Standing up for workers: SSP wants Salmond book: Fox £10/hr min. wage, publicly-owned lifts the lid on Yes banks, scrap anti-trade union laws... leadership and SNP • see pages 6&7 NOW! • see page 9 £1 • issue 456 • 10th – 23rd April 2015 scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com

SMEARS • LIES • SCARES

The Better Together zombies stagger into the election fray BACK THE REAL ANTI-

•A£1U0S/hToEuRr mITinY. wAaGgEeN NDOA W • End zero hours contracts • Axe anti-trade union laws ScottishSocialistVoice.wordpress.com /ScottishSocialistVoice @ssv_voice WELFARE by Sandra Webster, SSP national co-spokesperson

THE PRESS is full of pictures and interviews of ordinary everyday life in Number 10. Sam and Dave posed with their family. Dave was praised for combing his daughter’s hair even though he is left handed. The emphasis was on an ordinary family with a father with an extraordinary job. Look a little closer though and the staging of the UNPOPULAR CHOICE: many people left disability charity pictures was evident. Despite ‘Contact a Family’ when Sam Cam was made their patron the children sitting round the kitchen table doing their homework. The three Rs are important to the Camerons, the dishwasher was empty at dNifficualt, pusttintg soyme atpanort cotveyr the egxtra ecost tof s cnall peaoples out tof iwoerk r 9.20am. Given most of us breaking point. disability which multiplies “feckless” and “lazy”. These can’t afford one how many Carer’s Allowance is a with the number of disabled are the actions of Cameron’s “ordinary” dishwashers are pitiful amount £62 a week people in a family. Many government. Life for carers empty at breakfast time? but it provides a small disabilities have a genetic and mothers is a thousand Then there was little Ivan payment to compensate disposition which runs in miles away from Number who as usual was discussed. carers for their unpaid work. families. Again the most 10’s cosy kitchen. Life is The death of any child is a At present it is a universal vulnerable are under attack. hard and a struggle. tragedy. Little Ivan only benefit. The leak announced Child benefit may be Most carers I know are lived a short time. According this would only be paid to limited to the first two keen to emphasise how to Sam Cam he changed families in receipt of children. having a loved one with a their world forever. She Universal Credit. Thousands Again, this is a safety net disability has changed them. talked about why their of families will lose out. benefit which means that They are able to be more experiences of being Ivan’s For many, this is a safety parents can ensure there is compassionate and walk in father was a good reason to net payment allowing people food on the table. others’ shoes. Can Sam and re-elect Dave for another to remain at home rather Dave Cameron say the same? five years as he truly knows than being cast into the Breadline Britain Looking at the world the impact of disability on a workplace. That is if you are In ‘Breadline Britain’, through Tory-tinted glasses, family. not too exhausted to work. every penny counts for they may believe they are Many carers work over 60 struggling families. All of the supporting families. Sam Austerity cuts hours a week and there is no carers I have spoken to can Cam is a patron of ‘Contact All these happy family sick leave or respite. barely believe what is a Family’, a charity which photographs the week after ESA and Carer’s happening. Things are supports families with a the nasty party may have Allowance may be taxable difficult enough now but if disabled child. I know many become nastier. I didn’t and again will be means these rules become who left after they made think that was possible tested. This will affect many legislation it will tip many Sam Cam patron. either. young adults who stay at over the edge. Enough is enough though. However, the cuts to home with their families. The sad fact though is that Although people feel isolated welfare spending “leaked” The transition from children this policy seems to be and crushed by the present by civil servants last week to adult services are difficult popular to some of the cuts, I can sense anger from will have a huge impact on enough to traverse without electorate. Their ire, fuelled people who have never been the lives of people with this increased financial by the ever growing list of politically engaged before. disabilities and their difficulty. programmes about how life It is time for a change and families. As Sam Cam Perhaps most contentious on benefits is a bed of roses, a challenge to the Tories to described, with a disabled is if you have more than one means they believe the face the inconvenient truth child in your family, life is disabled child you will only divide-and-conquer rhetoric that their policies are not the fragile. For many families, be able to claim for one of of the Tories. Being poor is oxymoron “caring these proposed austerity cuts them. This will decrease not protected by any conservatism” but an attack will make life so much more many families budgets but legislation. It is acceptable to on the most vulnerable.

