Candidates:

Roisin Bovington (Tower Hamlets LU)
Nominated by Tower Hamlets LU, Islington LU

Louise Coleman (Tower Hamlets LU)
Nominated by Tower Hamlets LU

Ciara Doyle (Greenwich and Lewisham LU )
Nominated by Tony Aldis and Pat Caro (Greenwich and Lewisham LU)

Sarah McDonald (Hackney LU)
Nominated by Maciej Zurowski (Haringey LU), James Turley (Southwark LU)

Emily C (Lambeth LU)
Nominated by Peter Manson (Lewisham and Greenwich LU), Ian Donovan (Croydon LU),  Moshé Machover (Camden LU)

Eve Turner (West London LU)
Nominated by Islington LU, West London LU

 

Statements:

Roisin Bovington (Tower Hamlets LU)
Nominated by Islington LU, Tower Hamlets LU

My name is Roisin Bovington, I’m 24, female and a member of Tower Hamlets Left Unity. I was attracted to Left Unity because of it’s involvement in local campaigns. But these campaigns weren’t linked to each other, so couldn’t pave the way for permanent change – A change to society as a whole. Rather than fighting each cut as it happens, Left Unity aims to shape a future where people are respectful of each other and support each other. We shouldn’t allow greed and the priorities of the privileged few to divide us.

For me the most important thing about Left Unity is it’s transparency and accountability. I have a particular interest in insuring that all people, not just the most confident are heard.

 

Louise Coleman (Tower Hamlets LU)
Nominated by Tower Hamlets LU

Hi, my name is Louise Coleman and I am eager to represent London on the National Council. I belong to Tower Hamlets branch and am also a member of the women’s and disabled people’s caucuses. I am not affiliated with any outside political group, and in fact this is the first political party of which I have ever been a member. However, although I am relatively new to the organised left in the UK, I am by no means new to lefty politics. I came of age in the pro-refugee, indigenous, antiwar (yes, we were part of that mess too) and student unionist movements in Australia in the early 2000s. Since moving back to London in 2008 I’ve been relatively quiet, but for the last few years have been working in the disability movement.

I would describe myself broadly as of the radical feminist anti-authoritarian left but one of my primary values is a firm belief in respectful discussion. In order to build Left Unity as a credible mass left wing party, we need to do our best to remember what we share rather than the details which divide us. In my day job I’m at the front lines trying to assist and support those being hardest hit by the government’s ideologically driven austerity measures. As I see it the current situation is both an obligation and an opportunity for Left Unity. As a group of people who believe we know of a better way for society to be run, we have a moral obligation to mobilise for change to a more just system, engaging in struggles at every level to undo the damaging backward steps of the past few years. However, we must also seize the unique opportunity of the crisis combined with the unprecedented abdication of responsibility by the Labour Party, and engage with the disaffected and politically unengaged to build a democratic and inclusive party movement to work toward broader more radical change. I am excited by the opportunity to be part of this process, and hope to be elected to the National Council so as to contribute as much as I can.

 

Ciara Doyle (Greenwich and Lewisham LU)
Nominated by Tony Aldis and Pat Caro Greenwich and Lewisham LU

My name is Ciara Doyle, and I would be honored to stand for one of the London Region seats. I have been a socialist all my life, and Left Unity may just be what I have waited so long for. I support a socialist alternative, and believe that the current Labour party have viciously sold out the people by aligning with the neo-liberal agenda. A genuine left-wing alternative must be created.

Who I am involved with:

I am a member of the steering group of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), and equality and diversity rep for my union branch. I have also worked extensively with Queer Resistance. I am not aligned with any platforms in Left unity. I am chairperson of the South East London branch, and support the disability caucus, women’s caucus and LGBT caucus.

My background, experience and skills:

I have been involved in Trade Unions and political campaigning since I first saw the impact of the 1980s education cutbacks on Irish schools, and joined my first march and demonstration. In my later teens I became trade union rep and was involved in challenging the power of a large multinational company, and winning in the Labour Courts.

I qualified as a Youth and Community Worker and ran family centers in Ireland for seven years. In the days of the Celtic tiger, when working with rather than against the system seemed viable, I sat on a few governmental committees advising on issues of social inclusion and family policy.

