The Scotsman
Socialist Kane to give Castro Scots 'support'
SCOTTISH Socialist MSP Rosie Kane will travel to Cuba this week - where she hopes to meet President Fidel Castro "to deliver a message of solidarity and unity from the Scottish Socialist Party to the people of Cuba against the US blockade".
She is to address an international conference urging the US to extradite two men with alleged links to the bombing of a Cuban airliner that claimed 73 lives three decades ago.
"I am going in the spirit of international solidarity for truth and justice," said the Glasgow MSP, "taking the message that the people of Scotland stand alongside the people of Cuba in opposition to the warmongers in the White House.
"The brutality and greed of capitalism can be seen easily with the naked eye. The same speeches can be translated from community to community, from motorway to blockade; same problem and same solution."
Monday, May 30, 2005
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Cuba calls for SSP’s Rosie
SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 28/05/05
The Scottish Socialist Party is proud to announce that Rosie Kane, an SSP member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow, has been invited to Cuba to speak at an international conference ‘Against terrorism, for truth and justice’, to be held in Havana from 2nd to 3rd June 2005.
The conference has been called to demand justice from the US government in relation to two men accused of being involved in terrorism including the bombing of a Cubana flight in 1976 that claimed the lives of 73 people.
While she is in Cuba Rosie will seek a meeting with Fidel Castro to convey the Scottish Socialist Party’s solidarity greetings in defence of Cuba and against the US blockade.
Rosie said today;
“I am going to Cuba in the spirit of international solidarity for truth and justice and I’ll be taking the message that the people of Scotland stand alongside the people of Cuba in opposition to the warmongers in the White House.
“From Cambuslang to Cuba the brutality and greed of capitalism can be seen easily with the naked eye.
“The same speeches can be translated from community to community; from motorway to blockade, same problem and same solution.
“I will be seeking a meeting with Fidel Castro so that I can deliver a message of solidarity and unity from the Scottish Socialist Party to the people of Cuba against the US blockade.”
[ends]
Press Release: 28/05/05
The Scottish Socialist Party is proud to announce that Rosie Kane, an SSP member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow, has been invited to Cuba to speak at an international conference ‘Against terrorism, for truth and justice’, to be held in Havana from 2nd to 3rd June 2005.
The conference has been called to demand justice from the US government in relation to two men accused of being involved in terrorism including the bombing of a Cubana flight in 1976 that claimed the lives of 73 people.
While she is in Cuba Rosie will seek a meeting with Fidel Castro to convey the Scottish Socialist Party’s solidarity greetings in defence of Cuba and against the US blockade.
Rosie said today;
“I am going to Cuba in the spirit of international solidarity for truth and justice and I’ll be taking the message that the people of Scotland stand alongside the people of Cuba in opposition to the warmongers in the White House.
“From Cambuslang to Cuba the brutality and greed of capitalism can be seen easily with the naked eye.
“The same speeches can be translated from community to community; from motorway to blockade, same problem and same solution.
“I will be seeking a meeting with Fidel Castro so that I can deliver a message of solidarity and unity from the Scottish Socialist Party to the people of Cuba against the US blockade.”
[ends]
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
BBC Strike
Scotsman
Tommy Sheridan, the Scottish Socialist MSP for Glasgow, injected some traditional class-war rhetoric into proceedings.
The BBC, he declared at Richter-scale volume, was "one of the few nationalised treasures left" to Britain, while, periodically, delivery vans and other vehicles turned away amid cheers from the pickets.
Tommy Sheridan, the Scottish Socialist MSP for Glasgow, injected some traditional class-war rhetoric into proceedings.
The BBC, he declared at Richter-scale volume, was "one of the few nationalised treasures left" to Britain, while, periodically, delivery vans and other vehicles turned away amid cheers from the pickets.