2 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 456 EDITORIAL by Ken Ferguson

THE BRITISH state and its political class have a centuries- old, well deserved reputation for lying and duplicity which ZOMBIE earned them the label Perfidi - ous Albion across the globe. The two-year referendum BETTER campaign with its scares, smears, prediction of doom and TOGETHER outright lies dished up by the politicians of the cross class Bet - ter Together and their “Project STAGGERS Fear” were but the latest refine - DAWN OF THE ED:: workiing cllass ment in the dark arts of duplicity INTO Scottlland iis under tthe yoke off INTO iinsecure,, poorlly--paiid work,, tthanks that is their stock in trade. tto Labour,, Liib Dems and Toriies As the days tick by towards the UK general election which sEuppLorEtersC of MTosIleOy’s pN ro-Hitler comment before publication. this alternative a reality involve seems to be moving inexorably Blackshirts) ran their right wing Now it is clear that the “story” massive house building for to the doom of Scottish Labour bile with variations on the theme came from a Scottish Office rent, action to implement a and their erstwhile Lib Dem and from the rest of the media pack civil servant answerable to £10-an-hour wage now and Tory chums of last year, mount - but it was left to the supposedly Scottish Secretary Alistair public ownership of key serv - ing panic is gripping the suave “quality” Daily Telegraph to open Carmichael whose party, the ices as a step towards an liars of Westminster. its pages to the Zombies. flexible Lib Dems, are bywords economy putting people and Enter then, in a Dawn of the Perhaps before examining for honesty and truth. Chal - planet before profit and greed. Dead moment, the Zombies of the Telegraph ’s tawdry role we lenged on Channel Four, he The anti-austerity offer made the supposedly deceased Bet - should recall the recent book by once again showed that he is during the debate is an opening ter Together to unfold, yet again, their Scottish man Alan London’s man dismissing it as towards such a politics but their menu of dirty tricks. Cochrane, a willing stooge of “one of those things”. needs to go much further. Britannia, in which he boasted Amidst the clanging of Labour Sturgeonmania of his role in spreading the ma - bosses deleting gleeful tweets Profit-crazed bosses In the wake of the leaders’ nure for Better Together. and postings the Labour delight Working class Scotland is debates and the growth of Stur - Thus, hot on the heels of the turned to gloom as one more under the yoke of insecure, geonmania they furiously seven-way TV debate, the Tele - Zombie bit the dust. badly-paid work and slashed treated us to screaming head - graph broke an “exclusive” As 7 May approaches the benefits and this is not an act of lines about the “most danger - telling readers that Nicola Stur - significant development is that, God but the outcome of 30 ous woman in Britain” and geon had told the French am - despite the iron grip of big fi - years of ruling class war on multiple variations on the theme bassador that she favoured nance on all aspects of UK life workers which made trade as they scrabbled to defend the Cameron over Miliband for from parliament to papers and unions almost illegal and left unionist’s austerity agenda at Prime Minster. TV, a glimpse of another way workers at the mercy of profit- the heart of Labour, Lib Dem What a scoop!! In one fell has broken the mass media crazed bosses. and Tory programmes. swoop the carefully calibrated blackout. Socialists, Greens All the fruits of their domi - However modestly and rea - anti-Tory SNP message was and the progressive move - nance from zero hours con - sonably tabled, the idea set out exposed as a sham and des - ment have, of course argued tracts to plummeting wages are by Nicola Sturgeon, Leanne perate Labour chiefs—led by for an alternative to austerity rooted in arrogant and unchal - Wood of Plaid and the Greens Miliband—seized on the tale since the great crash but for lenged bosses power and win - Natalie Bennett that there like drowning men at straws as millions of voters such policies ning back workers right to might be an alternative to aus - proof that the SNP are Tory are either unheard in the cor - organise is an essential first terity came like a thunderbolt supporters. However as the porate media or presented (as step to challenging them. breaking the cosy cuts “no al - saying has it the tall tale went with the SNP) as wild, unwork - Therefore, welcome as any ternative” message from the “up like a rocket and down like able, extremism transforming defeat for the politics of austerity Westminster elite. a stick” as first Sturgeon and Scotland into North Korea. on 7 May will be, the left and And it was this breaching of then the French embassy de - Yet new polling shows that an progressive forces need to step the core cuts consensus and the nied that any such conversa - alternative to austerity has con - up pressure for a united chal - upsurge of public support for tions had taken place. Worse siderable support among Scot - lenge for an alternative meeting that alternative view which led to followed when it emerged that, tish voters and the debate peoples’ needs. the mobilisation of the undead in clear breach of normal prac - reaction shows this shared This is the case the SSP will against it. The predictable sus - tise, neither the French nor across much of the UK. be putting in the election and pects at the Daily Mail (once Sturgeon had been asked to The policies needs to make the case it will make after it.

