Evening Times
Robert Toole, 75, and Annie Cardiff, 84, are part of a sit-in which has lasted more than three weeks at Leven Cottage in Alexandria, Dunbartonshire.
Council bosses want to close the home and most of the pensioners have been moved to alternative accommodation.
However, Robert and Annie are determined to stay put.
They arranged a three-course festive meal ... smuggled in by supporters of their protest.
The duo tucked into a fruit cocktail starter and turkey with all the trimmings, followed by chocolate gateaux and mints.
Robert and Annie were joined by a handful of supporters, who have been sleeping on the floor at nights for more than three weeks in a bid to keep the council-run home open. These include Scottish Socialist MSP Frances Curran and a local councillor.
West Dunbartonshire Council insists it will press ahead with plans to shut Leven Cottage though no closure date has been set.
A few workers continue to staff the centre in the meantime.
Councillor Jim Bollan said they had planned to cook Christmas dinner in the home itself but council bosses barred them from using the kitchen.
Luckily a good Samaritan offered to cook the entire meal in his home and then deliver it, ensuring Robert and Annie had a Christmas treat.
Councillor Bollan said: "It was certainly a memorable Christmas.
"There was a lot of Christmas spirit around. We had about 10 bottles of wine handed in by the public who are right behind our campaign and the Christmas meal was paid for by the GMB union."
Mrs Cardiff recently moved back to Leven Cottage after a short spell in another home in Alexandria.
She said she "missed her old home too much" where she had lived for 24 years.
Former shipyard worker Robert, who has lived at Leven Cottage for a decade, said: "This is my home and I'm not leaving. Our sit-in has gone well so far and there's no way I'm budging now."
All other residents have been moved to alternative care homes by West Dunbartonshire Council which says the home is cramped, has limited facilities and does not meet national care standards.
A council spokesman declined to comment on the home's Christmas party.
However, he did confirm Mrs Cardiff's return, saying: "A former resident has moved back in to Leven Cottage.
"There is absolutely no question of undue pressure being brought on any resident but Leven Cottage has no long-term future."
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Torture Flights Protest
BBC More than 150 people took part in protests at three Scottish airports over allegations they have been used for CIA "prisoner transfer" flights.
Scottish Socialist Party MSPs and the Stop the War Coalition were among those at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Prestwick.
The protest came days before an SSP debate at Holyrood on the flights.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said there was no evidence America was using UK airports to move CIA terror suspects.
Amnesty International has claimed that planes refuelled in Scotland after transferring detainees to countries where they risked torture.
It said it had information about two flights in 2001 and one in 2002 where planes had landed at Prestwick after taking detainees to Jordan and Egypt.
Sunday's protests were staged by campaigners who want Scottish police to investigate the "rendition" flights.
Socialist MSP Rosie Kane urged First Minister Jack McConnell to ask the US Government whether it has used Scottish territory for extraordinary rendition.
"The Scottish Executive can't hide under the cloak of devolution any longer on this," she said.
"The evidence is mounting that a crime under Scottish and international law has been committed on our soil and so why won't the police and ministers act?
"The people of Scotland don't want to align ourselves with this barbarity."
Scottish National Party justice spokesman Kenny MacAskill said the Scottish Executive had "stood idly by" while prisoners were transported through Scotland.
"This is fundamentally a political and not a police matter, and so it requires a political will to end it," he said.
"Ministers must ensure that Scotland's police forces are in no doubt that they will have the executive's full backing if they intervene to stop this practice now."
The protesters at Edinburgh Airport included 27-year-old postman Robert Lawrence, who was dressed in a Guantanamo Bay-style orange boiler suit with his hands and feet shackled.
Demonstrators released 176 balloons at the three airports to symbolise the number of CIA flights they claim have landed on Scottish soil.
The US has admitted that terror suspects have been flown abroad for interrogation, but denied they were tortured.
The SSP will stage a Scottish Parliament debate on the flights on Thursday.
Scottish Socialist Party MSPs and the Stop the War Coalition were among those at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Prestwick.
The protest came days before an SSP debate at Holyrood on the flights.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said there was no evidence America was using UK airports to move CIA terror suspects.
Amnesty International has claimed that planes refuelled in Scotland after transferring detainees to countries where they risked torture.
It said it had information about two flights in 2001 and one in 2002 where planes had landed at Prestwick after taking detainees to Jordan and Egypt.
Sunday's protests were staged by campaigners who want Scottish police to investigate the "rendition" flights.
Socialist MSP Rosie Kane urged First Minister Jack McConnell to ask the US Government whether it has used Scottish territory for extraordinary rendition.
"The Scottish Executive can't hide under the cloak of devolution any longer on this," she said.
