Looking back... Council election candidate calls on people to ‘vote for communism’

Bill Stewart was seeking election to Newtownabbey Borough Council.

In a statement, he urged a greater turnout of voters than the previous election in 1977.

Mr Stewart said: “We in the Communist Party of Ireland are concerned that working class people should vote for communism and other Left wing candidates in the forthcoming election.

“However, for Communists, the question of voting, whether it is for a local or Parliamentary election, is neither the beginning and end of the process.

“Communists recognise the ongoing necessity for involvement of working class people through various organisations such as trade unions and tenants’ associations.

“British Governments and direct rule unionist administrations have co-operated to support and encourage the domination of our economy by multi-national companies, attracting them and helping to increase their profit margins by grants and tax rebates which will be a burden on the working class people.”