Evening Times
THE Scottish Socialist Party today launched its manifesto promising free travel, free heating, free social housing, free phone rental and free TV licences for all pensioners.
Retirement would be at 60 with full pension rights on a basic state pension of £160 a week index-linked to earnings.
The party would also replace the Council Tax with an income-based Scottish Service Tax which it says would benefit four out of five households.
Spending on nuclear weapons would shift to hospitals, houses and schools, the rail industry would be taken back into public ownership and the M74 extension through the south side of Glasgow cancelled.
But the manifesto calls for the extension of Glasgow's underground network to Easterhouse, Castlemilk, Drumchapel and Pollok.
The party's spending plans would be funded by taking full control for Scotland over revenues from corporation tax, income tax and North Sea oil and rises in tax for high earners.
The manifesto pledges to tax the rich to redistribute wealth and introduce a two-tier VAT system.
Luxury goods such as sports cars would be rated at 20% while the tax on all other goods would be slashed to 8%
Party leader Colin Fox said: "Glasgow has some of the worst social problems in Europe. The SSP will increase public spending to start dealing with the social exclusion that blights the city."
Policy co-ordinator Alan McCombes, who admitted the party did not expect to win any seats, said the manifesto was not for the "faint-hearted".
KEY PLEDGES:
PENSIONERS: Retirement at 60, basic weekly state pension of £160, free travel, heating, housing and TV licences
COUNCIL TAX: scrapped, with new Scottish Service Tax to be income-based - those earning under £10,.000 will not pay
NUCLEAR ARMS: scrapped, money to go to hospitals, houses, schools and community facilities
NHS: employing thousands more staff
EDUCATION: reducing class sizes to 20, more teachers to be recruited
TRANSPORT: rail industry to be nationalised, M74 extension to be cancelled
PAYING FOR IT: Increase revenue from corporation tax, income tax and North Sea oil; redistribute wealth by taxing rich - two-tier VAT with 20% for luxury goods such as Rolex watches, private yachts and sports car and 8% for all other goods.
