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Redcar

  • Vera Baird (Labour) - No response received
  • Steve Mastin (Conservative) - No response received
  • Ian Swales (Lib Dem) - No response received
  • Martin Bulmer (UKIP) - No response received
  • Hannah Walter (TU&SA) - see response

Name: Vera Baird

Party: Labour

Contact details: johnsoneileen617@googlemail.com


This candidate has not yet responded please complete the e-action form and ask them to reply to our 5 pledges.

Name: Steve Mastin

Party: Conservative

Contact details: stevejamesmastin@yahoo.co.uk


This candidate has not yet responded please complete the e-action form and ask them to reply to our 5 pledges.

Name: Ian Swales

Party: Lib Dem

Contact details: ianswales@ntlworld.com


This candidate has not yet responded please complete the e-action form and ask them to reply to our 5 pledges.

Name: Martin Bulmer

Party: UKIP

Contact details: martin.bulmer@ukip-redcar.co.uk


This candidate has not yet responded please complete the e-action form and ask them to reply to our 5 pledges.

Name: Hannah Walter

Party: Trade Union & Socialist Alliance

Contact details: walter.hannah1985@googlemail.com


Pledge 1: Public Services

• I pledge to work to ensure that public services are properly resourced and delivered by the public sector and that there are no further local office closures, public sector cuts or privatisation.

As a worker in the public sector (though not the Civil Service) I have also seen the effects of public sector cuts and privatisation and I fully support this pledge. In the current economic crisis the need for properly funded and resourced public services has never been clearer. As private companies attempt to profit out of our public services privatisation invariably results in either a reduction in service or attacks on workers wages, terms & conditions, usually both. Our public services should remain in the public's hands and any services which have been privatised should be brought back into the public sector.

Pledge 2: UK tax gap

• I pledge to support measures aimed at closing the UK tax gap, including recruiting HMRC staff and ensuring tax loopholes are closed.

I offer my full support to this pledge. It is ridiculous that while we are told that there is no money to fund our public services that billions are lost every year to tax avoidance. More staff and resources should be employed and used to bring large non-payers to task. All planned office closures & staffing cuts should be abandoned. I also support raising the tax threshold for the poorest whilst increasing the tax paid by the richest in our society and big business.

Pledge 3: Pay

• I pledge to support civil service national pay bargaining and to press the government to offer pay increases at least in line with inflation.

While providing services that members of the public rely upon in their day-to-day lives workers in the public sector are some of the lowest paid in our economy. It is appalling that many of those who administer the welfare state are also reliant on means-tested benefits. A national pay scale should be reintroduced with grades set at the highest level to ensure no worker loses earnings. I would argue for pay increases that not only meet the level of inflation but offer an increase in real terms. I support this pledge.

Pledge 4: Pensions and the Civil Service Compensation Scheme

• I pledge to urge the government to honour the 2005 commitment on public sector pensions and to defend the rights of existing members of the civil service compensation scheme.

In a similar vein to above; pensions are our deferred wages and any reduction in pension entitlement represents a real attack on workers standards of living. I would oppose any attempt to renegade on the 2005 pensions deal. The government has no problem with the pension payouts given to the likes of Sir Fred Goodwin (RBS) but then attacks public servants as having gold-plated pension schemes.

I also oppose the attempt to change the CSCS and support the action PCS have been taking in defence of the scheme. Because of the cuts that have taken place in the civil service, staff are struggling to provide a decent service whilst over-stretched & under resourced. There should be a no-compulsory redundancy agreement and extra staff employed to cope with increased demands on services and in areas like HMRC. If any staff are made redundant they should receive a redundancy package which has been agreed with PCS.

Pledge 5: Equality impact assessments

• I pledge to campaign to ensure any changes to public services are only made after proper equlity impact assessments have been conducted and their findings implemented.

Equality Impact Assessments have a vital role to play ensuring that different groups do not suffer discrimination either at work or in service provision. For EIA's to be utilised properly it's vital that they're carried out at the policy development stage not later. EIA's should also be extended to cover sexuality, age and other social groups who may be discriminated against. It should also be a requirement that the findings of EIA's and equality reviews are acted upon immediately.