"The evidence is mounting that a crime under Scottish and international law has been committed on our soil and so why won't the police and ministers act?
"The people of Scotland don't want to align ourselves with this barbarity."
Scottish National Party justice spokesman Kenny MacAskill said the Scottish Executive had "stood idly by" while prisoners were transported through Scotland.
"This is fundamentally a political and not a police matter, and so it requires a political will to end it," he said.
"Ministers must ensure that Scotland's police forces are in no doubt that they will have the executive's full backing if they intervene to stop this practice now."
The protesters at Edinburgh Airport included 27-year-old postman Robert Lawrence, who was dressed in a Guantanamo Bay-style orange boiler suit with his hands and feet shackled.
Demonstrators released 176 balloons at the three airports to symbolise the number of CIA flights they claim have landed on Scottish soil.
The US has admitted that terror suspects have been flown abroad for interrogation, but denied they were tortured.
The SSP will stage a Scottish Parliament debate on the flights on Thursday.
Friday, December 16, 2005
SSP Say "More Money for Social Housing"
Read Colin Fox's clash with First Minister Jack McConnell during First Ministers Questions at the Scottish Parliament.
The Scotsman Jack McConnell, the First Minister, and other supporters of the transfer blamed yesterday's No vote on "scaremongering" and "misinformation" by campaigners, including Colin Fox, leader of the Scottish Socialists.
Mr Fox described the result as a "hammer blow" to privatising Scotland's housing stock.
The Times Edinburgh Against Stock Transfer, the campaign group, said it was pleased with the result of the vote. Johnny Gailey, a tenant from the Dumbiedykes area, said: “Finally, after all the council’s hot air, the tenants have had their say. I am pleased that the tenants of Edinburgh have seen through the council’s plans to abandon their tenants and privatise their homes.
“I trust the council will now represent their tenants’ wishes and work on their behalf to pressurise central government to release the money which was there on the table as a sweetener for the private sector. If the money was there for a private organisation, it should now be there for the council, too.”
The Scotsman Jack McConnell, the First Minister, and other supporters of the transfer blamed yesterday's No vote on "scaremongering" and "misinformation" by campaigners, including Colin Fox, leader of the Scottish Socialists.
Mr Fox described the result as a "hammer blow" to privatising Scotland's housing stock.
The Times Edinburgh Against Stock Transfer, the campaign group, said it was pleased with the result of the vote. Johnny Gailey, a tenant from the Dumbiedykes area, said: “Finally, after all the council’s hot air, the tenants have had their say. I am pleased that the tenants of Edinburgh have seen through the council’s plans to abandon their tenants and privatise their homes.
“I trust the council will now represent their tenants’ wishes and work on their behalf to pressurise central government to release the money which was there on the table as a sweetener for the private sector. If the money was there for a private organisation, it should now be there for the council, too.”
Torture Flights Scandal
Letter to the Herald
Let me see if I understand the facts correctly on these "rendition flights".
It is not disputed that the CIA uniformly charters flights which stop off at UK airports. This is in the course of its "normal business" and it has done so for many years. The CIA also insists it is entitled, as a legitimate part of its "war on terror", to pick up "suspects" all over the world and to interrogate them. Indeed, it admits it often transports persons it wishes to question from country A to country B. Country B is often preferred because it allows more "robust interrogation" techniques than other states which appear to respect the UN Charter on Human Rights.
Several former "suspects" of the CIA, now released, allege they were kidnapped and flown to interrogation centres abroad in Syria, Romania, Uzbekistan or Egypt and claim to have landed at various European cities en route. But our government insists that on all the 400-plus occasions that Scottish airports were used by the CIA none included "extraordinary rendition"/torture flights. All were rather part of the normal spying business of the Americans.
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, is indignant that people even suggest that he would allow such practices, although he concedes that the CIA is not obliged to tell him if these flights are being used for nefarious purposes and he never asks. And we now understand that in the late 1990s, when Bill Clinton asked to use UK airports for rendition flights, two out of three were allowed by the Blair government.
Am I the only one who gets the impression the British government knows full well what its "coalition forces" partner is involved in here and is desperately trying to cover for them?
The Scottish Socialist Party demands an immediate investigation into these flights because we do not believe the British government has so far supplied the facts.
Colin Fox, MSP, Scottish Socialist Party national convener, The Scottish Parliament.
Let me see if I understand the facts correctly on these "rendition flights".
It is not disputed that the CIA uniformly charters flights which stop off at UK airports. This is in the course of its "normal business" and it has done so for many years. The CIA also insists it is entitled, as a legitimate part of its "war on terror", to pick up "suspects" all over the world and to interrogate them. Indeed, it admits it often transports persons it wishes to question from country A to country B. Country B is often preferred because it allows more "robust interrogation" techniques than other states which appear to respect the UN Charter on Human Rights.
