Far-left TUSC seeks anti-austerity electoral pact with Jeremy Corbyn's Labour

The far-left Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) plans to make an anti-austerity electoral pact with Labour councillors across England, Wales and Scotland in the wake of Jeremy Corbyn's victory. The party's national chairman and former Labour MP Dave Nellist told IBTimes UK that the group would not field candidates against Labour councillors so long as they oppose government cuts to local authorities.

TUSC, which has support from the likes of the Fire Brigades Union and transport union the RMT, will ask to meet with Labour candidates standing in next year's local elections and question the hopefuls over their anti-austerity credentials.

"If at the end of all that process, you have a council who does not support Jeremy, does not support resisting the Tory cuts and starts in the next few weeks to announce the next year's multimillion pound worth of cuts, then TUSC will stand candidates against them," Nellist said.

The Trotskyist, who was expelled from Labour in the early 1990s because of his support for far-left entryist group the Militant Tendency (otherwise known as the Revolutionary Socialist League), also welcomed the election of Corbyn after the socialist secured almost 60% of the vote in the Labour leadership contest.

But Nellist argued a lot would have to change in Labour before TUSC attempts to merge with the party. "It's such a historical period and victory that it does raise very serious questions beyond the initial euphoria of at last getting someone at the top of the Labour Party, who in parliament, is going to speak the language of socialism, who we have not had for at least the last 25 years," he said.

The left-winger argued Corbyn would have to get Labour's £3 supporters to sign up as members, bolster his support, broaden the party and "open the door" to anti-austerity organisations.

"Under those circumstances, as national chair of TUSC, I would argue inside TUSC that we should meet and discuss with him about what role we can play. But it would be a little bit presumptuous of me to say 'we are going to merge'," Nellist said.

The comments come after a former top aide to Ed Miliband exclusively told IBTimes UK that the new Labour leader should look beyond his "vanguard" and the Islington North MP should be given the opportunity to prove himself in the top job.

"Jeremy and his team need to make an effort to reach out and don't just rely on the Corbyn vanguard to run the party, I think they know that," Lord Stewart Wood said.

Meanwhile, Corbyn has unveiled his new shadow cabinet after high profile resignations from the likes of Chris Leslie, Rachel Reeves, Tristram Hunt and Chuka Umunna. Notably, Andy Burnham, Corbyn's former leadership rival, has accepted the shadow home secretary role and John McDonnell, a left-wing close ally of Corbyn, has been appointed shadow chancellor.