issue 456 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 3 REAL CO-OP CAMPAIGN by David Eyre

LIKE MANY socialists, I’m a Real Co-op campaign aims to break strong supporter of The Co-oper - ative movement. Our household does its big Labour monopoly on political fund grocery shop at The Co-opera - campaign is for every member tive Food stores in Dunbar. Our of The Co-operative Society home phone, broadband supply who believes that no single party and my mobile phone all come has a monopoly on co-operative from the The Phone Co-op. Our values. electricity comes from The En - We believe it makes sense for ergy Co-op. We got our washing The Co-operative Society to sup - machine from The Co-operative port political parties that share Electrical. My account is with those values. But no single polit - The Co-operative Bank. ical party should be able to take I do these things because I be - our financial support for granted. lieve in co-operative values and And every party should be chal - principles. I want an economy lenged to make sure that they based on democracy, equality, eq - support our co-operative values. uity and solidarity. I want an al - For the first time this year, The ternative to the mad inhumanity Co-operative Society AGM will of the unplanned, unprincipled be run on a one-member-one- market. I believe that co-opera - vote basis. tives can be the building blocks agreement with the Labour lor Ed Balls. In Scotland it has We tried to get a motion to of a new economy, where we can Party. Members of the Co-oper - helped MPs Cathy Jamieson, Ian AGM that would have kept a all come together to decide what ative Party are barred from Davidson, Gemma Doyle and political fund that would have we need to live a truly human life, being members of any other po - Mark Lazarowicz. In the Scottish been open to The Co-operative and then devote our skills and en - litical party—except Labour. Parliament it has helped Johann Party and others. But we were ergy and labour to achieving it. Co-operative Party candidates Lamont, Kezia Dugdale, Claudia blocked by the Co-operative stand under the banner ‘Labour Beamish and James Kelly. In the Society’s bureaucracy from Donations to Labour & Co-operative’. past it also helped Gordon bringing it forward. Now, for around a century the The Co-operative Party is Brown, the Co-op Party’s first Co-operative Party has been the largely funded by donations from ever Prime Minister. End the link political arm of the Co-operative The Co-operative Society and My own personal view is that But there will definitely be a Movement, trying to bring co-op - other big Co-ops. Last year the the millions and millions of motion on whether to continue erative values into Government. Society gave The Co-operative pounds that have been spent on the Society’s subscription to The You’d think a strong co-oper - Party more than £750,000. supporting Labour through the Co-operative Party. So we still ator like me would be a member The Co-operative Party helps Co-op Party have too often failed have the chance to end our exclu - of The Co-operative Party. But fund the election campaigns of its to bring co-operative principles sive link with Labour and start to I’m not. You see, the Co-opera - Labour & Co-operative candi - into Government. build real co-operative politics. tive Party has an exclusive dates, such as Shadow Chancel - For me, the biggest failure was If you’re a Co-operative Group when the economic crisis hit. Co- member, I hope you’ll support the operative Party Prime Minister campaign. Please sign up at our Brown didn’t remutualise North - website RealCoop.net—you’ll ern Rock. He never considered find links there to our Facebook creating a co-operative model for group and Twitter feed. Share the To subscribe, see: scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com or fill in this form any of the big banks that were links with friends and family. and send it to: SSV, Suite 370, Central Chambers, 93 Hope St, Glasgow taken into majority public own - And together, we can get real G2 6LD. Phone: 07810205747. Cheques payable to ‘’ ership. Instead, they were left in co-operative politics on the the hands of self-selected rich agenda. Name...... shareholders, who were happy to Address...... take our cash and carry on as nor - • David Eyre lives in Dunbar ...... mal, scamming the public and and is a member of the East handing out big bonuses to their Lothian branch of the SSP...... friends at the front of the corpo - He’s also a member of The Phone...... rate trough. Co-operative values Co-operative Society, The Email...... never got a look-in. Midcounties Co-operative So I’ve started the ‘Real Co- and the SCVO Credit Union. g £5 for 2 issues g £10 for 4 issues g £20 for 8 issues op’ campaign. The Real Co-op See RealCoop.net