Monday, May 23, 2005
SSP: Scottish Power “getting fat on the backs of pensioners living in poverty”
SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 23/05/05
SSP: Scottish Power “getting fat on the backs of pensioners living in poverty”
The Scottish Socialist Party today called for Scottish Power to be brought back into public ownership as the company prepares to announce record profits to the Stock Exchange.
SSP national convenor Colin Fox accused Scottish Power of “getting fat on the backs of pensioners living in poverty”.
Colin said today;
“Scottish Power’s obscene profits are an absolute disgrace.
“This is a company making itself and its shareholders fat on the backs of Scottish pensioners living in poverty.
“Every winter Scottish pensioners are dying prematurely because they can’t afford to heat their homes adequately.
“Scottish Power must be brought back into public ownership to end the obscenity of pensioners dying through lack of adequate heating while a private company gloats over its profits.”
“The Scottish Socialist Party fights for the establishment of a publicly owned Scottish national energy company.”
[ends]
Notes
Research for the SSP shows that 134,000 (39%) single pensioners and 83,000 (26%) Scottish pensioner couples live in fuel poverty, which means that they must spend 10% or more of their income to adequately heat their homes.
Poverty is the main cause of premature death among the elderly in Scotland according to a study by Energy Action Scotland.
Between 1997-2002, Scotland registered 16,600 more deaths for over-65s between Dec & March than in the rest of the year.
Premature deaths are highest among OAPs in Glasgow with one-in-36 of those aged over 65 dying during the winter months.
Press Release: 23/05/05
SSP: Scottish Power “getting fat on the backs of pensioners living in poverty”
The Scottish Socialist Party today called for Scottish Power to be brought back into public ownership as the company prepares to announce record profits to the Stock Exchange.
SSP national convenor Colin Fox accused Scottish Power of “getting fat on the backs of pensioners living in poverty”.
Colin said today;
“Scottish Power’s obscene profits are an absolute disgrace.
“This is a company making itself and its shareholders fat on the backs of Scottish pensioners living in poverty.
“Every winter Scottish pensioners are dying prematurely because they can’t afford to heat their homes adequately.
“Scottish Power must be brought back into public ownership to end the obscenity of pensioners dying through lack of adequate heating while a private company gloats over its profits.”
“The Scottish Socialist Party fights for the establishment of a publicly owned Scottish national energy company.”
[ends]
Notes
Research for the SSP shows that 134,000 (39%) single pensioners and 83,000 (26%) Scottish pensioner couples live in fuel poverty, which means that they must spend 10% or more of their income to adequately heat their homes.
Poverty is the main cause of premature death among the elderly in Scotland according to a study by Energy Action Scotland.
Between 1997-2002, Scotland registered 16,600 more deaths for over-65s between Dec & March than in the rest of the year.
Premature deaths are highest among OAPs in Glasgow with one-in-36 of those aged over 65 dying during the winter months.
SSP defends a womans right to choose
Pro-life extremist to hound top MSPs - [Sunday Herald]: "The Scottish Socialist Party have promised “non-violent direct action” to disrupt Dowson’s campaign by following the trailer around the country, throwing sheets across “offensive” posters and drowning out any high-octane pro-life message"
Monday, May 16, 2005
For a Life Free From Violence
Rosie Kane MSP
Sunday Mail, 15/05/05
WORDS might not come easy when someone dies but they should still be spoken with care and consideration.
The discovery of Emma Caldwell's body last week provoked some predictable but inappropriate words. Emma had been missing for a month - her body was found in a wood near Biggar, Lanarkshire, on the anniversary of her sister's death seven years before.
The trauma of losing her sister, we are told, played a part in how Emma's life unfolded.
Emma has no secrets any more. Her recent past is out there for all to see - she had been a drug addict, lived in a hostel in Govanhill, Glasgow, slept rough and worked as a prostitute.
But drugs and prostitution were only a sad part of her life. They're not what she was or who she was.
