Candidates to local elections sign the Market Pledge

Candidates for the 3rd of May local elections in Leeds have been signing our Market Pledge. We have so far received over 20 signatures from candidates across different wards and parties in Leeds who have pledged that if elected they will halt plans to reduce the Market’s size and bring in the private sector, create a more democratic management structure, reduce rents and create sustainable investment. We have received particularly strong support from the Green Party and the Alliance for Green Socialism.

We also asked the existing 99 councillors to sign our pledge – regrettably, we have only heard from two existing Labour councillors, claiming ‘not to know enough’ about the issues to sign or only partly agreeing with the pledge. We also heard indirectly from MP Hilary Benn who said he generally supported the Market. But the we have heard nothing directly from the rest of our elected representatives, not even an explanation for why they might not agree with the whole or parts of the pledge. What this tells us is despite the council’s general statement that they “support the market” in fact their actions mean something different, and that we cannot simply rely on councillors to change course. It is clear there is a huge support for the Market as it is from members of the public and traders. It is in our hands therefore to support the market by making it our main place for shopping in Leeds and fighting against the council’s plans to make it smaller and bring in the private sector. After all it’s the People’s Market not the Council’s Market!

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