School student socialist

From this weeks The Socialist

Thursday 6 May was a very important day for me. Not only was the future of our country being decided, but I was standing for election, as a Socialist Party candidate. Granted, it was only my school mock election, but it was an exciting and, often, nerve-wracking experience nonetheless.

Anna Edgar

I stood as a socialist in this election because, from what I have read of it, the Socialist Party is a party that works for genuine change, unlike the three main parties which are, apart from a few minor differentiations, really the same. Furthermore, I think that the Socialist Party deals with issues head-on, rather than offering only verbal support.

Another reason I was interested in the Socialist Party was probably because of my background - my mum's Russian and grew up in the USSR, so I have heard from her about the positive aspects of the USSR government, as well as the negative aspects which Western media focus on.

As I go to a private school, I never really expected that the socialists would win there. Too many of my school friends have wealthy banker parents, whom the Socialist Party is not particularly well-disposed towards.

Nonetheless, armed with a hastily written speech and a bundle of posters and leaflets (thanks Suzanne) I stood for election.

Despite campaigning by myself and other school socialists, we came fifth out of six parties - followed only by the Green Party. The Liberal Democrats won, with the Monster Raving Loony Party taking second place.

The problem was that not enough people actually evaluated the policies of the individual parties, and made an informed decision on that account.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed campaigning for the Socialist Party and finding out more about it - and maybe, someday, I'll be standing for election as a real socialist candidate!.