She was a beautiful young woman who met a brutal end at the age of 27. Emma was a daughter, a sister, a friend, a real person. To sum up her too-short life with the two-word epitaph 'murdered prostitute' is wrong.
Emma was a woman and she was murdered by a man, killed because she was vulnerable.
They say 104 women are killed in Britain every year by their partner or ex-partner. Let's change the wording on that, too, because the fact is that 104 men kill their female partner or ex-partner every year. It's men who are using their power or strength to take the life of a woman and the way we describe this should reflect that, because the way we describe things in public can shape attitudes.
Another headline last week read 'PC stabbed wife 97 times'. The article went on to describe how PC Graham Jones had stabbed his wife Maria after finding out she was having an affair with a toyboy. The real story is 'man kills woman'. Yes, he was a policeman and, perhaps, she was seeing a younger man. So, split up, see a lawyer, sell the house, arrange access. Don't kill the woman just because you can.
The final and awful tragedy last week was the devastating story about Mary-Ann Leneghan, the 16-year-old who was sexually assaulted, tortured and murdered.
She was young, wilful and 'hanging about with a bad crowd' apparently. There are suspects and, hopefully, there will be convictions... and they will be men.
I only hope that when the men responsible for these three atrocious deaths appear in court we will not have to bear their lawyers making subtle - and not so subtle - references to what their victims wore or who they hung about with No one will say that Emma Caldwell deserved any of the tough blows she received in life. None of these women did or ever could.
Emma experienced loss, drug addiction, homelessness, mental health problems and men's violence - all because she was a vulnerable woman. What she needed was the proper care, resources and support services to mend her fractured life.
The men who attacked and killed these women had a choice - the women did not.
Thankfully, not all men are violent and the decent men are part of the solution.
Men can challenge other men when they are disrespectful in any way towards women. Men must challenge other men they know who are violent towards female partners.
Men should join women in challenging these attitudes in memory of these women and the many more like them.
Women should be able to go where they like, wear what they like and be safe.
So choose your words carefully, pull up those who do not and let us try to ensure these women have dignity in death, even when it was denied in life.
Sunday Mail, 15/05/05
WORDS might not come easy when someone dies but they should still be spoken with care and consideration.
The discovery of Emma Caldwell's body last week provoked some predictable but inappropriate words. Emma had been missing for a month - her body was found in a wood near Biggar, Lanarkshire, on the anniversary of her sister's death seven years before.
The trauma of losing her sister, we are told, played a part in how Emma's life unfolded.
Emma has no secrets any more. Her recent past is out there for all to see - she had been a drug addict, lived in a hostel in Govanhill, Glasgow, slept rough and worked as a prostitute.
But drugs and prostitution were only a sad part of her life. They're not what she was or who she was.
She was a beautiful young woman who met a brutal end at the age of 27. Emma was a daughter, a sister, a friend, a real person. To sum up her too-short life with the two-word epitaph 'murdered prostitute' is wrong.
Emma was a woman and she was murdered by a man, killed because she was vulnerable.
They say 104 women are killed in Britain every year by their partner or ex-partner. Let's change the wording on that, too, because the fact is that 104 men kill their female partner or ex-partner every year. It's men who are using their power or strength to take the life of a woman and the way we describe this should reflect that, because the way we describe things in public can shape attitudes.
Another headline last week read 'PC stabbed wife 97 times'. The article went on to describe how PC Graham Jones had stabbed his wife Maria after finding out she was having an affair with a toyboy. The real story is 'man kills woman'. Yes, he was a policeman and, perhaps, she was seeing a younger man. So, split up, see a lawyer, sell the house, arrange access. Don't kill the woman just because you can.
The final and awful tragedy last week was the devastating story about Mary-Ann Leneghan, the 16-year-old who was sexually assaulted, tortured and murdered.
She was young, wilful and 'hanging about with a bad crowd' apparently. There are suspects and, hopefully, there will be convictions... and they will be men.
