'Poorest' UK city is in Scotland

Glasgow has been ranked as the poorest city in the UK by researchers who have mapped out a "census atlas".
BBC News Online
Leader of the Scottish Socialists Tommy Sheridan described the north-south divide as a "damning indictment" of the failure of the executive to tackle poverty, when after five years Glasgow was "sinking into the poverty trap".
He said: "All we get from ministers like Margaret Curran are platitudes and buzzwords about tackling poverty when the research shows that the situation facing Scotland's poor is getting worse."

North-south gap growing, says report
Press Association
Tommy Sheridan, the Scottish Socialist party national convenor and MSP for Glasgow, said the findings were a "damning indictment" of the failure of the Scottish Executive to tackle poverty.
He said: "Scottish Executive ministers are now going to have to explain to the people of Scotland why it is that they have opposed abolishing the council tax, the introduction of free school meals and the abolishing of prescription charges when these are measures which would make a very real start in tackling chronic poverty in Scotland."

No time for numpties

Guardian Unlimited Politics | Comment | No time for numpties: "Is it independence that has taken a nosedive, or just the SNP? Or is it simply John Swinney's fault? The former Scottish Amicable man has long been described as a charisma-free zone. Meanwhile, there are new kids on the indy block - the Scottish Socialist party and the Greens. Independence is not the major plank of Tommy Sheridan's fast-growing bunch of outspoken working-class MSPs, but his party has made an impact in the sprawling housing schemes of Edinburgh and Glasgow in a way the kilted caricature of the SNP Highlander never could." Lesley Riddoch in The Guardian.

Tommy Sheridan on Swinney Resignation

Tommy Sheridan on the resignation of SNP leader John Swinney
from the Scottish Daily Mirror

So John Swinney has fallen on his claymore and the SNP is looking for a new leader.

My guess is that he finally had his fill of his shadow cabinet colleagues who publicly said he was the only man for the job but could be seen scuttling up and down the corridor briefing the press that he was the worst ever leader of the SNP.

John is a nice man and at least he had the decency to resign his job when he didn't think he was up to the mark.

Compare that to the Labour ministers who appear barely competent and preside over departments making almighty cock ups but who wouldn't dream of giving up the chauffeur driven ministerial car for such a thing as political integrity.

The problem that the SNP have is nothing to do with their choice of leader but is far more fundamental.

The SNP have become just another variety of the same old establishment political parties, their 'brand' is no different to that of New Labour and the Old Tories, it just has a tartan spin put on it by highly paid media advisors.

In the new Scotland the SNP have discovered that this approach will just not cut it.

The voters are tired of establishment politicians who do nothing to challenge the obscene wealth and power of the rich, who condemn poverty and inequality and yet are more than happy to pocket the kings ransom every month that gives them a very comfortable life. The problem the SNP have is that It doesn't matter who they elect leader, they are going to have to recognise that the rise of the SSP and other independence supporting parties has forever changed the political make up of Scotland.

The SSP has offered a vision that appeals to many of those who have supported the SNP in the past; a clear vision of a socialist and republican independent Scotland.

The 'New SNP', pro big business agenda that John Swinney and the SNP leadership adopted has been an abject failure and he has paid the price.

The SSP will continue to advocate our pro-working class, pro- socialist, pro-independence programme and we appeal to all SNP supporters who share that vision to now join us in building a party that fights for an independent socialist republic for Scotland.

SNP Leader Resigns

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Resignation reaction: "Tommy Sheridan, leader of the Scottish Socialist Party:
The Swinney resignation was a watershed in Scottish politics, he said.
'John Swinney has been a honourable victim of Scotland's new politics and the rise of the new independence supporting parties, particularly the Scottish Socialist Party.
'The 'New SNP', pro-big business agenda that John Swinney and the SNP leadership adopted has been an abject failure and he has paid the price.'
Mr Sheridan said it didn't matter who was leader of the SNP.
He believes whoever takes on the position will have to come to terms with the fact that the SSP is on the rise."

************************************************************

Scottish Socialist Party
Press Release: 22/06/04

Sheridan: Swinney resignation watershed in Scottish politics

Scottish Socialist Party national convenor Tommy Sheridan said today that the resignation of John Swinney marked a watershed in pro independence politics in Scotland and that Scotland’s political terrain would never be the same again.
Tommy said;
“John Swinney has been a honourable victim of Scotland’s new politics and the rise of the new independence supporting parties, particularly the Scottish Socialist Party.
“The Scottish Socialist Party has offered a vision that appeals to many of those who have supported the SNP in the past; a clear vision of a socialist and republican independent Scotland.
“The ‘New SNP’, pro big business agenda that John Swinney and the SNP leadership adopted has been an abject failure and he has paid the price.
“John Swinney’s resignation marks a watershed in the development of pro independence politics in Scotland, Scotland’s political terrain will never be the same again.
“It doesn’t matter who the leader of the SNP is, they are going to have to recognise that the rise of the SSP and other independence supporting parties has changed forever the political make up of Scotland.
“The SSP will continue to advocate our pro-working class, pro-socialist programme and we appeal to all SNP supporters who share that vision to now join us in building a party that fights for an independent socialist republic for Scotland.
“The SSP calls on the new SNP leader to join all those who have helped to build the Independence Convention into a vehicle that can unite all those who are campaigning for an independent Scotland.”

