NINE candidates from the Communist Party of Britain are going to stand in the All-London list in next month's Greater London Assembly election.

It is the largest contest in the Capital for over 30 years.

Candidate Robin Talbot, a secondary school teacher, said: "London, like the rest of the country is increasingly scarred by growing inequality and discrimination where young people, women and our BME communities in particular are increasingly exploited and marginalised.

"The government's mismanagement of the COVID crisis has resulted in London now having the highest unemployment in the country, with retail, hospitality and leisure particularly hard hit – sectors which traditionally employ large numbers of women and young people."

Convenor of the Communist Party's Housing Commission, Lorraine Douglas, a retired Housing and Homelessness manager, said: "London is in the grip of a housing emergency.

"Young people are shut out of the housing market – properties cost too much to buy.

"Private rents are extortionate and low-cost council homes are only accessible to people in the greatest housing need.

"The effect on people's lives is devastating; it is time for the GLA to work with London boroughs to increase the number of council homes and other low-cost housing designed to meet the needs of Londoners and to eradicate homelessness, rather than creating super profits for landlords, developers, their shareholders and bankers."

The Communist Party is calling for a reversal in the cuts to public services and for privatised services to be brought back into public ownership.

It also supports scrapping the TFL fares, congestion charge increases and opposes the new charge for the extended Ultra-Low Emission Zone.

The Communist Party believes this will place an unaffordable burden on low-income families who cannot afford to upgrade their cars but are dependent on them for work and mobility.

NHS worker Phil Brand, said: "The 1% pay increase for health workers is a slap in the face for all those staff who have worked tirelessly in the most appalling and distressing conditions during the COVID pandemic.

"The government has handed billions to its mates to not deliver on test & trace and essential equipment for the NHS.

"Communists call for a real pay rise for all frontline workers who have put themselves in harm's way during this crisis and for the cancellation of crony contracts."