Several former "suspects" of the CIA, now released, allege they were kidnapped and flown to interrogation centres abroad in Syria, Romania, Uzbekistan or Egypt and claim to have landed at various European cities en route. But our government insists that on all the 400-plus occasions that Scottish airports were used by the CIA none included "extraordinary rendition"/torture flights. All were rather part of the normal spying business of the Americans.
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, is indignant that people even suggest that he would allow such practices, although he concedes that the CIA is not obliged to tell him if these flights are being used for nefarious purposes and he never asks. And we now understand that in the late 1990s, when Bill Clinton asked to use UK airports for rendition flights, two out of three were allowed by the Blair government.
Am I the only one who gets the impression the British government knows full well what its "coalition forces" partner is involved in here and is desperately trying to cover for them?
The Scottish Socialist Party demands an immediate investigation into these flights because we do not believe the British government has so far supplied the facts.
Colin Fox, MSP, Scottish Socialist Party national convener, The Scottish Parliament.
SSY on hood ban: "Get a Grip!"
Evening Times
SHOPPERS in a Scots town have been banned from wearing hoods and baseball caps.
Police in Paisley say the controversial move will help them catch shoplifters who try to conceal their faces from CCTV cameras.
However, the ban was criticised by Donnie Nicholson, the national organiser with Scottish Socialist Youth.
He said: "I'm disappointed by this ban. Those enforcing it should really get a grip, not least because it's winter.
"They should look at why crime occurs, it's nothing to do with youth culture. This has been tried elsewhere and it won't solve anything."
SHOPPERS in a Scots town have been banned from wearing hoods and baseball caps.
Police in Paisley say the controversial move will help them catch shoplifters who try to conceal their faces from CCTV cameras.
However, the ban was criticised by Donnie Nicholson, the national organiser with Scottish Socialist Youth.
He said: "I'm disappointed by this ban. Those enforcing it should really get a grip, not least because it's winter.
"They should look at why crime occurs, it's nothing to do with youth culture. This has been tried elsewhere and it won't solve anything."
Carolyn Leckie speaks out against "superhospital"
Evening Times
THE true scale of Glasgow's first superhospital was revealed today.
NHS bosses said the Southern General in Govan would have by far the nation's biggest accident and emergency unit...
Scottish Socialist MSP Carolyn Leckie, a former midwife who has long argued against superhospitals, said: "The Southern is going to be one of the biggest and busiest hospitals in the country. My main concerns are staff-to-patient ratio and pressure on beds."
THE true scale of Glasgow's first superhospital was revealed today.
NHS bosses said the Southern General in Govan would have by far the nation's biggest accident and emergency unit...
Scottish Socialist MSP Carolyn Leckie, a former midwife who has long argued against superhospitals, said: "The Southern is going to be one of the biggest and busiest hospitals in the country. My main concerns are staff-to-patient ratio and pressure on beds."
Thursday, December 15, 2005
SSP: “People power defeats Edinburgh housing stock transfer"
SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit Press Release:
15/12/05
SSP: “People power defeats Edinburgh housing stock transfer"
Scottish Socialist Party national convenor and Lothians MSP Colin Fox today paid respect to the “magnificent” campaign against Edinburgh council house stock transfer saying that “the giant has been slain by the people, this is a victory for people power”. Colin also demanded two things following this result;
1) City housing chief Sheila Gilmore must now consider her position having spent years championing the cause of stock transfer
2) The billion pounds that was dangled as a carrot in front of the tenants, £300 million to write off the housing debt and £700 million investment in the housing stock, must now be spent on badly needed public housing in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh City Council had poured millions of pounds into persuading Edinburgh council tenants to transfer the city’s council house stock into housing associations.
Colin is also calling for an inquiry into Edinburgh City Council’s use of public funds for what is now two failed projects after the defeat of the City’s proposed congestion charging and now council house stock transfer.
Colin played an active part in the campaign against the stock transfer, spending the last few days leading up to the ballot leafleting his own area of Edinburgh, the Inch.
Colin said today;
“This is a magnificent victory for the campaigners against the stock transfer, the giant has been slain by the people, this is a victory for people power.
“The entire multi million pound attempt to sell stock transfer to the council tenants of Edinburgh lies in ruins because of the courage and tenacity of those who believe in the principle of publicly owned council housing but who had not a shred of resources to campaign with, only the belief that what the council was doing was fundamentally wrong.
“The billion pounds that was dangled as a carrot in front of the city’s tenants must now be spent on badly needed public housing in Edinburgh.