4 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 456 ONE IN FIVE CAMPAIGN by Scott McDonald I’M PLEASED to support the SSP backs One in Five campaign One in Five campaign—a cam - paign to encourage, empower and SUPPORT: ‘It’s crucial that we cuts and austerity consensus has empower and support people with increase political participation disabilities’ says Sandra Webster meant that in Scotland the party amongst disabled people in Scot - has haemorrhaged votes to the land. The campaign asks its sup - SNP and other Yes parties.” porters to sign up to a five-point Jamie Szymkowiak, founder of charter which includes a pledge to One in Five, says: “I’m delighted make meetings accessible to all The One in Five campaign has the and to ask people what their needs support of the SSP. It’s extremely are, then to put them into action encouraging that by signing up, where available. they have reviewed their commit - It seems obvious, but it’s often ments to disabled members. overlooked—how often do we in - advertently forget about accessi - Diversity & equality bility and empowerment, having “I am particularly looking for - meetings up stairs, and focussing ward to meeting the Dundee on able-bodied activism. branch as they have invited us Ultimately, it’s a promise from along to discuss disability-related ourselves to widen access to our of Trans Media Watch, Jennie on people with disabilities and issues before signing up them - grassroots politics, to be aware, Kermode. An infinitely patient long term health conditions, it is selves.” and support everyone’s needs and teacher, writer, comrade and a crucial we as a party empower and As is clearly stated in the SSP’s contribution—and if there’s one friend—with hair-raising stories of support people with disabilities. diversity and equality policy thing the referendum campaign getting around Glasgow in a This is not an optional extra but agenda—we call for “funding and taught us, it was the supreme value wheelchair, with its long, steep, in - part of our political DNA.” support for disabled people’s or - of all-inclusive politics. We should accessible pavements. So, what’s next? What happens ganisations to ensure the views of never, never forget it. As a result of agreeing to im - when a council doesn’t make its disabled people are clearly heard”. plement the One in Five charter polling stations accessible? What This is a strong statement of intent. Support the SSP should work to ensure happens when a political party ig - We hereby invite and welcome Our Executive Committee our branch meetings, activism, nores the needs of disabled peo - all political parties and the Scottish unanimously agreed to offer sup - public events and publications are ple? In short, what are the political Government to follow suit, to con - port to the campaign. The Scottish accessible. On the technical front: and social consequences and ram - tinue the inclusive work that they Socialist Party’s policy platform is we’re presently remastering our ifications of ignoring the needs do, and ensure that we never ig - a remarkably progressive and in - website, so screen readers work and the shutting off of a fifth of the nore one in five Scots in participa - clusive one with respect to dis - well, subtitling our campaign electorate? We must back up tive political processes. abled rights, therefore the One in videos, training our comrades in words with actions. If we fail at this, we fail at Five campaign is a good fit for us. live-streaming, so that as many of John McArdle, of the Black Tri - democracy. End of story. The official campaign launch our public engagements as possi - angle Disability Benefits cam - outside Parliament was well-at - ble are available immediately on - paign put some quiet steel in his • If branches wish to have a tended, with disability and equal - line. We should also consult with response: “Ignoring the votes of One in Five ambassador ity campaigners of all colours the RNIB with respect to our disabled people as Labour have speak about the campaign, finding themselves in front of published works. done by not opposing disability see oneinfive.scot and email cameras. (Don’t tell him, but Scot - These are just some of the on - cuts and joining in a LibLabCon [email protected] tish Labour leader Jim Murphy going matters that have been was seen wearing the red and yel - raised as a result of bringing One low colours of the SSP on his One in Five to our executive. This in Five t-shirt.) sounds like a lot of overlooked Fill in this formJ and osend iit tno: Sc ottishh Sociealist P aSrty, SuSite 37P 0, There are two people I’d like to work. And it is. In our ongoing 4th Floor, Central Chambers, 93 Hope St, Glasgow G2 6LD. Or phone: namecheck for raising awareness campaign for socialism in Scot - 07810205747. Or join the SSP online: scottishsocialistparty.org/join-us of disability politics. The fearless land—and the most progressive g Susan Archibald—who has fought suite of disabled rights policies I would like to join the g tirelessly for disability rights with that I’ve ever seen—we occasion - I would like more info on the Scottish Socialist Party the Independent Living Move - ally drop the ball. We must pledge Name...... ment. She’s gotten a reputation as to pick it back up. Address...... a personality who “gets things Sandra Webster, SSP national ...... done”. The other person is possi - co-spokesperson said: “Support - Phone...... bly the single biggest reason I’m ing One in Five is the type of party Email...... involved in politics today, the chair we are. With the ongoing attacks