I only hope that when the men responsible for these three atrocious deaths appear in court we will not have to bear their lawyers making subtle - and not so subtle - references to what their victims wore or who they hung about with No one will say that Emma Caldwell deserved any of the tough blows she received in life. None of these women did or ever could.
Emma experienced loss, drug addiction, homelessness, mental health problems and men's violence - all because she was a vulnerable woman. What she needed was the proper care, resources and support services to mend her fractured life.
The men who attacked and killed these women had a choice - the women did not.
Thankfully, not all men are violent and the decent men are part of the solution.
Men can challenge other men when they are disrespectful in any way towards women. Men must challenge other men they know who are violent towards female partners.
Men should join women in challenging these attitudes in memory of these women and the many more like them.
Women should be able to go where they like, wear what they like and be safe.
So choose your words carefully, pull up those who do not and let us try to ensure these women have dignity in death, even when it was denied in life.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
SSP Condemns Labour Attack on PR
Labour trying to ‘destroy’ PR vote
In 2003, the system delivered all seven Green MSPs, all six SSP MSPs and Margo MacDonald, the Independent Lothians MSP. Under plans from the SNP and LibDems, it would disappear, while Labour wants the end of a separate vote for list MSPs. The SSP said Labour wanted to "destroy" proportional representation (PR) at the Scottish Parliament, while the Greens said Labour was "running scared of the new politics".
Letter to Herald
Don't Let Labour Narrow Scottish Democracy
HARD on the heels of obtaining a 67-seat majority at Westminster with only 35% of the vote, New Labour now wants to slash any significant proportionality in the Scottish Parliament. In its submission to the Arbuthnott Commission, New Labour is arguing for three to four members to be elected from new multi-member constituencies under the STV system. This seems precisely designed, at present levels of support, to try to ensure that the four establishment parties of Labour, LibDems, SNP and Conservatives would hold a monopoly on the election of MSPs. At a stroke, the Scottish Green Party and Scottish Socialist Party would be largely excluded from the Scottish Parliament.
That the exclusion of these two parties would produce a democratic deficit is self-evident. In the election just past, the four establishment parties had a near-monopoly of national media coverage in Scotland, partly due to a BBC ruling which boosts incumbents and hobbles aspirants. As a result there was a pitiful lack of public debate on the vital issues of mitigating climate change and redistributing wealth, issues of principle and urgency which these two parties hold dear.
In 1991, at the Labour conference in Aberdeen, I seconded the first-ever successful Labour motion on PR, which stated that "seats gained in a Scottish Parliament should be broadly proportional to votes cast". Labour was not prepared to move to full proportionality at that time. The Scottish Parliament has 129 seats; to be fully proportional, it would need 146.
Now New Labour wants Arbuthnott to bow the knee and diminish proportionality in the Scottish Parliament. The main reason given is the usual pettifogging nonsense about "two classes of MSP". If New Labour gets its way, there will certainly be two new classes of MSP: those who have obtained or retained their place by arguing for a narrowing of democracy; and those who would have been elected for the Green and Socialist parties, but who will instead have to increase their street presence to drive their message home.
John Aberdein, Scottish Socialist Party candidate, Orkney and Shetland, Quoys, Hoy, Orkney.
In 2003, the system delivered all seven Green MSPs, all six SSP MSPs and Margo MacDonald, the Independent Lothians MSP. Under plans from the SNP and LibDems, it would disappear, while Labour wants the end of a separate vote for list MSPs. The SSP said Labour wanted to "destroy" proportional representation (PR) at the Scottish Parliament, while the Greens said Labour was "running scared of the new politics".
