On Saturday 3 April comrades and friends of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! London staged a mock election at the Angel, Islington with the slogan ‘General Election, General Fraud!’ Members of the public signed our petitions against the closure of Whittington Hospital’s A&E department, to stop cuts in public services and to put the Labour government on trial for war crimes.

Passers by cast votes in our ballot box, a symbolic gesture encouraging them to think about the issues that matter to them – instead of voting for political parties or  personalities with the same corrupt capitalist policies. The public's ballot papers listed issues which don’t form part of the phoney debate in the run up to the general election, for example:

• Stop racism, war crimes and discrimination.
• Oil companies’ corruption in third world countries.
• Social justice
• Health care, education, human rights generally.
• Child poverty
• Peace and the environment.
• Health, schools
• Tony Blair to be tried for war crimes
• Peace and equality
• Discrimination and racism - we should all be united.
• The closure of hospitals which means less beds for the sick.
• Stop the war in Iraq
• Against prejudice and bigotry of all kinds
• Peace and harmony - enough for all.
• Education, health, social care
• Freedom, stop racism
• Keep Whittington A&E open.
• Stop bankers getting such large bonuses after we've bailed them out
• Tax bankers and give this tax to public services
• Hospitals, schools and housing
• Better rights for migrants
• Environmental protection, anti-privatisation, cutting military budgets
• Against racism
• Global warming
• Trade union rights

Placards adorned the voting booth reminding us that a vote for the Labour Party, or any of the main parties, is a vote for more war, more racism, the privatisation of the NHS and the education system, slashes in public services, more cuts in jobs and pay, more attacks on civil rights, more prisons and more bonuses for bankers and MPs.

Whoever we vote for, the ruling class will get in. Capitalism is in crisis; the only solution is a complete change of system. Over the megaphone, speakers pointed out that only under socialism is society organised for people not profit, so people are treated as human beings not commodities. In revolutionary Cuba, it was pointed out, the right of recall of elected representatives is enshrined in the electoral system, ensuring that they serve their voting constituencies or face being removed from office. The expenses scandal would never have been possible in Cuba, where there are no career politicians and no material incentives to enter politics – that means no corruption, no lying and no cheating.

General Election, General Fraud!

Nothing to vote for, everything to organise for!

Fight for socialism!