“There are now also big questions to be answered by Edinburgh City council about their use of public resources.
“Millions of pounds were poured into this attempt to privatise Edinburgh’s council housing with the use of highly paid consultants to advise the council.
“There must be an inquiry into why this money was spent when it is clear that there was a majority of council tenants opposed to the scheme.
“Sheila Gilmore must now consider her position having spent years promoting the stock transfer.
“This is now the second time that Edinburgh City Council has spent millions of pounds only to find that they are hopelessly out of step with the people they are supposed to represent.
“This vote also now places a huge question mark over the Scottish Executive’s entire housing policy as it has completely committed itself to the principle of stock transfer.”
15/12/05
SSP: “People power defeats Edinburgh housing stock transfer"
Scottish Socialist Party national convenor and Lothians MSP Colin Fox today paid respect to the “magnificent” campaign against Edinburgh council house stock transfer saying that “the giant has been slain by the people, this is a victory for people power”. Colin also demanded two things following this result;
1) City housing chief Sheila Gilmore must now consider her position having spent years championing the cause of stock transfer
2) The billion pounds that was dangled as a carrot in front of the tenants, £300 million to write off the housing debt and £700 million investment in the housing stock, must now be spent on badly needed public housing in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh City Council had poured millions of pounds into persuading Edinburgh council tenants to transfer the city’s council house stock into housing associations.
Colin is also calling for an inquiry into Edinburgh City Council’s use of public funds for what is now two failed projects after the defeat of the City’s proposed congestion charging and now council house stock transfer.
Colin played an active part in the campaign against the stock transfer, spending the last few days leading up to the ballot leafleting his own area of Edinburgh, the Inch.
Colin said today;
“This is a magnificent victory for the campaigners against the stock transfer, the giant has been slain by the people, this is a victory for people power.
“The entire multi million pound attempt to sell stock transfer to the council tenants of Edinburgh lies in ruins because of the courage and tenacity of those who believe in the principle of publicly owned council housing but who had not a shred of resources to campaign with, only the belief that what the council was doing was fundamentally wrong.
“The billion pounds that was dangled as a carrot in front of the city’s tenants must now be spent on badly needed public housing in Edinburgh.
“There are now also big questions to be answered by Edinburgh City council about their use of public resources.
“Millions of pounds were poured into this attempt to privatise Edinburgh’s council housing with the use of highly paid consultants to advise the council.
“There must be an inquiry into why this money was spent when it is clear that there was a majority of council tenants opposed to the scheme.
“Sheila Gilmore must now consider her position having spent years promoting the stock transfer.
“This is now the second time that Edinburgh City Council has spent millions of pounds only to find that they are hopelessly out of step with the people they are supposed to represent.
“This vote also now places a huge question mark over the Scottish Executive’s entire housing policy as it has completely committed itself to the principle of stock transfer.”
Monday, December 12, 2005
Socialists claim 'vindication' of Nigg stance
Scottish Socialist Party - Easter Ross Branch
Press Release
The news that public-sector quango, the Cromarty Firth Port Authority (CFPA) has won ‘preferred bidder’ status in the sale of the Nigg Oil Fabrication Yard has been welcomed as “a positive development” by Easter Ross SSP spokesperson, Luke Ivory.
Outlining how the plans were a “vindication” of SSP ideals Mr Ivory commented:
“For several years the Easter Ross branch of the SSP has been raising the issue of public ownership as the only viable long-term future for the yard.
“Our campaign to 'Nationalise Nigg' has been two-fold: To provide long-term secure jobs at the yard for oil platform construction and decommissioning; and to utilise the existing modular engineering skills-base for the development of renewable energy technologies as part of a National Strategic Plan for Renewable Energy.
“We have advanced this vision on the doorsteps, on street stalls and during several election campaigns, distributing thousands of leaflets in the process. Other parties have failed to offer any reasoned alternative, other than continuing to hold out the begging bowl to the so-called “free market”, jumping on the back of any fanciful notion that has come along, usually at election time, only to disappear into the mists shortly afterwards. Only the SSP has consistently forwarded a thought-out and considered approach based on principles rejected by the parties of big-business – Public Ownership.
“We therefore welcome the news that the CFPA plans to develop the Nigg Yard along these very lines not just as a much-needed jobs boost for Easter Ross, but as vindication of the ideas first raised by the SSP.”
Pledging SSP opposition against plans to dismantle "toxic ships" at the yard Luke continued:
“The SSP played a key role in mobilising local opposition against plans to decommission nuclear submarines at the yard in 2003, taking the fight out onto the streets of Invergordon, Alness, Tain and Inverness. We saw this as posing a serious environmental risk not just to Easter Ross, but to the whole of the Highlands. This was an approach we were pledged to repeat had the bid from Able UK to dismantle the notorious ‘toxic ships’ at Nigg looked like succeeding.