issue 456 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 5 WORKPLACE by , SSP national workplace organiser

IT WAS Easter Monday. As I drove to work, the car radio announced the next programme, STANDING UP FOR ‘Wake up to Money’. Aye, right, is that what they call £7.13-an-hour, at this hour of the day, on a public holiday? On ‘Wake up to Money’ some SCOTLAND’S WORKING analyst from Aberdeen was bemoaning the latest report by KPMG on the profits of the five biggest banks. Apparently he found it disappointing they only mopped up profits of £20.6billion in CTo hLaveA a schSeme Swhere aMfter 12 AweeksJ on OBuRt agaiIn, Tnot foY r another five years, not until 2014—a 62 per cent leap compared to 2013. one of these contracts, you’d get a contract for 2020, at the very best making it worth no more Seems like some people really do ‘wake up the average hours worked. leaves the power than today’s when inflation rises again, as pre - to money’, mountains of it! But they’re a tiny with employers to dodge and weave, cutting dicted by the economists are taken into account. handful, the 1 per cent: the wealth owners, not down average hours worked, or dismissing and At least up until now, the SNP has regularly the wealth creators. We live in an ill-divided replacing workers after 11 or 12 weeks to avoid used the same phrase as Labour’s about ‘abol - world, a class-divided Scotland, with 510,000 this clause. We can be forgiven for doubting ishing exploitative Zero Hours Contracts’. workers in ‘severe poverty’ whilst a handful of Labour’s promises on Zero Hours Contracts; So far, no unequivocal announcement of bankers ‘wake up to money’. So since Labour’s Blair promised to abolish them back in 1995 at total, unqualified abolition of them all. And Jim Murphy launched his leadership bid for the the Labour conference yet despite 13 years of whilst the SNP have spoken and written about Scottish branch Labour with the preposterous subsequent Labour government, Zero Hours ‘embracing the trade unions’ they have nowhere slogan “Standing up for the prosperous and the Contracts have in reality rocketed to an esti - and never committed to outright repeal of the poor”, he has some explaining to do. mated 200,000 in Scotland alone. battery of anti-union legislation that makes this Is Murphy really standing up for the low-paid Labour’s lamentable stance on these issues country the most repressive, in terms of work - Usdaw union members in retail who ‘wake up makes life easy for the SNP, making it easy for place rights, in the whole of Europe. to very little money’, on wages hovering around them to sound much more radical and worker- The SNP make much of ‘Standing up for the pathetic national minimum wage? Or is he friendly than the party originally founded by Scotland’. Sounds good, to people downtrod - doing what he and his Blairite Labour Party trade unionists and socialists over a century ago. den by undemocratic diktats from Westminster have done for decades, standing up for bosses But before backing the SNP, workers