Letter to Herald
Don't Let Labour Narrow Scottish Democracy
HARD on the heels of obtaining a 67-seat majority at Westminster with only 35% of the vote, New Labour now wants to slash any significant proportionality in the Scottish Parliament. In its submission to the Arbuthnott Commission, New Labour is arguing for three to four members to be elected from new multi-member constituencies under the STV system. This seems precisely designed, at present levels of support, to try to ensure that the four establishment parties of Labour, LibDems, SNP and Conservatives would hold a monopoly on the election of MSPs. At a stroke, the Scottish Green Party and Scottish Socialist Party would be largely excluded from the Scottish Parliament.
That the exclusion of these two parties would produce a democratic deficit is self-evident. In the election just past, the four establishment parties had a near-monopoly of national media coverage in Scotland, partly due to a BBC ruling which boosts incumbents and hobbles aspirants. As a result there was a pitiful lack of public debate on the vital issues of mitigating climate change and redistributing wealth, issues of principle and urgency which these two parties hold dear.
In 1991, at the Labour conference in Aberdeen, I seconded the first-ever successful Labour motion on PR, which stated that "seats gained in a Scottish Parliament should be broadly proportional to votes cast". Labour was not prepared to move to full proportionality at that time. The Scottish Parliament has 129 seats; to be fully proportional, it would need 146.
Now New Labour wants Arbuthnott to bow the knee and diminish proportionality in the Scottish Parliament. The main reason given is the usual pettifogging nonsense about "two classes of MSP". If New Labour gets its way, there will certainly be two new classes of MSP: those who have obtained or retained their place by arguing for a narrowing of democracy; and those who would have been elected for the Green and Socialist parties, but who will instead have to increase their street presence to drive their message home.
John Aberdein, Scottish Socialist Party candidate, Orkney and Shetland, Quoys, Hoy, Orkney.
Friday, May 06, 2005
SSP responds to General Election result
Scottish Socialist Party General Election 2005
SSP responds to General Election result
Scottish Socialist Party national convenor Colin Fox today responded to the SSP's general election results saying that they were disappointing but not unexpected. Colin said; "We were the only party who said from the outset that we had no chance of winning a seat in this election and the Westminster elections are always going to be an away game for us. "As former Manchester United manager Tommy Docherty said; "We got beat four nil and were lucky to get the nil."
Colin continued; "The SSP team is ready for the next game against the leaders of the G8 however. This month we contested 58 out of 59 Scottish Westminster seats, distributing over 3 million election addresses and increasing our membership by ten percent. "In July we will mobilise tens of thousands against the criminal policies of G8 leaders like George Bush and Tony Blair. "In doing that we will link up with all those who used their vote to protest in these elections and explore with them the future of all forces in favour of a collective solution to the future of our planet."
Taking up the question of the voting system Colin said; "The biggest obstacle for smaller parties contesting the Westminster elections is the first past the post system that gives just three establishment parties a monopoly on media coverage and means that not a single Scottish vote for radical minority parties can have any result whatsoever."
Colin went on to thank the candidates, organisers and supporters who had worked hard over the past four weeks to spread the message of socialism across Scotland; "I'd like to pay tribute to all those activists, candidates and supporters who have mobilised more than 42,000 people to come out and vote for the Scottish Socialist Party."
SSP responds to General Election result
Scottish Socialist Party national convenor Colin Fox today responded to the SSP's general election results saying that they were disappointing but not unexpected. Colin said; "We were the only party who said from the outset that we had no chance of winning a seat in this election and the Westminster elections are always going to be an away game for us. "As former Manchester United manager Tommy Docherty said; "We got beat four nil and were lucky to get the nil."
Colin continued; "The SSP team is ready for the next game against the leaders of the G8 however. This month we contested 58 out of 59 Scottish Westminster seats, distributing over 3 million election addresses and increasing our membership by ten percent. "In July we will mobilise tens of thousands against the criminal policies of G8 leaders like George Bush and Tony Blair. "In doing that we will link up with all those who used their vote to protest in these elections and explore with them the future of all forces in favour of a collective solution to the future of our planet."
