ANTI- austerity campaigners are targeting City of York Council in the upcoming local election.

The left-wing party Trade Union and Socialist Party (TUSC) is fielding eight would-be councillors for seats on City ofYork Council, as well as a parliamentary candidate in York Central.

With a radical anti-austerity platform, the party's Guildhall candidate Andrew Dickinson said he wants to see the party start with a handful of councillors on Yorkshire authorities and work towards a situation where they could band together to put real pressure on central government over funding cuts to local authorities.

He said: "The main parties are all advocating exactly the same thing. Every party is advocating austerity, and every party is looking to cut back on benefits and the welfare state."

The example of countries like Spain and Portugal, where unemployment levels have soared, show that finding an alternative to austerity is vital, he added.

"The main parties are talking about the Bedroom Tax, and the need to cut benefits, but what about the MPs who get second homes funded by the tax payer?"

Many of those London second homes have seen their values rise, meaning the MPs are left with a profit which the TUSC candidates want to see returned to the Exchequer, Mr Dickinson added.

They also claim the way mainstream politicians come from similar backgrounds means many voters feel totally disengaged with the people representing them.

Mr Dickinson added: "We are going out leafleting and seeing doors slammed in our faces as people say 'You're all the same'."

TUSC candidates are standing in Clifton, Fishergate, Guildhall, Heworth, Holgate, Micklegate, Westfield and Hull Road, where candidate Megan Ollerhead is also standing for the York Central parliamentary election.

They are holding a public meeting on Thursday, April 30 at 7.30pm in the New York club, Blossom Street.

Talks will include information on benefit sanctions and the future of the NHS, and there will be chance to speak to the candidates.

In York Central, they are competing against the Labour party who are defending former MP Sir Hugh Bayley's 6000 vote majority, as well as Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Ukip, the Green party, and Yorkshire First.