Outlining support for the bid to save Nigg “from the worst excesses of free-market boom & bust production” Luke said:
“Obviously the CFPA bid falls short of the full-scale democratic public ownership that would be our goal in an independent Socialist Scotland, however it should remove the yard’s future use from the worst excesses of free-market boom & bust production, and prevent the criminal neglect of the yard that has been its recent condition under the ownership of Halliburton subsidiary, KBR Root.
“It is at this stage only a small step that has been taken. However the estimated 1000 new jobs in the oil, gas and renewables industries in a region blighted by some of the lowest wages in Western Europe cannot be seen as anything other than a positive development”.
[ENDS]
Press Release
The news that public-sector quango, the Cromarty Firth Port Authority (CFPA) has won ‘preferred bidder’ status in the sale of the Nigg Oil Fabrication Yard has been welcomed as “a positive development” by Easter Ross SSP spokesperson, Luke Ivory.
Outlining how the plans were a “vindication” of SSP ideals Mr Ivory commented:
“For several years the Easter Ross branch of the SSP has been raising the issue of public ownership as the only viable long-term future for the yard.
“Our campaign to 'Nationalise Nigg' has been two-fold: To provide long-term secure jobs at the yard for oil platform construction and decommissioning; and to utilise the existing modular engineering skills-base for the development of renewable energy technologies as part of a National Strategic Plan for Renewable Energy.
“We have advanced this vision on the doorsteps, on street stalls and during several election campaigns, distributing thousands of leaflets in the process. Other parties have failed to offer any reasoned alternative, other than continuing to hold out the begging bowl to the so-called “free market”, jumping on the back of any fanciful notion that has come along, usually at election time, only to disappear into the mists shortly afterwards. Only the SSP has consistently forwarded a thought-out and considered approach based on principles rejected by the parties of big-business – Public Ownership.
“We therefore welcome the news that the CFPA plans to develop the Nigg Yard along these very lines not just as a much-needed jobs boost for Easter Ross, but as vindication of the ideas first raised by the SSP.”
Pledging SSP opposition against plans to dismantle "toxic ships" at the yard Luke continued:
“The SSP played a key role in mobilising local opposition against plans to decommission nuclear submarines at the yard in 2003, taking the fight out onto the streets of Invergordon, Alness, Tain and Inverness. We saw this as posing a serious environmental risk not just to Easter Ross, but to the whole of the Highlands. This was an approach we were pledged to repeat had the bid from Able UK to dismantle the notorious ‘toxic ships’ at Nigg looked like succeeding.
Outlining support for the bid to save Nigg “from the worst excesses of free-market boom & bust production” Luke said:
“Obviously the CFPA bid falls short of the full-scale democratic public ownership that would be our goal in an independent Socialist Scotland, however it should remove the yard’s future use from the worst excesses of free-market boom & bust production, and prevent the criminal neglect of the yard that has been its recent condition under the ownership of Halliburton subsidiary, KBR Root.
“It is at this stage only a small step that has been taken. However the estimated 1000 new jobs in the oil, gas and renewables industries in a region blighted by some of the lowest wages in Western Europe cannot be seen as anything other than a positive development”.
[ENDS]
SSP Bill set to scrap prescription charges.
The Daily Record
MSPS could back a move to scrap all prescription charges in Scotland.
The Welsh assembly have already agreed to reduce the charges by £1 a year until they are gone.
And Scottish Socialist leader Colin Fox is pushing ahead with a member's Bill for a similar move north of the Border.
He faces strong opposition from the Executive - but the Bill has cross-party support among backbench MSPs.
The Scottish parliament's health committee are due to decide tomorrow whether or not to back the Bill.
Yesterday, Fox accused the Executive of manipulating figures.
He said: "For months, they have been telling us it would cost £44million to scrap charges"But at the last meeting, the Executive suddenly claimed the bill wouldbe £76million.
"They claim there will be a rush on GPs' surgeries which will add £17million to the bill and a further £15million in administration costs. They have just plucked the figures out of the air.
"They have also claimed it means cuts elsewhere in the health service. But the budget is set to increase by seven per cent a year - and scrapping charges would cost less than half of one per cent of the NHS budget."
Fox cited the case of an asthma sufferer having to fork out £124 a month on prescriptions out of £359 incapacity benefit.
He added: "It is crazy to have someone forking out a third of the benefits they are supposed to live on to pay for prescriptions".
Friday, December 09, 2005
Detained pastor released on bail
Scotsman: "A popular pastor who faces deportation along with his family has been granted bail following a court hearing.
