From Alec Thraves (election agent) -

"Firstly, thanks to all our members, supporters & voters for their help in the campaign. As expected, our TUSC result in Swansea West followed a national pattern of being squeezed by the main parties. Labour hung onto the seat with a tiny majority of just 504 votes over the Lib Dems. The Green and a centre left 'Independent's candidates also picked up a few hundred votes each. The BNP, using its national media profile, secured 910 votes and more disturbingly, retained their deposit in neighbouring Swansea East, highlighting the vital need for a new mass workers party to act as an alternative to their racist and divisive agenda.

Rob Williams' 179 votes (0.5%) obviously didn't reflect the excellent election campaign over the past month which has boosted the profile of TUSC and the Socialist Party. Several potential members have been picked up during the campaign with thousands of leaflets hand delivered by our large and enthusiastic campaign team. Our objective was to put a marker down for the future, highlight our socialist alternative and expose the similarities of the main parties, all of which were achieved.

A hung parliament is a confirmation that at the moment there is no mass alternative for working class political representation in Britain and TUSC must become the embryo to develop such an alternative in the immediate future. This will be particularly posed when whatever government takes over tries to drive through the biggest cuts package in British history. The jitters on the stock market reflects the nervousness of the capitalist class who will want the working-class in Britain to pay the same price as workers in Greece by what will inevitably be a weak government. The Socialist Party & TUSC will be on our class's side in the inevitable struggles to come. Join us in that battle."

This week....

Thursday May 13th - Swansea Socialist Party Meeting - "Britain after the election - where now for workers & youth?" - 7.30pm in Dyfatty Community Centre, Top of High St, Swansea

Swansea Trade Union Council anti-cut demo (with photos)

Up to 200 trade unionists, young people and community campaigners marched in Swansea today against the Lib Dem councils cuts. I spoke at the march pledging support for public sector workers from those in the private sector. It was also an opportunity to send a message to all the main parties that we'll fight their attempts to make us pay for the bankers' crisis. It was apt that this was on the day that thousands of Greek workers were marching against the massive cuts there.

Attending were Unison, GMB, Unite, PCS, NUJ, UCU, CWU, NUT amongst others

At the end of the demo in Castle Square there was a motley crew of about a dozen far-right English / Welsh Defence League members. Despite the far-rights' attempts to appeal to workers recently, their attempts today to disrupt a workers' anti-cuts march shows their true colours. This shows why we have to fight all attempts to divide workers in the face of the massive cuts to come.