Scottish Socialists welcome FBU break with Labour

Scottish Socialist Party
Press Release: 16/6/04

Scottish Socialists welcome FBU break with Labour

The Scottish Socialist Party today welcomed the Fire Brigades Union’s decision to break its 86 year old link with the Labour Party.
Tommy Sheridan, SSP National Convenor, addressed a Scottish Region FBU meeting at the Southport conference on Tuesday night.
Tommy said today;
“New Labour is no longer the party of the working class and does not deserve trade union financial backing.
“Now that the FBU have followed the path the RMT has taken it is clear that the industrial trade unions have realised that New Labour is no longer the party of the millions but instead represents the millionaires.
“The recent disgraceful treatment of Scotland’s nursery nurses by the Labour Party in Scotland puts pressure on the UK’s largest union UNISON to stop funding the party that kicked its members in the teeth.
“The SSP will welcome with open arms any trade union that wishes to join us in our fight for workers rights and socialism.”
[ends]

Scottish Socialist Party
National Office
70 Stanley Street
Kinning Park
Glasgow G41 1JB

Council Tax Review

dailyrecord - REVIEW RIDDLE: REVIEW RIDDLE

THE Executive's long-awaited review of local government finance turned into a farce yesterday.

Finance Minister Andy Kerr refused to reveal the names of the review team or how long it will take.

It was called for by the McIntosh Commission on local government in 1999.

Scottish Socialist leader Tommy Sheridan said: 'It is clear that the Labour Party in particular don't want this review because it sounds the death knell for the council tax.'

Kerr said: 'The review will be independent and separate from the Executive.'

Council tax comes under scrutiny

BBC NEWS Council tax comes under scrutiny: "The Scottish Socialist Party has put forward a member's bill in the Scottish Parliament proposing to replace the council tax with an income-based alternative."

Scottish Poverty Disgrace

Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation: Report by the Scottish Parliament.

SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT SCOTTISH POVERTY IN 2004: SAME CITY DIFFERENT WORLDS.

Daily Record

Scottish Socialist leader Tommy Sheridan said: 'New Labour continues to fail Glasgow and its low-income citizens by presiding over a regime of low wages and high council tax which keeps hundreds of thousands in the swamp of poverty.

'A higher minimum wage, and replacement of the unfair council tax with an income-based alternative, will tackle poverty more than any glossy review from the Scottish Executive.' Jim Coleman, depute leader of Glasgow City Council, urged the UK Government to make it easier for people to get off benefits and into jobs.

He said benefits should be 'tapered off', not stopped completely, when people find work.

SSP Vote By Region

SSP Regional Vote
Central Scotland	9,125	% Poll 6.27
Glasgow	12,910	% Poll 10.56
Highlands & Islands	4,528	% Poll 4.25
Lothians	8,194	% Poll 4.84
Mid Scotland & Fife	6,140	% Poll 3.92
North East Scotland	5,223	% Poll 3.37
South of Scotland	6,057	% Poll 3.68
West of Scotland	9,179	% Poll 5.84

TOTAL VOTE 61,356 PERCENTAGE OF VOTE 5.21

European Election

The Scotsman

The Greens, the Scottish Socialists and UKIP took nearly 21 per cent of the vote and while none of the parties got enough votes to give them a seat, they disrupted the election for the major parties in a big way.

It is the emergence of the smaller parties in this way that marks the real sea-change in Scottish politics.

It was obvious at last year’s Scottish elections, but that was fought under the two-vote proportional representation system and was accepted as part of the package.

What yesterday’s European results showed was that this has now become a feature of other elections, even when the voters only have the one vote.

The Guardian

John Curtice, Scotland's leading electoral expert, said there was little for Labour to be pleased about. "Compared to the utter calamity south of the border, you could regard this as an everyday disaster," he said. "It is still the worst Labour result in Scotland since 1918."

Mr Swinney put a brave face on the SNP's results, arguing that if replicated at a general election, it would take nine seats. "The challenge is to overtake Labour. We remain focussed on that." At the 1999 European elections, the SNP came less than 2% behind Labour, with more than 27%. Professor Curtice said: "It confirms that the SNP are in the doldrums."