I have been living in London for the last 5 years, and from that time have been working in a department of education where I teach across the Youth and Community Work, Education Studies and Childhood studies degrees.

My way of working:

Drawing on my Community development background and inspired by the works of Antonio Gramsci and Paulo Freire among others I passionately believe that radical change and the overthrow of oppressive power structures can only occur through dialogue and radical education. I believe in moving beyond the tired old meetings of tired old party activists sitting in rooms reading minutes and passing motions, and believe that we can bring our passion to the people, working in ways that are inspirational, creative and fun. Politics is art, and art is politics.

I draw strongly on the Social Model of Disability, am a committed feminist, and Queer activist as well as a socialist, and my politics are shaped by these perspectives.

 

Sarah McDonald (Hackney LU)
Nominated by Maciej Zurowski, Haringey LU James Turley Southwark LU

Having been active of the left for over 15 years, in Scotland and in London, I have consistently fought for working class unity across Britain as part of the struggle for the greatest voluntary unity of people, in Europe and beyond. As an internationalist, I oppose all immigration controls and am for the free movement of people. As a Marxist, I oppose all imperialist wars and recognise that war is a product of class society; war and the potential for war will only end with the end of class society itself, therefore have no illusions in bodies such as the United Nations delivering peace. I believe that human liberation can only be achieved through a society based on the principle of ‘From each according to their abilities; to each according to their needs’. It is not our job to manage capitalism but to fight for its overthrow.

Emily C (Lambeth LU)
Nominated by Peter Manson Lewisham and Greenwich LU, Ian Donovan Croydon LU,  Moshé Machover Camden LU

As a member of the Communist Platform in Left Unity, I propose we adopt a minimum–maximum programme, which is twofold in its attack.

Firstly it maps out a practical and realistic set of demands for the working class under capitalism in order to achieve a level of consciousness that is needed to challenge the oppressing classes successfully. This includes supporting and championing all oppressed sections of the class, and raising living standards far beyond what the EU promises. It also means unity of the class, and the abolition of national borders with the aim of the creating a united socialist Europe.

Secondly, the programme provides a vision of a new society that could exist if capitalism is abolished, a society created by the majority class, which is vital if we are to remain focused on our collective goal. Ultimately this class would abolish itself, leading to a truly equal society.

I see Left Unity’s role in this battle as crucial, for if we are to achieve these demands, the left must establish a coherent counterargument to the neoliberal consensus which exists in Britain’s ruling class today. This must be based on a truly democratically formed programme that is anti-bureaucratic, clear in its message and revolutionary in its aims.

Emily is a member of Lambeth Left Unity, and of the Communist Platform. She has been active in revolutionary politics from a young age, has written for various left-wing publications, and currently works for a radical publishing house in Highgate. She lives in Streatham.

Eve Turner (West London LU)
Nominated by Islington LU, West London LU

I am really excited to be part of Left Unity and want to do everything I can to help to build it as a political alternative to Labour, which has consistently betrayed the working class, the poor and the oppressed.  We have made a great start and established some excellent policies and principles and now need to move forward and build a real base of support in the trade unions, community campaigns and among all those fighting back against austerity.

If Left Unity is to succeed we must be able to reach out to the masses of people totally disillusioned by Labour and other parties. This means we have to be open, democratic and inclusive. It’s going to be a steep learning curve but with good will and commitment we can hopefully do it.

I am not a member of any other parties or any tendency but have been in other left groups in the past.  I even had the dubious pleasure of being Chair of our local Constituency Labour Party for a number of years and was involved in elections both for Labour and for socialist and community campaigns.

I am a Welfare Rights trainer and have been a trade union activist in local government, health and the voluntary sector. I was a shop steward and convenor for over 20 years. I am currently Secretary of Ealing Trades Council which we have established as a militant community campaigning organisation and I’m convenor of our local Save our NHS campaign fighting to save our local hospitals from being trashed.

Over the years I have been actively involved in numerous campaigns including anti deportation & detention , defending abortion rights, local anti cut campaigns, miner’s strike support committees and the amazing anti poll tax campaign –  and I intend to keep on going!

I live in Southall. I am Membership Secretary of West London Left Unity and was recently elected to represent my branch on the London Regional Committee.

I would be delighted to be elected onto the National Council.

 


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