Shahid Miah
Respect - The Unity Coalition
Oldham West and Royton Constituency
Address
Oldham West and Royton
Policies for a just society
THE Respect Party was set up in 2004, formed because of the need for a left-wing alternative to the three established parties.
None of those parties represent the interests of ordinary working-class people or those who want a fairer, more equal and just society.
The Respect Party is opposed to war, privatisation and unemployment. It stands for peace, publicly-owned services and a decent future for all.
We want a world in which the democratic demands of the people are carried out; a world based on need not profit; a world where solidarity rather than self-interest is the spirit of the age.
Shahid Miah, the candidate for Oldham West and Royton, said: “I believe it is vital to work together during hard economic times. But Labour is not doing this. It makes the poorest pay while the rich get handouts.
“It spends our money on war and we get nothing back. So what is this war for? It breeds only misery and hatred. We lost our young soldiers, husbands, sons and fathers.
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Biography
The married father-of-two, from Oldham, is a journalist who owns the Bengali North-West newspaper Jonosheba and is also a legal adviser. It’s the first time the 31-year-old has stood for election.
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“Respect stands for a different way. We want to bring the voice back to our communities and we want to get more facilities and investment.
“We have to work together. To create jobs and keep our services, we need investment not cuts. We need to protect community facilities not close schools to create academies that have not worked anywhere else.
“The Respect Party wants politicians who will work with the community and answer to those that vote.”
Mr Miah (31) is a journalist in print and broadcast media, owner of Jonosheba, the most popular newspaper in the Bengali community in the North-West, as well as a legal adviser. He is a married father of two children, living in Coldhurst.
Respect policies for a fairer society include:
Investment NOT cuts — slashing public spending will only deepen the recession. We need to invest for growth. This will allow government income to rise and cut unemployment. That is the best way to reduce the national debt.
Fairer taxation — too many people on average or low incomes are paying too much tax. Meanwhile, the super rich employ an army of accountants to avoid paying their fair share.
Affordable housing — our housing waiting lists are a scandal. We need a massive house-building programme.
One society, many cultures — everyone is equal no matter their race, religion or lifestyle. We should not be divided by racism and intolerance.
Free school meals — we could provide free meals for every child for a tiny fraction of the cost of the banking bailout, ensuring every child has a well-cooked, nutritious meal at school every day.
New green deal — The UK could create up to 400,000 jobs in new green industries. Instead of wasting billions of pounds on Trident nuclear weapons, we should invest in green technology.
Troops out of Afghanistan — too many lives have been lost. We need to find a peaceful solution. We need to bring the troops home now.
