Back to main newsElection 2010: Time for a Greek protest, urges Communist Party - election manifesto has urged working people to rise up and fight against attempts to make them pay for the capitalist crisis.
Mon 12 Apr 2010
Author: Morning Star
The Communist Party of Britain election manifesto has urged working people to rise up and fight against attempts to make them pay for the capitalist crisis.
It warned that the three main parties are sharpening their knives for the biggest attack on public services and living standards since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The manifesto, For a People's Britain not a Bankers' Britain, demands that the fat cats must be made to pay for the bailout from the capitalist crisis.
Despite the "limited choice" on offer from the main parties, the party nevertheless expressed its "clear and unambiguous preference for the election of a Labour government rather than a Tory one."
At the same time, the manifesto urges working people not to rely on elections or parliaments to defend their interests.
"If they want to protect jobs, wages, services, pensions and their rights at work, they must also take action wherever and whenever necessary," it declares.
"This is what workers in Greece, Spain and France and sections of the working class in Britain have already done."
The manifesto proclaims: "The British working-class movement has a proud history of resistance and revolt against injustice and now is the time to rekindle that spirit."
General secretary Rob Griffiths launched the manifesto on Monday flanked by election candidates Martin Levy and Ben Stevenson, plus national women's organiser Mary Davis.
Mr Griffiths predicted a "public response on a massive scale" against "horrendous" public-spending cuts.
He emphasised: "Yes, we should be aiming at protests on the scale of protests in Greece."
The party is standing six candidates in the election and urging support for a number of other left candidates.
Its candidates are Steve Andrew (Sheffield South East), Rob Griffiths (Cardiff South and Penarth), Martin Levy (Newcastle East), Marc Livingstone (Glasgow North West), Gerry Sables (North Devon) and Ben Stevenson (Croydon North).
They are presenting a "bold programme" to tax the rich, take control of Britain's economy, invest in productive industry and public services, extend democratic freedoms, challenge the European Union, pursue an independent foreign policy, scrap Trident missiles and bring British troops home.
The manifesto also urges a massive programme of council house-building, support for the Pensioners' Manifesto and the Charter for Women, abolition of student tuition fees and repeal of anti-trade union laws.
For more information visit www.communist-party.org.uk
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