Taking up the question of the voting system Colin said; "The biggest obstacle for smaller parties contesting the Westminster elections is the first past the post system that gives just three establishment parties a monopoly on media coverage and means that not a single Scottish vote for radical minority parties can have any result whatsoever."
Colin went on to thank the candidates, organisers and supporters who had worked hard over the past four weeks to spread the message of socialism across Scotland; "I'd like to pay tribute to all those activists, candidates and supporters who have mobilised more than 42,000 people to come out and vote for the Scottish Socialist Party."
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Battle over Pfi demand for £30m extras - The Herald
Battle over Pfi demand for £30m extras - The Herald: "Carolyn Leckie, Scottish Socialist health spokesperson, said she feared other PFI operators would attempt similar price hikes.
'Once you sell schools and hospitals to companies which exist to promote the bottom line, you undermine the whole philosophy of public service, and expose the taxpayer to ever more demands for profit.'"
'Once you sell schools and hospitals to companies which exist to promote the bottom line, you undermine the whole philosophy of public service, and expose the taxpayer to ever more demands for profit.'"
Vote SSP
The Herald: "The Scottish Socialist Party stressed redistribution and anti-war activism, while attacking LibDems, who are expected to do well out of anti-war votes. Colin Fox, the SSP's new leader, said LibDems were 'phoney radicals. At election time they claim to be radical but when it comes down to it, they are as right- wing as all the other mainstream parties.'"
Monday, May 02, 2005
SSP: Police spying on visitors to Scotland
Scottish Socialist Party General Election 2005
SSP: Police spying on visitors to Scotland
Scottish Socialist Party national convenor Colin Fox today accused Scottish police of spying on visitors to Scotland after it was revealed that hotels, bed and breakfasts, camping and caravan sites in Fife were being asked to provide details of bookings coinciding with the G8 summit between 6-8th July. The request was contained in a form letter, dated 23rd February 2005, from Supt. Ian Hutton to owners of hotels, bed and breakfasts, camping and caravan sites in Fife.
Colin said; "This is a major assault on civil liberties and amounts to nothing less than police spying on visitors to Scotland. "There will be hundreds of thousands of people from across the UK, Europe and the wider world who will come to Scotland to exercise their lawful right to peaceful protest at the G8 summit and yet the police are treating everyone of them as if they were law breakers and troublemakers. "The people of Scotland will be outraged that our reputation as a country that gives a warm welcome to visitors is being tarnished by Big Brother police and security services."
Scottish Socialist Party candidate for Glenrothes Constituency, Morag Balfour, has raised the issue in her campaigning work in the constituency.
Morag said; "This is a shocking development. "First we get fortress Gleneagles to protect political leaders responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths, now Big Brother invades Fife. "The message this gives out is that if you are visiting Fife in early July then you are a possible troublemaker, hardly the traditional Fife welcome." [ends]
Morag Balfour (31) is the SSP's Peace and Disarmament spokesperson, Regional Chair of Mid-Scotland & Fife SSP and a member of the Iona Community. She is on the Executive of Scottish CND and is actively involved in Trident Ploughshares. She has taken part in numerous high profile demonstrations against the illegal Iraq war.
SSP: Police spying on visitors to Scotland
Scottish Socialist Party national convenor Colin Fox today accused Scottish police of spying on visitors to Scotland after it was revealed that hotels, bed and breakfasts, camping and caravan sites in Fife were being asked to provide details of bookings coinciding with the G8 summit between 6-8th July. The request was contained in a form letter, dated 23rd February 2005, from Supt. Ian Hutton to owners of hotels, bed and breakfasts, camping and caravan sites in Fife.
Colin said; "This is a major assault on civil liberties and amounts to nothing less than police spying on visitors to Scotland. "There will be hundreds of thousands of people from across the UK, Europe and the wider world who will come to Scotland to exercise their lawful right to peaceful protest at the G8 summit and yet the police are treating everyone of them as if they were law breakers and troublemakers. "The people of Scotland will be outraged that our reputation as a country that gives a warm welcome to visitors is being tarnished by Big Brother police and security services."