Pastor Makielokele Nzelengi Daly, his wife Isabel and their four children were arrested in Glasgow last Saturday and taken to Yarl's Wood immigration detention centre in England.
Nearly 50 supporters had gathered at the immigration court for the bail hearing in Bothwell Street, Glasgow, along with MSPs Sandra White, SNP, and Rosie Kane, Scottish Socialist Party.
Daly's lawyers said the pastor had a bail bond until April next year and did not expect him to be detained while this was valid.
Pastor Daly fled from his native Angola claiming to be in fear of his life for refusing to spy on his congregation and give information about its members to the government.
The clergyman and his family, who have lived in Scotland for the past five years, were not present at the hearing.
The Home Office opposed bail but immigration judge Hugh Macleman raised the bond from £4,000 to £5,000 and ruled that he should be freed.
MSP Rosie Kane, of the Scottish Socialist Party, who has paid £4,000 of the bail bond, acted as cautioner for the clergyman at the hearing.
She said outside: 'We have overturned a terrible wrong. Why was Pastor Daly put through this terrible trauma of being arrested and taken to Yarl's Wood? We strongly believe if he is sent back to Angola he and his family will undergo interrogation and torture and possibly worse.'
Five hundred pounds of the extra bail money was paid by SNP MSP Sandra White and the other £500 by Margaret Woods, of the Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees."
Pastor Makielokele Nzelengi Daly, his wife Isabel and their four children were arrested in Glasgow last Saturday and taken to Yarl's Wood immigration detention centre in England.
Nearly 50 supporters had gathered at the immigration court for the bail hearing in Bothwell Street, Glasgow, along with MSPs Sandra White, SNP, and Rosie Kane, Scottish Socialist Party.
Daly's lawyers said the pastor had a bail bond until April next year and did not expect him to be detained while this was valid.
Pastor Daly fled from his native Angola claiming to be in fear of his life for refusing to spy on his congregation and give information about its members to the government.
The clergyman and his family, who have lived in Scotland for the past five years, were not present at the hearing.
The Home Office opposed bail but immigration judge Hugh Macleman raised the bond from £4,000 to £5,000 and ruled that he should be freed.
MSP Rosie Kane, of the Scottish Socialist Party, who has paid £4,000 of the bail bond, acted as cautioner for the clergyman at the hearing.
She said outside: 'We have overturned a terrible wrong. Why was Pastor Daly put through this terrible trauma of being arrested and taken to Yarl's Wood? We strongly believe if he is sent back to Angola he and his family will undergo interrogation and torture and possibly worse.'
Five hundred pounds of the extra bail money was paid by SNP MSP Sandra White and the other £500 by Margaret Woods, of the Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees."
Scotland welcomes Cyndi Sheehan
The Herald
It was a whistle-stop appearance, but there was time enough for the tall figure, all in black save for the white peace poppy on her lapel, to create a stir.
The minute Cindy Sheehan stepped from the car outside the Scottish Parliament, the 60-strong group of anti-war campaigners, including two other mothers who lost children in Iraq, surged towards her...
Among those demonstrators waiting to greet her was Rose Gentle whose son, Gordon, also lost his life in the conflict.
The two met earlier this year when Mrs Gentle, 42, from Glasgow, flew out to the US to take part in an anti-war march and rally in Washington.
Also there yesterday was Susan Smith, 44, from Staffordshire, whose son, Phillip, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. All three took the microphone to launch a fierce criticism of Jack McConnell, the first minister, Mrs Gentle accusing him of being "a coward and a disgrace to Scotland".
She added: "He will send our sons to die, but he won't come and speak to the mothers. He can't look us in the eyes."
Mrs Sheehan took up the attack, comparing Mr McConnell to her president: "They don't have as much courage as our sons did and they don't have the answers to our questions."
David Swanson of the After Downing Street project also spoke to the rally yesterday and he filed this report on the trip to the American Chronicle.
"Our first stop was a rally outside the Scottish parliament. A number of Members of the Scottish Parliament spoke, including Colin Fox, leader of the Scottish Socialist Party; Tommy Sheridan, also from the SSP; Francis Curran, SSP; and Christine Grahame, of the Scottish Nationalist Party. At the meeting inside following the rally at least one MSP from the Scottish Green Party participated. Only the Labour Party was AWOL – McConnell said he was too busy to stop by.
Rose Gentle said McConnell "is running scared from military families." But she had some choice words for Blair as well. "I wonder," she said, " what Tony Blair's face looks like when he gets home and takes the makeup off. I wonder if he has as many bags as we've got….I'm sorry, Mr. Blair. Military Families are going to haunt you until our boys come home.
