Fin Cozens-Stott, Manchester and Salford Socialist Students

Socialist Students members from Manchester and Salford attended the Green May Day rally, organised by the Green Party Trade Union Group.

We spoke to people outside, and it was agreed we could have a Socialist Students stall inside too. This allowed us to talk directly to Green Party members, including local election candidates.

We’re pushing to encourage the Green Party, its internal groups, elected officials, and members to change course and reject the austerity mandated by this Labour government, by voting against cuts. When the Greens have been in power in local government, they have so far complied with Tory and Labour austerity.

Fighting austerity

Green-controlled Bristol Council put through £50 million cuts, while adding £60 million to council reserves. Manchester Greens supported the Labour council’s £6.7 million cuts, continuing the £400 million decline in funding since 2010, worsening council house waiting lists, which stand at 600% of the national average.

When we approached Green leader Zack Polanski at The World Transformed conference, he said that Green councillors had “nothing to do about it”. This is a mistake.

We had many people sign the ‘Trade Unionists for a New Party’ petition, calling on Zack Polanski to ensure Green councillors oppose Labour-enforced austerity by refusing to implement cuts. On the day, this included Aatif ‘Ate’ Zafar, newly elected Manchester councillor for Whalley Range, and Joe Gosling, Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) activist, and candidate for Stanley & Outwood East ward in Wakefield.