The People's Charter is a campaigning document which was devised by a commission of Trade Unionists with the intention of uniting the left and providing an alternative to the neoliberal political agenda.
The Charter demands public control of the banks, along with energy, water and transport, ensuring that there is investment in these services instead of money being creamed off to corporate shareholders. It also calls for a fairer tax system, with the wealthy and big business paying their way, investment not cuts in public services, the creation of millions of new homes, and sustainable jobs with decent wages.

Points covered by the Charter

The six slogans of the People's Charter are:

• A fair economy for a fairer Britain

• More and better jobs

• Decent homes for all

• Save and Improve our Services

• Fairness and Justice

• A better future starts now

Endorsers

The People's Charter has been endorsed by the following Trade Unions: RMT

RMT

RMT is an abbreviation for:*Regie voor Maritiem Transport, Belgian, state owned ferry company.*National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, a United Kingdom trade union*Real-money trading, a type of virtual economy...

, CWU

CWU

The abbreviation CWU may refer to:*Cameroon Welfare Union*Central Washington University*Church Women United*One of several Communication Workers' Unions, including:**Communication Workers Union...

, FBU

FBU

FBU is an abbreviation for:* The Fire Brigades Union.* The former Oslo Airport, Fornebu.* Funen Football Association...

, PCS

Public and Commercial Services Union

The Public and Commercial Services Union is the sixth largest trade union in the United Kingdom. Most of its members work in government departments and other public bodies although some work for private companies.- Membership and organisation :...

, NUT

National Union of Teachers

The National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...

, NUJ, BFAWU and UCU

UCU

UCU may stand for:*Uganda Christian University, church-based university near Kampala, Uganda*Ukrainian Catholic University, Catholic university in Lviv, Ukraine*University College Utrecht, international Honors College of Utrecht University, Netherlands...

 and also by the TUC.

The People's Charter has attracted support from various high profile politicians including Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Bernard Corbyn is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Islington North since 1983.-Early and personal life:...

, Tony Benn

Tony Benn

Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...

 and John McDonnell

John McDonnell

John McDonnell may refer to:* John F. McDonnell , chairman and CEO at McDonnell Douglas and Boeing* John McDonnell , retired track coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks...

, and a number of personalities from the cultural sphere including Billy Bragg

Billy Bragg

Stephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...

, Linton Kwesi Johnson

Linton Kwesi Johnson

Linton Kwesi Johnson is a UK-based dub poet. He became the second living poet, and the only black poet, to be published in the Penguin Classics series. His poetry involves the recitation of his own verse in Jamaican Patois over dub-reggae, usually written in collaboration with renowned British...

, Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas

Mark Clifford Thomas is a left-wing English comedian, presenter, political activist and reporter from south London. He first became known as a guest comic on the BBC Radio 1 comedy show The Mary Whitehouse Experience in the late 1980s. He is best known for political stunts on his show, The Mark...

 and Ken Loach

Ken Loach

Kenneth "Ken" Loach is a Palme D'Or winning English film and television director.He is known for his naturalistic, social realist directing style and for his socialist beliefs, which are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as homelessness , labour rights and child abuse at the...

.

It has also been endorsed by the Labour Representation Committee, the Scottish Campaign for Socialism, the Socialist Party of England and Wales and the Communist Party of Britain

Communist Party of Britain

The Communist Party of Britain is a communist political party in Great Britain. Although founded in 1988 it traces its origins back to 1920 and the Communist Party of Great Britain, and claims the legacy of that party and its most influential members Harry Pollitt and John Gollan as its...

.

Criticisms

The People's Charter has been criticised by some parties on the left, particularly the AWL

Alliance for Workers' Liberty

The Alliance for Workers' Liberty , also known as Workers' Liberty, is a Trotskyist group in Britain. The group has a complex history but has always been identified with the theorist Sean Matgamna...

 for being too limited in its scope, and for being Social Democratic rather than revolutionary.

External links

• http://thepeoplescharter.org
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/09/protest-recession