SSP attack NHS Cuts

Evening Times: Patients 'will suffer in NHS budget cuts'

PATIENTS needing hospital treatment in Lanarkshire are facing bed cuts and a reduced quality of care, an MSP said today.
Carolyn Leckie accused the Scottish Executive of a failure to provide adequate funding to NHS Lanarkshire after it emerged it was facing spending cuts of up to 15% to meet its budget.

Iraq - SSP says "principles not pragmatism"

The Herald: Leak shows SNP swithered on support for war

JOHN Swinney's European election campaign was again undermined by a rebel MSP yesterday, after the leak of an internal note showing the SNP was ready to switch its stance on the Iraq war.
Written in September 2002 by Campbell Martin, the suspended MSP for West of Scotland, the unofficial minute suggests that rather than opposing the war on principle, the SNP was ready to jump sides as it weighed up the electoral pros and cons.
Mr Swinney has put opposition to the war at the heart of his Euro campaign, and rival parties last night branded him an opportunist...

But the Scottish Socialist party said Iraq would still be a "blood-soaked nightmare" even if the SNP had got its UN resolution.
"These minutes show that the SNP's position is based on electoral expediency as opposed to political principle. We believe parties should base policies on principles not pragmatism."

Nursery nurses call for European vote for SSP

Press Release: 07/06/04

Nursery nurses call for European vote for SSP

Nursery nurses from across Glasgow will gather tomorrow outside Glasgow City Chambers to call for a vote for the Scottish Socialist Party in Thursday's European elections. Also attending this event will be SSP MSP's Carolyn Leckie and Tommy Sheridan who have championed the cause of the nursery nurses in the Scottish Parliament.

The nursery nurses are furious at their treatment at the hands of Scotland's overwhelmingly Labour councils and the Labour dominated Scottish Executive. In particular, nursery nurses in Glasgow point to the Labour council's use of anti trade union legislation brought in by the Tories which allowed Labour councillors to threaten them with the sack unless they returned to work.

Nursery nurse Irene Lang from Govan said; "Thursday will be an opportunity for people who have been treated badly to make their feelings known. I will be supporting the SSP – they have been fantastic in their support on the picket lines."

Carolyn Leckie, Scottish Socialist Party MSP for Central Scotland said; "The fight for proper recognition of the job that the nursery nurses do will go on as will the struggle for equal pay for women workers. "We will hold Labour to account for their appalling treatment of the nursery nurses including their use of anti trade union legislation brought in by the Tories. "The nursery nurses know that when it came down to it the £1.5 million paid by UNISON in donations to Labour bought nothing but backstabbing and sell outs."

Scottish Socialist Party
National Office
70 Stanley Street
Kinning Park
Glasgow G41 1JB

Nursery Nurses Dispute

The Herald: Nursery nurses go back to work

THE long-running nursery nurses' strike in Glasgow ended in bitterness last night when they voted to return to work under threat of dismissal.
An ultimatum by Glasgow City Council earlier in the day brought the strike to an end after 14 weeks...
Irene Lang, from Govan Early Learning Centre, said: "I did not vote to accept the deal. For a Labour-led council to threaten their workers with the sack is deplorable."
She added: "It is a completely different workforce they will see coming back. If they think this is the end of it they are mistaken. We will be out in force with the fire-fighters, and others who have been betrayed, at every election, hitting Labour. There will be a backlash.
"There isn't usually a big-turn out at EU elections but next Thursday will be an opportunity for people who have been treated badly to make their feelings known.
"I will be supporting the SSP – they have been fantastic in their support on the picket lines."

Time to Act on Childhood Obesity

Our ballooning children - The Herald Editorial

Ministers have been warned by dietary experts that by failing to introduce radical measures they cannot hope to make an impact on the country's abysmal health record. They could begin by following the lead of Glasgow councillors who recently visited schools in Finland to witness the transformative impact of free healthy lunches, an idea already championed by the Scottish Socialist Party and this newspaper.

The Future for our Fishing Industry

The Buchan Observer

SCOTTISH Socialist Party chief Tommy Sheridan visited the North-east last week and vowed to help advance the Cod Crusaders' cause.
Following their successful meeting at the Scottish Parliament last month, Mr Sheridan fulfilled his promise to the Cod Crusaders to visit Peterhead and Fraserburgh and see first hand the devastation caused by the EU Fisheries Council at their December meeting.
Along with Euro list candidates Felicity Garvie and John Sangster, Mr Sheridan visited both ports on a two-day tour of the area.