Scottish Socialist Party candidate for Glenrothes Constituency, Morag Balfour, has raised the issue in her campaigning work in the constituency.
Morag said; "This is a shocking development. "First we get fortress Gleneagles to protect political leaders responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths, now Big Brother invades Fife. "The message this gives out is that if you are visiting Fife in early July then you are a possible troublemaker, hardly the traditional Fife welcome." [ends]
Morag Balfour (31) is the SSP's Peace and Disarmament spokesperson, Regional Chair of Mid-Scotland & Fife SSP and a member of the Iona Community. She is on the Executive of Scottish CND and is actively involved in Trident Ploughshares. She has taken part in numerous high profile demonstrations against the illegal Iraq war.
SSP calls for radical action to tackle crime at the roots
Scottish Socialist Party General Election 2005
SSP calls for radical action to tackle crime at the roots
As Labour turn the election focus to weapons misuse and crime, the Scottish Socialist Party today called for an end to the war on young people, and action to tackle the real causes of crime - poverty, alcohol abuse and hard drug addiction.
Scottish Socialist Party convenor Colin Fox MSP said: "Labour and the Tories both like to say that they're tough on crime. "Cheered on by the media, Labour have declared all-out war on young people - blaming the youth for the problems our communities face. "Scotland's prison population has hit record highs under Labour, yet people still live in fear of crime. "Labour's policies just aren't working. We need to tackle crime at the roots - poverty, alcohol abuse and hard drug addiction. "It costs far more to keep a single young person behind bars than it does to fund an apprenticeship or keep a community centre open. "Yet Labour Councils have presided over the closure of community facilities in some of Scotland's poorest areas - then turned around and blamed young people for having nothing to do. "The SSP would start by reversing this trend, giving young people more to do than hang about outside off licences and empty shops. "The SSP would put more police on the beat, with democratic community control of local policing."
SSP calls for radical action to tackle crime at the roots
As Labour turn the election focus to weapons misuse and crime, the Scottish Socialist Party today called for an end to the war on young people, and action to tackle the real causes of crime - poverty, alcohol abuse and hard drug addiction.
Scottish Socialist Party convenor Colin Fox MSP said: "Labour and the Tories both like to say that they're tough on crime. "Cheered on by the media, Labour have declared all-out war on young people - blaming the youth for the problems our communities face. "Scotland's prison population has hit record highs under Labour, yet people still live in fear of crime. "Labour's policies just aren't working. We need to tackle crime at the roots - poverty, alcohol abuse and hard drug addiction. "It costs far more to keep a single young person behind bars than it does to fund an apprenticeship or keep a community centre open. "Yet Labour Councils have presided over the closure of community facilities in some of Scotland's poorest areas - then turned around and blamed young people for having nothing to do. "The SSP would start by reversing this trend, giving young people more to do than hang about outside off licences and empty shops. "The SSP would put more police on the beat, with democratic community control of local policing."
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Fox takes SSP message to Scotland's countryside
Scottish Socialist Party General Election 2005
Scottish Socialist Party national convenor will this week focus attention on the SSP's support in rural areas as the election campaign moves into its final week. Colin will be highlighting the fact that the SSP's election manifesto contains a detailed section on SSP policy over rural issues entitled `For a new rural revolution'. On Monday night Colin will speak at an election rally in Lochgilphead with Argyll and Bute SSP candidate Deirdre Henderson and on Tuesday night he'll be in Galashiels alongside SSP candidate for Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk, Graeme McIver.
