Telling it like it is - Our replies to voters

Continuing our candidates’ responses to specific questions asked by voters or from lobby groups. 

A response to an email from Greenpeace by Steve Colborn

Hi Will,

 I do indeed oppose fracking as an unnecessary imposition on, not only peoples lives but moreover, on the environment!

That being said however, I feel that to sign your "Frack Free Promise" would be nothing more than an empty gesture.

The only thing that will call a halt to Fracking, is if it becomes

prohibitively expensive for the Capitalist Firms to carry out this extraction.

As with the vast majority of campaigns, petitions ETC, the only thing that really works is whether or not profit is affected. This is all, in the final analysis, Capitalists take note of, "the bottom line"!

As a Candidate for the only Political Party that, at the forthcoming election, offers an alternative to the present Capitalist System, and by extension, the problems it engenders by its very existence, (The Socialist Party), I/We would invite you and the wider Greenpeace movement, to consider

pushing the call for an alternative Social System, to solve the problems Capitalism has caused, Socialism.

A Socialist system, based on the common ownership and democratic control, of the means for producing and distributing the things we, as human beings need to live. A system of society which will be worldwide, to replace worldwide Capitalism. In  this system the incentive to degrade our environment and the life reliant upon it, would cease to have any meaning.

I/We would urge you, in Greenpeace to seriously consider the things I have mentioned.

Capitalists will never forsake their need for profit, it is time concerned individuals/organisations made the profit motive superfluous.

I await your and your organisations response with interest.

 Steve Colborn.

The Socialist Party

Easington Constituency Candidate.

A response by Steve to the Just Say Yes campaign, re extreme poverty and

preventable disease;

Dear Shernyse,

Thanks for your email, regarding the Just Say Yes campaign. I/We have highlighted the problems you raise, a number of times over the years. The deaths of men, women and children from starvation or directly related illness/disease, or preventable disease.

Campaigns to address these serious problems have, I'm afraid to say, come to virtually nothing, despite the on going efforts of many concerned individuals. The reason, they have/do take place, is within the context of a society, where the things we, as Human Beings need to live, are produced for profit, not use! No profit, no production. Cannot pay, then cannot have!

To try and counter the problems you raise, whilst leaving the cause behind, is to put it mildly, futile!

The Socialist Party, for whom I am the Parliamentary Candidate for the Easington constituency, will be arguing at the Election, that the only way to solve the problems you highlight and the myriad others caused by Capitalism, is to replace this social system, of production for profit, with another, based on production solely for human use (Socialism).

Only when the "profit motive" is replaced by the alternative of "production for direct human use", will the problem of people dying of starvation in a world than can easily feed us all, cease.

When houses are produced "only" for human habitation, not to be bought and sold for profit, or rented for the benefit of a landlords income, will homelessness become a thing of the past.

Where medicines will be produced to treat/cure people, not for the "profit" of a few Capitalists, who own and control the world and everything in and on it.

Only when society is run for the benefit of all and by all, will we be able to put a stop to the problems outlined above and many others.

I/We would urge you and your organisation to consider this alternative, as campaigns, petitions and marches have been shown palpably to have failed!

We look forward to you contacting The Socialist Party for more information, as to how this Societal Transformation can be achieved.

Yours Fraternally,

 Steve Colborn.

 He also received the following email

I would like to introduce Engineering Development Trust (EDT), a registered charity, the leading charity facilitating business/education links, helping to develop employability skills and inspire young people into science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers. As a parliamentary prospective candidate you will be aware that UK industry is forecasting a significant gap in the availability of STEM skills over the next ten or more years. In engineering alone authoritative reports predict that over 83,000 new engineers and technicians will be needed in each of the next ten years. The picture in science and technology is similar. Political parties supporting investment in apprenticeships is a step in the right direction, however evidence suggests it is of equal importance to enable young people to get an insight into STEM careers and to be inspired by professionals in industry, while they are still at school and whilst they are still making decisions about the subjects they want to study. The ability to meet role model engineers and scientists and to undertake realistic hands-on projects in these subjects, mentored by people who have chosen these careers, is very important in encouraging young people to focus on developing the skills that are most needed by British industry….We would very much like to see prospective party candidates supporting and encouraging high quality workplace experiences for young people at school…

Dr Gordon Mizner

Chief Executive

His reply to the email:

Mr Mizner,

The Socialist Party want a Revolution in "thought" and Social Relationships. From a society premised on "production for profit", to one based on "production for use"!

Within this, we believe that education should be a "journey" that lasts a lifetime. We do not, nor can, support an ethos whereupon "education" as such, is predicated upon its use to the Capitalists, within the way society is presently organised.

We are not automata, nor round pegs to be moulded to fit square holes, we are human beings and society, as it exists at present, is incapable of treating people as "human beings".

We want an end to a system of "human exploitation" and therefore, cannot support calls to "run" this exploitative system more effectively.

It may be of interest to you Dr Mizner, to understand that we do not consider the above, "workplace" experiences but "employment" experiences! Whereas we may not all be "employed", we all, in one way or another "work".

Yours Fraternally and for Socialism,

Steve Colborn.

The Socialist Party’s Easington Constituency Candidate.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the country, one of our Brighton candidates replied to a supporter of WWF with environmental concerns:

Hello Nina,

 Thanks for your email.  Sorry to say but i suspect your proposals don't go nearly far enough. Big business has always made money from ruining our environment: the industrial revolution grew because it could use the air sea and earth as a cost free dumping ground, and the planet's resources were seen as unlimited. That's how big business works and will continue to work unless we take it over; unless we tame it by asserting our control. Somehow the owners of large corporations - oil companies, logging companies, mining companies - think their vast wealth will enable them to build a wall between themselves and the despoilation of the planet: they will somehow be able to breathe dollars when the oxygen runs out. They certainly have no qualms about ruining it for the rest of us.

30 years of discussion about climate change has produced nothing of any value or impact - because they are not interested.  If regulation worked, big companies like google etc would pay their taxes, oil exploration companies would not pollute the land and sea, and clothing companies would not continually be found to be using child labour.  Exploitation is in their DNA - it is hard wired.  Power has to be taken away from them before we get any real movement, and we need a popular movement to achieve it.

We need a socialist world where we control what happens and produce what we need with regard to the needs of the future of the planet and our children's children. Vote socialist at this election to show you utterly reject this charade of democracy where the fruit machine always shows a jackpot for the rich. Vote socialist for yourself your future and your planet.

Best wishes

Howard Pilott

THE Socialist Party candidate Brighton Pavilion

ADDENDUM

Many will be interested in viewing Howard’s answers when asked to respond to 5 questions on social justice themes and recorded on videos by the Brighton’s One Church. These clips can be watched via the church’s website.