Another speaker at the rally was John Mann, a priest who said that a young person recently asked him out of the blue whether he thought God would forgive George Bush. He said he responded that it was a good question. He told me that what struck him was that years ago that question was always asked about Hitler.
Cindy Sheehan, whose last name means peace in Gaelic, told the rally that "there are Cindy Sheehans all over the world."
The cross-party meeting was an opportunity for Members of the Scottish Parliament to hear from Rose, Susan, and Cindy. About 18 of us sat around a table, including the three mothers and a few other activists, and several MSPs. Keir McKechnie, Co-Chair of the Glasgow Stop the War Coalition did the introductions.
Colin Fox extended "the warmest possible welcome, which should have been extended by the First Minister." Fox noted that "when Bush came in July, [McConnell] was prepared to run about the country and do whatever George Bush wanted."
"I'm a socialist and a democrat," Fox said. "Democrats do not support regime change in another country. The majority of people in America and Britain want the troops out. And most importantly, 82 percent of Iraqis want the troops out. The democratic credentials of Bush, Blair, and McConnell are in serious doubt."
Rose Gentle said that any money paid to the families of dead soldiers is "blood money." She said she'd also been offered free vacations to keep her quiet. "I won't take nothing off them. What we want is our boy back. If we can't have him back, we want everybody else's boys back."
It was a whistle-stop appearance, but there was time enough for the tall figure, all in black save for the white peace poppy on her lapel, to create a stir.
The minute Cindy Sheehan stepped from the car outside the Scottish Parliament, the 60-strong group of anti-war campaigners, including two other mothers who lost children in Iraq, surged towards her...
Among those demonstrators waiting to greet her was Rose Gentle whose son, Gordon, also lost his life in the conflict.
The two met earlier this year when Mrs Gentle, 42, from Glasgow, flew out to the US to take part in an anti-war march and rally in Washington.
Also there yesterday was Susan Smith, 44, from Staffordshire, whose son, Phillip, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. All three took the microphone to launch a fierce criticism of Jack McConnell, the first minister, Mrs Gentle accusing him of being "a coward and a disgrace to Scotland".
She added: "He will send our sons to die, but he won't come and speak to the mothers. He can't look us in the eyes."
Mrs Sheehan took up the attack, comparing Mr McConnell to her president: "They don't have as much courage as our sons did and they don't have the answers to our questions."
David Swanson of the After Downing Street project also spoke to the rally yesterday and he filed this report on the trip to the American Chronicle.
"Our first stop was a rally outside the Scottish parliament. A number of Members of the Scottish Parliament spoke, including Colin Fox, leader of the Scottish Socialist Party; Tommy Sheridan, also from the SSP; Francis Curran, SSP; and Christine Grahame, of the Scottish Nationalist Party. At the meeting inside following the rally at least one MSP from the Scottish Green Party participated. Only the Labour Party was AWOL – McConnell said he was too busy to stop by.
Rose Gentle said McConnell "is running scared from military families." But she had some choice words for Blair as well. "I wonder," she said, " what Tony Blair's face looks like when he gets home and takes the makeup off. I wonder if he has as many bags as we've got….I'm sorry, Mr. Blair. Military Families are going to haunt you until our boys come home.
Another speaker at the rally was John Mann, a priest who said that a young person recently asked him out of the blue whether he thought God would forgive George Bush. He said he responded that it was a good question. He told me that what struck him was that years ago that question was always asked about Hitler.
Cindy Sheehan, whose last name means peace in Gaelic, told the rally that "there are Cindy Sheehans all over the world."
The cross-party meeting was an opportunity for Members of the Scottish Parliament to hear from Rose, Susan, and Cindy. About 18 of us sat around a table, including the three mothers and a few other activists, and several MSPs. Keir McKechnie, Co-Chair of the Glasgow Stop the War Coalition did the introductions.
Colin Fox extended "the warmest possible welcome, which should have been extended by the First Minister." Fox noted that "when Bush came in July, [McConnell] was prepared to run about the country and do whatever George Bush wanted."
"I'm a socialist and a democrat," Fox said. "Democrats do not support regime change in another country. The majority of people in America and Britain want the troops out. And most importantly, 82 percent of Iraqis want the troops out. The democratic credentials of Bush, Blair, and McConnell are in serious doubt."
Rose Gentle said that any money paid to the families of dead soldiers is "blood money." She said she'd also been offered free vacations to keep her quiet. "I won't take nothing off them. What we want is our boy back. If we can't have him back, we want everybody else's boys back."