Colin said today; "The traditional, rosy-cheeked image of country life is in sharp contrast to the reality. "Farm and rural workers are amongst the lowest paid sectors in the Scottish workforce. "The Borders and Galloway are the low pay capitals of Scotland. "Rural communities are being run down: local shops driven out of business by giant, predatory retailers; village schools shut down because PPP investors see no profit margin in small-scale construction and maintenance; health services centralised and deregulated by remote NHS bureaucrats; and private bus services abandoning the quieter routes where money cannot be made. "All of this leaves the rural population increasingly stranded, and increasingly alienated from urban dominated politics. "The SSP offers solutions to this rural crisis and our active membership in areas as far apart as the Western Isles and the Borders illustrates the growing influence of socialism in the Scottish countryside."
SSP manifesto rural policies
The SSP stands for:
* Full trade union rights and protection for farm workers.
* Stiff penalties and substantial compensation pay-outs for employers who sack agricultural workers because of the new minimum wage.
* Subsidies, where justified by an independent audit, to support employers upon the introduction of the new minimum wage.
* Public and community ownership of Scotland's vast landed estates and corporately-controlled farms.
* An elected accountable body to safeguard wilderness, natural habitats and other landscape of special interest.
* A construction programme of at least 10,000 affordable new rural homes for rent or part purchase by 2008.
* An end to the right-to-buy policy to preserve remaining rural council housing. * Reinstatement of the full Borders rail link.
* A Road Equivalent Tariff scheme to aid Scotland's island communities, with a special Shetland weighting to compensate for the vast distance between Shetland and mainland Scotland
* Immediate withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy with a 25 mile offshore limit, within which only Scottish fishermen can fish.
* Local management of fishing policy, based on the Faroes model, where fishermen, representatives of the local community and environmental scientists work together to fashion a fishing industry that sustains both people and marine life.
Scottish Socialist Party national convenor will this week focus attention on the SSP's support in rural areas as the election campaign moves into its final week. Colin will be highlighting the fact that the SSP's election manifesto contains a detailed section on SSP policy over rural issues entitled `For a new rural revolution'. On Monday night Colin will speak at an election rally in Lochgilphead with Argyll and Bute SSP candidate Deirdre Henderson and on Tuesday night he'll be in Galashiels alongside SSP candidate for Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk, Graeme McIver.
Colin said today; "The traditional, rosy-cheeked image of country life is in sharp contrast to the reality. "Farm and rural workers are amongst the lowest paid sectors in the Scottish workforce. "The Borders and Galloway are the low pay capitals of Scotland. "Rural communities are being run down: local shops driven out of business by giant, predatory retailers; village schools shut down because PPP investors see no profit margin in small-scale construction and maintenance; health services centralised and deregulated by remote NHS bureaucrats; and private bus services abandoning the quieter routes where money cannot be made. "All of this leaves the rural population increasingly stranded, and increasingly alienated from urban dominated politics. "The SSP offers solutions to this rural crisis and our active membership in areas as far apart as the Western Isles and the Borders illustrates the growing influence of socialism in the Scottish countryside."
SSP manifesto rural policies
The SSP stands for:
* Full trade union rights and protection for farm workers.
* Stiff penalties and substantial compensation pay-outs for employers who sack agricultural workers because of the new minimum wage.
* Subsidies, where justified by an independent audit, to support employers upon the introduction of the new minimum wage.
* Public and community ownership of Scotland's vast landed estates and corporately-controlled farms.
* An elected accountable body to safeguard wilderness, natural habitats and other landscape of special interest.
* A construction programme of at least 10,000 affordable new rural homes for rent or part purchase by 2008.
* An end to the right-to-buy policy to preserve remaining rural council housing. * Reinstatement of the full Borders rail link.
* A Road Equivalent Tariff scheme to aid Scotland's island communities, with a special Shetland weighting to compensate for the vast distance between Shetland and mainland Scotland
* Immediate withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy with a 25 mile offshore limit, within which only Scottish fishermen can fish.
* Local management of fishing policy, based on the Faroes model, where fishermen, representatives of the local community and environmental scientists work together to fashion a fishing industry that sustains both people and marine life.
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