Gloucestershire TUSC Press Release (for immediate release) 24/03/2021 Local councils are facing a new Covid-driven cash crisis.

Full statement

Our communities have already suffered more than a decade of austerity and now face more cuts to public services. Councils are massively underfunded by central Government and Covid-19 has revealed the difficulties local councils face in meeting the needs of people.

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) was formed in 2010 to provide an anti-austerity political voice for working class people. Councils of all political persuasion have continued to implement austerity cuts to local services. TUSC is different from other parties. TUSC councillors will oppose all cuts to council jobs and services.

TUSC is standing hundreds of candidates nationally in the May election. TUSC candidates include trade unionists, socialists, and social movement and community campaigners standing against pro-austerity establishment politicians.

Gloucestershire has fifteen TUSC candidates standing in twenty seats in Cheltenham, Stroud, Cirencester, the Forest of Dean and Gloucester.





TUSC candidates will refuse to implement austerity and will oppose all cuts to council services, jobs, pay and conditions. They will oppose policies designed to make ordinary people pay for the Covid-crisis. In the short-term Councils could use reserves and borrowing to avoid making cuts in local services and in the longer-term can build linked mass campaigns to demand that central Government restores the funding it has cut.


TUSC candidates will not vote for council tax increases or increases in council rent to bridge the gap in funding from central Government.

TUSC candidates will propose the use of the powers that local councils already have to begin a mass building programme of eco-friendly affordable council homes.

TUSC councillors will vote against privatisation of council jobs and services where central Government is attempting to impose the transfer of public services to the private sector.

TUSC councillors will propose using council powers to defend our local NHS, initiate referenda and organise public commissions, consultations, and campaigns to defend local services.


TUSC has a core set of 8 policies that all candidates support below:


• Oppose All Cuts and Closures

• Oppose Making People Pay for Crisis

• Fighting Against Racism, Discrimination and Inequality

• Reject Tax Increases to Pay for Cuts

• Build Council homes

• Stop Privatisation of Our NHS

• Stop Privatisation of Council Services

• Refuse to Implement Austerity


Gloucestershire TUSC candidates are trade unionists & socialists from diverse age groups, workplaces and backgrounds – from campaigners against youth unemployment to pensioners’ rights campaigners, from shop workers to carers and transport workers. Committed to fighting austerity, privatisation and the cuts, we are proud defenders of our environment, the NHS and support Black Lives Matter, women’s and workers’ rights. As socialists and trade unionists we advocate public ownership of key utilities and services.


Contact Adam Goulcher (07889246993) on behalf of Gloucestershire TUSC (GlosTUSC@hotmail.com) for further information and requests for interview.