 7JG
7pm, Tuesday 3rd May
Hopkins Room
Acocks Green Methodist Church
Shirley Road
Acocks Green
B27 7YE
And be sure to vote for the following candidates on the 5th of May:
Acocks Green - Eamonn Flynn
Bartley Green - Moira O'Driscoll
Erdington - Joe Foster
Hall Green - David Wright
Kingstanding - Joe Derbyshire
Longbridge - Clive Walder
Quinton - Nick Hart
Selly Oak - Theo Shareiff-Winston
Stetchford - Richard Carter
South Yardley - Mark Andrews
Stockland Green - Ted Woodley
Tyburn - Marie O'Connor