MUNLOCHY 5 GET STIFF FINES - APPEAL

PLEASE SEND CHEQUES, POSTAL PORDERS, LARGE OR SMALL TO 77 HILTON COURT, INVERNESS, IV2 4JW

Appeal

Last Thursday Simon Cann, Iona Henderson, Gillian Williamson, Rory McEwan, and Tom McCaig were fined £150 each for their actions to oppose GM crops at Roskill Farm, Munlochy in April of this year.

These activists were held over the weekend following their arrest and have now been heavily fined for standing up for what they believe in.

At least two of the activists intend to appeal this sentence - but they will all need financial help. If you can help please send donations to Steve Arnott, 77 Hilton Court, Inverness making cheques payable to Highlands & Islands SSP. Every penny will be spent on the defence fund!

Socialism 2002

Hundreds of SSP members and supporters gathered in Glasgow for the party's annual weekend of socialist education, debate and discussion. The two days featured a wide range of topics as well as rallies featuring speakers from Scotland and around the world.

Read the Herald report here

On Saturday evening hundreds of activists attending the weekend marched down to the Hilton hotel to join a rally called by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign against the visit of Isreali general Shaul Mofaz.

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Sheridan unveils politicians' tax

The SSP calls for a tax on over-paid politicians.

Support Striking NHS Staff

Ancillary staff employed at Hairmyres Hospital, East Kilbride, by PFI contractor ISS Mediclean, have voted to take strike action by an overwhelming majority. The ballot took place in support of a pay claim for a minimum wage of £5ph and a return to Whitley Council terms & conditions.

A meeting with the contractor took place when a revised offer from the company was rejected. At a meeting last week they offered an immediate pay rise of 3p and gave a commitment to hold talks on terms and conditions in 2004. This offer was rejected. Unless ISS come up with something over the coming week the first day of strike action has been set for Thursday 31st October, followed by a 2 day stoppage on 4th 5th November.

Donations would be gratefully received to support these already low-paid workers.

sent on behalf of David McAnsh Branch Secretary UNION Office Hairmyres Hospital EAST KILBRIDE G75

Tel - 01355 585805/5829

Protest the visit of Isreali General Shaul Mofaz

Gen. Shaul Mofaz…

* A war criminal, the Milosevic of Israel

* Led the invasion to destroy Jenin.

* Organised the Israelis’ occupation of Palestine which has shocked the world

* Directed personally the attacks which have killed thousands of Palestinians

* Applauded the killers afterwards

Protest the Glasgow visit of Israel's Milosevic!
No War Criminals Here!
Saturday October 26th 6.00pm Hilton Hotel, William St, Glasgow.

Protesters will be gathering from 5.00pm

Rally Speakers:

George Galloway

Aamer Anwar

Margo Mac Donald MSP

Mick Napier PSC

Usama Saeed MAB

Tommy Sheridan MSP

Glasgow Anti-War Demo 19th October 2002

Click here to see pictures of the demo.

15 000 demonstrators take to the streets of Glasgow to say no to war against Iraq, and in solidarity with the Palestinian people. The rally was addressed by speakers including John McAllion MSP, Mohamed Sarwar MP, Tommy Sheridan MSP and trade-unionists, peace campaigners and representatives of the Muslim Association of Britain.

Socialist vote surges

SSP now on 9 per cent

A System 3 poll for The Herald this month shows that the Scottish Socialist Party now has 9 per cent in the second vote for the Scottish Parliament.

Support for the party has continued to grow steadily since taking 2 per cent in 1999.

With the Greens at 6 per cent and 'others' at 4, this takes support for smaller parties and independents up to an unprecedented 19 per cent.
It shows that a large section of Scottish people no longer intend to give up their vote to the big parties.

The tradition of a two or three horse race on election day could come to an end as political affiliations fragment.

Another aspect to the poll is that 44 per cent back parties that are committed to Scottish independence, leaving the Union on increasingly unsteady ground.

This is further underlined by 59 per cent in favour of Holyrood having tax raising powers, with 61 per cent of Labour voters going against their party's policy of keeping these powers in Westminster.

Support for the Scottish Socialist Party is consistent across all age groups and regions.

However, there is a peak of 12 per cent in the 18-24 age group, showing more and more young people are becoming attracted to radical politics.

Taken from Scottish Socialist Voice