County council elections May 2013 targeted

2013 is an opportunity to put the

countryside back in to British politics. Rural workers have been

left to rot for too long, the butt of

cuts policies and a weak ministry, pushed around between EU

programmes, gangmasters, big farmers, monopoly retailers and a

government of millionaires.

the Country Standard Newsletter

UNITY CALL TO RURAL ACTIVISTS

What you can do:

• Select a candidate asap

• Establish a web site and other forms of social media

• Use the Village Web site

• Hold meet the candidate sessions for local electors

• Champion local issues

• Try to win over key individuals-Parish councillors, teachers, doctors, nurses, vets and rural engineers/mechanics

• Produce a regular community newsletter

• Find out trade union members/ activists and get them involved

• Hold a fundraising social event

• Maximise postal votes especially in isolated areas

• Get active in/with your local Trades Council

Country StandardFor Peace and Socialism in the Countryside

Country StandardFounded 1935 | Vol.14 No. 1 | Summer 2012 http://country-standard.blogspot.com | FREE

For Peace and Socialism in the Countryside

WE ARE THE MANY THEY ARE BUT FEW

“The Country Standard Collective urges you to supportthe TUC demonstration in London on 20 October”

Rural dwellers have a long and honourable history of standing up todespotic rulers. Proudly we hold high the Country Standard againstthe Tory led class warriors in Downing Street intent on destroyingthe Welfare State, Public Services, the NHS and Trade Unions asthey misrule on behalf of global capitalism.

This issue of CS highlights the ABC of resistance.A marks the start of our campaign to highlight the dangers of

Aspergillosis to protect the health of millions of landworkersand amateur gardeners,

B spells out the crying need for the introduction of speedyBroadband to our rural areas, and

C is our call to get cracking on the coming May 2013 councilelections – to show Cameron and Clegg where they get off.

Turn inside to get started.

Mary Creaghon foodpoverty

Page 3

CampaignCharter

Page 3 and 12

TolpuddleSupplement

Pages 7/14

Rebellionby poor men

Page 16

A flamingspirit

Page 18

On the roadfor climatejobs

Page 20

Compostthe newasbestos?see page 10

In this issue of

the Standardwe talk

about landand forests,

food andfarming, the

People ofBritain andresistance.

PIC

: Rep

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ced

with

kin

d pe

rmis

sion

Joh

n F

Fren

ch H

ands

Off

Our

For

ests

@countrystandard

CharterC o u n t r y s i d e

Take the Charter out to every town and village

The

the Country Standard Newsletter

COUNTRY STANDARD SAYRESTORE AWB

READ COUNTRY STANDARD

• Restore the Agricultural Wages Board• Restore the Commission for Rural Development• Unite to save local schools, post and health services - build housing

• Break with EU Common Agricultural Policy• Extend the Gangmaster’s Act• Tax super profits of the giant food retailers• THE LAND TO THOSE WHO WORK IT

Speak out for workers and communitiesThe 2013 local elections followed

by the 2014 EU elections are a chance to campaign for progressive

change in the countryside.

Step forward the tens of thousands of community and environmental activists, trade union representatives, pensioner campaigners and political activists who keep our rural communities ticking. We need to gather all the forces – even those active at the base of the Countryside Alliance, which once promised to represent rural people but was hijacked at the top by the class force that has wreaked havoc in our rural areas.

How much stronger would this force be if it could link-up with strong honest voices found in local parish council meetings, in the columns of local newspapers and on community radio, with diverse faith, women and youth groups.

The Standard takes this opportunity to warn against voting for the UKIP - read their

neo-liberal programme and beware of this wolf in sheep’s clothing.

We hope the Charter will enthuse the young and embolden the veterans, influence political party policy and give shape even to the voting preferences of independent councillors. If you are not yet in a union or political party we ask you to consider joining one.

Do not hold back, put yourself forward for local office. Rural communities need to survive and thrive – you can play your part to make this happen.

We hope you sign up to the Charter in total. If you do not, take the bits of it you agree with

and start campaigning!

Growing anger in rural

communities against the ConDem coalition government throws a

challenge to the Left to re-engage

with rural communities and to prove that it is capable of offering

leadership and hope.

The Country Standard will play its

part in the process.

the Country Standard Newsletter

A Countryside Charter which will change rural

Britain 1. Work to convene a rural convention, involving communities, councils, trades councils, unions, faith groups and rural focussed organisations such as Woodcraft Folk, Ramblers and the CPRE to develop a vision for rural living. 2. Create a ‘Rebuild Rural Britain’ bank working with the Coop bank and credit unions - to supply funds to councils and those creating jobs and services through coops in rural areas. 3. Turn DEFRA into a ministry for the promotion and organization of quality rural living and employment, with a focus on environment. 4. DEFRA should coordinate an emergency programme of job creation aimed at youth. 5. DEFRA to work with Departments for Transport and Employment, to establish public rural bus services. 6. Yes to a legally enforceable living wage for every rural worker - support for an Agricultural Wages Board. We oppose the break up of national pay into a

competing regional race to the bottom. 7. Councils to be allowed to raise funds to build and provide affordable rural housing to rent and buy.

 8. Promote coops as a model for small farms, animal and crop production, construction, food processing, rural tourism and retailing. Coops to be given preference in the

allocation of council contracts. 9. Access for all to high-speed rural broadband.10. Provide proper resourcing for the Gangmasters Licensing Authority to enforce the law against cowboy employers.11. Support the development of allotments, and urban gardens and food production.12. Extend greater decision making in rural affairs to the Scottish Parliament and Wales Assembly. Support the establishment of a parliament for Cornwall.13. Re establish national

sovereignty over decision making in

farming, fishing and

rural affairs.

the Country Standard Newsletter

CALLING COUNCILLORS, TRADE UNION

AND COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS

Use your campaigning

experience, your local

knowledge, enthusiasm

and networks to create a

power for progress in the

countryside so that it is

never again ignored by

policy makers,

employers or

government.