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Cindy Sheehan speaks outside the Scottish Parliament
US anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan today visited Scotland. Cindy's son was killed in the Iraq war and she met with other Military Families against the war, including Rose Gentle and Susan Smith. At lunchtime she visited the Scottish Parliament and is pictured above speaking outside the parliament with Colin Fox MSP and Pat Smith. Tonight she is due to speak to a meeting in Glasgow.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Rosie Kane and fellow Trident protestors fined
The Herald
Rosie Kane, the Scottish Socialist MSP, and nine other protesters were fined a total of £3000 yesterday after being found guilty of breaking the law during an anti-nuclear demonstration in which they sat in a giant mock submarine.
Kane, 44, and the others had placed the large model submarine – described as being between 20 and 30ft long – on the road outside Holyrood.
They chose the spot on Canongate in a bid to attract the attention of MSPs. But their actions saw them end up at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. All 10 were accused of blocking the road there on March 10 this year and obstructing the police.
They had denied the charges but, at the end of a three-day trial, Sheriff Noel McPartlin found them all guilty of both offences. He fined each of them £50 for obstructing the road and £250 for obstructing the police in their duty.
During the trial the accused had argued that they all had a reasonable excuse for their behaviour because they were protesting against nuclear weapons, which they said were illegal under international law.
Outside court, Kane, who is an MSP for Glasgow, said: "We won't be paying and we will do the time".
"We knew what we were undertaking and at the end of the day we put Trident in the dock and that's worth it."
Rosie Kane, the Scottish Socialist MSP, and nine other protesters were fined a total of £3000 yesterday after being found guilty of breaking the law during an anti-nuclear demonstration in which they sat in a giant mock submarine.
Kane, 44, and the others had placed the large model submarine – described as being between 20 and 30ft long – on the road outside Holyrood.
They chose the spot on Canongate in a bid to attract the attention of MSPs. But their actions saw them end up at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. All 10 were accused of blocking the road there on March 10 this year and obstructing the police.
They had denied the charges but, at the end of a three-day trial, Sheriff Noel McPartlin found them all guilty of both offences. He fined each of them £50 for obstructing the road and £250 for obstructing the police in their duty.
During the trial the accused had argued that they all had a reasonable excuse for their behaviour because they were protesting against nuclear weapons, which they said were illegal under international law.
Outside court, Kane, who is an MSP for Glasgow, said: "We won't be paying and we will do the time".
"We knew what we were undertaking and at the end of the day we put Trident in the dock and that's worth it."
Monday, December 05, 2005
African pastor and his family face deportation this week
The Herald
Rosie Kane, the Scottish Socialist Party MSP who helped secure bail for the family and has acted as guarantor, said she was outraged at the Home Office's decision and lawyers were seeking a judicial review of the case, claiming the government had made a number of legal errors.
She said: "This is the second time these children have been locked up and it is unnecessary, completely unjustified, and deplorable that a family should be taken away from their friends and home life."
Rosie Kane, the Scottish Socialist Party MSP who helped secure bail for the family and has acted as guarantor, said she was outraged at the Home Office's decision and lawyers were seeking a judicial review of the case, claiming the government had made a number of legal errors.
She said: "This is the second time these children have been locked up and it is unnecessary, completely unjustified, and deplorable that a family should be taken away from their friends and home life."
Friday, December 02, 2005
Independence Convention Launches
The Herald
THE language of the home rule campaigners of a decade ago was harnessed last night in the cause of a fully sovereign Scotland as the Independence Convention was launched in Edinburgh on St Andrew's Day.
Modelled unashamedly on the Scottish Constitutional Convention which led to devolution, the new bandwagon began rolling with a claim by Alex Salmond, the SNP leader: "We must create a new culture of independence, a spirit of freedom in Scotland."
The leaders of the Greens and the Scottish Socialists were there to lend their weight to the campaign, as were representatives of business, showbusiness, and academe.
...For the Scottish Socialists, Colin Fox welcomed the convention and shared the advancing of the cause of independence, providing a forum for mapping out the route and... increasing the powers and procedures needed to establish an independent state."
THE language of the home rule campaigners of a decade ago was harnessed last night in the cause of a fully sovereign Scotland as the Independence Convention was launched in Edinburgh on St Andrew's Day.
Modelled unashamedly on the Scottish Constitutional Convention which led to devolution, the new bandwagon began rolling with a claim by Alex Salmond, the SNP leader: "We must create a new culture of independence, a spirit of freedom in Scotland."
The leaders of the Greens and the Scottish Socialists were there to lend their weight to the campaign, as were representatives of business, showbusiness, and academe.
...For the Scottish Socialists, Colin Fox welcomed the convention and shared the advancing of the cause of independence, providing a forum for mapping out the route and... increasing the powers and procedures needed to establish an independent state."
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