A total of 4,515 candidates have been nominated throughout England, Wales, Scotland and the north of Ireland, more than in any previous general election. [1]

This is a sign of the profound discontent with the cartel parties, the House of Commons and the entire political system. In particular, it is a manifestation of the sentiment that voting for the pro-war cartel parties is neither a "choice", nor can it bring about "change".

Our call is to go all out to elect anti-war candidates and challenge the cartel party system.

There are very many candidates running as independents and some are representing small or recently formed anti-war parties. A vote for these candidates is a vote which says No! to the first-past-the-post electoral system which brings a cartel party to power.

The disaffection with the political system which keeps the electorate disempowered and which is presented as which of the Labour and Conservative leaders "runs the country" is such that it can be said that a space has opened up for democratic renewal. Let us make way for that renewal!

The perspective of voting for anti-war candidates and challenging the cartel party system is first and foremost that it is a stand for empowering oneself, paving the way for being empowered to speak in one's own name, individually and collectively. It is a slap in the face for any cartel party's claim that they have a "majority" and therefore have a "mandate to govern". It is a stand against the outdated and dysfunctional form of "representative democracy" where the act of voting is the moment at which an elector hands over all power to unaccountable governments taken over by narrow supranational private interests with no connection to the people they claim to represent.

Unison National Conference, June 18-21 2024

Even the members of the cartel parties are thoroughly disenfranchised and have no say over candidate selection or decision-making. Furthermore, there is serious dissatisfaction that candidates of these parties are being prevented from speaking their mind and are not decided on by their constituencies. And the media refuses to discuss the relevant issues of concern for the people.

Let us make this election a turning point. Out of the crisis of representative democracy which disempowers the working class and people, let us further take up the demand for democratic renewal. Let us affirm the right to speak in our own name, empowering ourselves at every stage to take stands which we know to be just, humane, effective, and at one with the resistance of the people to oppression world-wide. It is the people's forces themselves who have the interest in bringing into being new forms which truly empower them.

Build the Resistance!
All Out to Elect Anti-War Candidates!
Build the Voice of the People!
Take up the Need to Renew the Political Process!
Together We Can Achieve Success!

Note
1. See Wikipedia, "Candidates in the 2024 United Kingdom general election", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candidates_in_the_2024_United_Kingdom_general_election and also follow the links to candidates by constituency.

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