Leicester’s Local Elections, We Need Socialist Candidates Not Property Developers

While some of Leicester’s 51 Labour Council candidates publicly back Jeremy Corbyn and say that if given the opportunity would vote to oppose cuts, the vast majority refuse to do so. Little wonder, then, that when Unison City Branch officially put to them a fighting strategy to stop the cuts in 2017, at that stage none of them were prepared to give it public support.

Leicester is facing a housing crisis of epic proportions. A socialist fightback, including the building of thousands of council homes, is necessary to solve it.

But rather than fighting alongside trade unionists, most city councillors meekly claim that their hands are tied. Some even benefit from the crisis.

For example, last October the City Council approved plans to build a six-storey block of flats just down the road from The Curve.

The company set to undertake this task? St George Apartments Ltd – a company owned and run by the wife of one city councillor, who himself is a major shareholder.

The new-build planned for this site will provide 29 flats — with the smallest being just 33sqm.

Most of the proposed flats will cater strictly to the needs of the wealthy, with only four of the 29 flats being “affordable” — meaning that rents are set at 80% of market rates – i.e. not affordable at all.

Instead of electing property developers, we need to elect candidates who will fight for a socialist alternative.

Instead of electing a Labour Council that is committed to handing-over swathes of our city to private developers, we need to elect candidates who will fight to end the housing crisis in Leicester by building 1,000 council homes a year.

This is a promise that is being made by Socialist Party candidates in the coming May elections.

If you want to find out more about Leicester Socialist Party’s manifesto pledge to build thousands of Council Homes, then come along to our public meeting this weekend, where our City Mayoral candidate Steve Score will be explaining how a vote for a Socialist Alternative will benefit our city.

Meeting date: Saturday April 27
Venue: Secular Hall, Humberstone Gate
Start time: 2.30pm
Facebook details: https://www.facebook.com/events/830223300669707/

No car parking facilities will be provided to accompany the new build which is going to be built on the site of this factory building (21 Southampton St) and an adjoining car park