The Scottish Socialist Party today warned that many more Scottish soldiers of the British Army would face being killed in the illegal occupation of Iraq and that the thousands of Iraqis who had voted in the elections would be desperately disappointed if they believed that by voting they would be able to free Iraq of the occupiers.
An SSP spokesperson said today;
"The SSP does not believe that elections imposed by an illegal military occupation can be regarded as legitimate. "The elections that have just been staged by the occupiers cannot be regarded as legitimate as they were deliberately manipulated using national rather than provincial voting rolls in order to reduce Sunni representation and to anoint US-supported groups who will allow this occupation to continue.
"The SSP does recognise that after decades of dictatorship under Saddam there is very real desire amongst many Iraqis to express themselves at the ballot box with tens of thousands voting for party's that are opposed to the occupation.
"The SSP also recognises that an enormous propaganda and news manipulation exercise was orchestrated by the occupiers in order to convince Western public opinion that these elections were legitimate. "Those Iraqis who voted in the election in the hope that the occupiers will leave if the Iraqi people wish them to will be desperately disappointed.
"The US invaded Iraq not to bring democracy to the people but to plunder the oil and resources of the country and to alter the military balance of power in the region.
"Military experts estimate that the US is in the process of constructing 12 permanent military bases in Iraq as an extension of US power and influence in the Middle East.
"The occupiers will not leave Iraq unless forced to do so by a united movement of the Iraqi people, crossing ethnic and religious divide. "To that end the Scottish Socialist Party offers support and solidarity to all those independent and free trades unionists in Iraq who oppose the occupation and have no links to the puppet regime of Iyad Allawi and to all those Iraqis who wish to see an independent and free Iraq.
"The Scottish Socialist Party warns that many more soldiers of the occupying armies will be killed if the occupation continues and that the only solution is for the immediate withdrawal of all occupation troops.
"The SSP unreservedly condemns all atrocities committed against the civilian population of Iraq committed by both by the occupying armies and religious extremists with statistics showing that the vast majority of civilian deaths have been perpetrated by the occupying military forces." [ends]
Monday, January 31, 2005
Friday, January 21, 2005
MSP says half the cost of axing pills charge would be recouped
Scottish Socialist Party MSP Colin Fox said the estimated £45 million that would be lost through introducing free prescriptions would be offset by up to £20m of savings, mostly as a result of fewer people needing hospital treatment.
The Lothians list MSP was today formally unveiling his Bill to abolish prescription charges, following the example of the Welsh Assembly, which voted to scrap the charges last year.
Mr Fox said: "Prescription charges are a lie to the promise the health service gave in the 1940s that it would provide universal healthcare free at the point of need.
"It’s not free and 75,000 people in Scotland have gone without the medicines they needed because they did not have the £6.40 per item for the prescription."
Mr Fox branded the current charges a tax on the sick. But he said an analysis of the financial impact of abolishing the charges, carried out by parliament officials, had shown large savings could be made through lifting the cash barrier to people getting medicine.
Scrap Prescription Charges website
The Lothians list MSP was today formally unveiling his Bill to abolish prescription charges, following the example of the Welsh Assembly, which voted to scrap the charges last year.
Mr Fox said: "Prescription charges are a lie to the promise the health service gave in the 1940s that it would provide universal healthcare free at the point of need.
"It’s not free and 75,000 people in Scotland have gone without the medicines they needed because they did not have the £6.40 per item for the prescription."
Mr Fox branded the current charges a tax on the sick. But he said an analysis of the financial impact of abolishing the charges, carried out by parliament officials, had shown large savings could be made through lifting the cash barrier to people getting medicine.
Scrap Prescription Charges website
Thursday, January 20, 2005
SSP MSP Carolyn Leckie jailed for nuclear protest
SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit Press Release
SSP MSP Carolyn Leckie jailed for nuclear protest
Scottish Socialist Party MSP for Central Region Carolyn Leckie has been jailed for seven days for non payment of a fine after being arrested at Faslane nuclear submarine base. Carolyn appeared at East Kilbride District Court on Thursday and after making it clear that she would not pay the fine in protest at the continuing presence of weapons of mass destruction in Scotland. Carolyn had said previously; "I won't be paying the fine, to do so would be an indication that I had done something wrong. "I was protesting against Britain's weapons of mass destruction, I regard that as a duty not a crime."
Carolyn faces the possibility of losing her ability to practise as a midwife after the Nursing and Midwifery Council wrote to her advising that she was being investigated for "misconduct" in relation to the court case.
Fellow SSP MSP Frances Curran has also been arrested at Faslane and said this afternoon; "The Scottish Socialist Party is proud that we have representatives who are prepared to take a stand on issues of principle. "Carolyn is a woman in public life with principles who is prepared to risk her livelihood in order to take a stand against nuclear weapons. "I am outraged that Carolyn has been jailed for taking a stand in the best democratic traditions. "Carolyn has been criminalised for dissent and that is an outrage."
SSP MSP Carolyn Leckie jailed for nuclear protest
Scottish Socialist Party MSP for Central Region Carolyn Leckie has been jailed for seven days for non payment of a fine after being arrested at Faslane nuclear submarine base. Carolyn appeared at East Kilbride District Court on Thursday and after making it clear that she would not pay the fine in protest at the continuing presence of weapons of mass destruction in Scotland. Carolyn had said previously; "I won't be paying the fine, to do so would be an indication that I had done something wrong. "I was protesting against Britain's weapons of mass destruction, I regard that as a duty not a crime."
Carolyn faces the possibility of losing her ability to practise as a midwife after the Nursing and Midwifery Council wrote to her advising that she was being investigated for "misconduct" in relation to the court case.
Fellow SSP MSP Frances Curran has also been arrested at Faslane and said this afternoon; "The Scottish Socialist Party is proud that we have representatives who are prepared to take a stand on issues of principle. "Carolyn is a woman in public life with principles who is prepared to risk her livelihood in order to take a stand against nuclear weapons. "I am outraged that Carolyn has been jailed for taking a stand in the best democratic traditions. "Carolyn has been criminalised for dissent and that is an outrage."
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