SNP rebel speaks on Iraq for SSP

Herald: Rebel Martin wrecks Swinney’s plans

THE SNP's internal discipline problems were thrown back into the spotlight yesterday after a rebel MSP wrecked one of the party's showpiece events for the European election campaign. Campbell Martin overshadowed the SNP's high-profile Holyrood debate on Iraq by speaking on behalf of his "friends", the Scottish Socialist party...

Toward the end of the afternoon debate, it was announced Mr Martin would sum up on behalf of the SSP, provoking gasps from the Labour and LibDem benches.
"I would like to thank my friends in the SSP for allowing me to make a contribution to this debate," he said.
He then chided Mr Swinney for advocating a phased troop withdrawal instead of the SSP's policy of immediate troop withdrawal to allow Iraqis to govern themselves. "I would have thought the leader of the SNP would have seen self-determination as a good thing."...

There was further discomfort when Andy Kerr, Labour finance minister, asked Mr Martin if he would disclose secret SNP cabinet minutes reportedly showing Mr Swinney "wobbled" before opposing the war. Mr Martin said:
"Certainly, but not to you."...

Mr Martin later said he had not joined the SSP, and would stay in the SNP if the party wanted him. If not, he would consider moving to the Socialists. He said: "I think John Swinney's leadership has been detrimental to the cause of independence in Scotland.
"Today I felt more comfortable with the SSP position. But I'm waiting for the SNP to decide whether they want me."

BBC News Online: SNP rebel speaks on Iraq for SSP

Childhood Obesity in Scotland

Evening Times: Ventilators used to keep obese city kids breathing

CHILDREN in Glasgow are being sent home from hospital with ventilators because they are so overweight they stop breathing in their sleep...

Scottish Socialist Party health spokeswoman Carolyn Leckie, who has called for a ban on junk food advertising for children, said the scandal would increase the pressure to protect the young from unhealthy diets.
She said: "This just shows that the Scottish Executive has consistently failed to put in place radical plans to improve the diet of children.
"They keep saying the £174 million it would cost to give free school meals could be better spent - but where better than in tackling conditions like this?"
The former midwife added: "Why do we still have fizzy drinks machines in schools when childhood obesity is at this level and causing this kind of harm?"

SSP Broadcast Victory

The Herald: Sheridan claims victory over broadcast

THE Scottish Socialist party yesterday claimed victory over two Scottish TV companies after they agreed to show a European election broadcast accusing Tony Blair of lying over Iraq.
Scottish and Grampian said they were satisfied that the four-and-a-half minute film did not breach programme guidelines...
Tommy Sheridan, SSP leader, said: "What is galling is that SMG's delay in backing down from their ridiculous attempt at censorship has cost us in the region of £1000 … We have not provided evidence other than what is obvious to most people in Scotland, that Tony Blair has lied.
"As far as we are concerned, this is a victory for free speech, not just for the SSP, but for politicians who wish to make statements and are prepared to stand by those statements."

The Scotsman: SSP given green light to describe Blair as a liar

THE Scottish Socialists were yesterday given permission to describe Tony Blair as a liar on national television.

Scottish Television and Grampian had objected to the contents of an SSP election broadcast because of its claims that the Prime Minister lied over Iraq.

The television companies demanded changes to the broadcast, but yesterday they backed down in the face of a legal challenge from the SSP and allowed the film to be broadcast, uncut...

The broadcast takes the form of a short drama featuring a woman who wants to lie in her bed instead of voting but can’t sleep because her conscience is troubling her.

It says, in part: "You’re quite happy to lie there and let Blair get away with murder, the man who lied through his teeth to us about Iraq."

STV/Grampian back down in broadcast row – SSP message will be shown unedited

Scottish Socialist Party
National Office
70 Stanley Street
Kinning Park
Glasgow
G41 1JB

Press Release: 01/06/04


STV and Grampian back down in broadcast row – SSP message will be shown unedited

On the eve of court action the broadcasters STV and Grampian have backed down in the row with the SSP over their Party Political Broadcast.
Reference is made to Tony Blair “lying through his teeth” over Iraq in the course of the 5 minute mini-drama and STV/Grampian had threatened to block it being shown if the SSP did not remove the sentence.
The SSP have resolutely stuck to their principles and refused to bow to political censorship. Tony Blair did lie to justify the invasion of Iraq. He is therefore a liar.
The SSP had instructed junior counsel to lodge a petition to overturn STV and Grampian in court today but they backed down at the last minute. The SSP are both pleased and angry.
SSP National Convenor, Tommy Sheridan said:
“The SSP have been totally vindicated in our stand against political censorship. STV and Grampian have acted disgracefully in forcing us to organise court action to secure the freedom to have our broadcast shown.
“They backed down at the last minute before being defeated in court but the whole process has cost us money we can ill afford to waste.
“At least STV and Grampian viewers will now be allowed to watch the best broadcast of the election along with those of BBC.”
[ends]