need to lis - for decades, suffering the theft of our natural and bankers with the help of the Thatcherite ten carefully, both to what they say and what they wealth and taxes by a business elite concen - anti-union laws and the most deregulated labour do. On the issue of poverty pay, the SNP make trated in the City of London and the stockbro - market in the whole of Europe, as his mentor all the right attacks on the uphill struggle to cope ker belt of the Home Counties. But which Tony Blair boasted, when Prime Minister? faced by working people in 21st century Scot - Scotland do the SNP claim to ‘stand up’ for? land. Up until their very recent conference, the Over the past four years, in contrast to their Abolish Zero Hours SNP confined themselves to their headlined sup - current promises to oppose austerity, the SNP Labour has belatedly discovered some rheto - port for the so-called Living Wage—currently government in Holyrood has failed to ‘stand up’ ric about ‘working people’, after years of telling £7.85-an-hour. At their recent pre-election con - to about £4billion in cuts to the nation’s funding us, in the infamous phrase of Tony Blair, “We’re ference/rally, the SNP sought to outbid Labour’s by Westminster. They’ve passed on these cuts to now all middle class”. In their desperate bid to cooing sounds towards workers by pledging not local authorities and the likes of Further Educa - con workers into voting for them, these Labour £8, but an £8.70 minimum wage. At least that tion colleges. In councils they control, the SNP chancers promise “an £8 minimum wage”, and would have the merit of being legally enforced. has just as shoddy a record of imposing cuts to to “tackle exploitative Zero Hours Contracts”. Two immediate, vital health warnings are re - quired here. An £8 minimum wage seems at - tractive to those who do NOT ‘wake up to money’—including the 1.2 million languishing on the pitiful minimum wage, or the millions more below anything like a living wage. But Labour only pledge £8 by 2020—leav - ing millions to struggle with the promise of a minimum wage which by 2020 wouldn’t be worth much more—if any more—than today’s £6.50! When it comes to Zero Hours Contracts, these Labour vote-seekers speak with forked tongues. What do they mean ‘exploitative’ Zero THE SSP: a party Hours Contracts? They’re all exploitative! that stands up for They should be abolished outright, straight the millions, not the millionaires and simple. But Labour want to amend Zero Hours Contracts, rather than abolish them.

6 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 456 APPEAL jobs and services, and of keeping apprentices on the slave-labour rates of £2.73-an-hour, as their Labour coun - cillor counterparts. And in the case of Edinburgh council, the SNP has joined forces with Labour in an axe-wielding Donate to the Socialists coalition. They’ve restricted Scottish public sector work - ers’ pay to derisory, below-inflation levels. They have shielded the likes of the NHS from the worst excesses of election campaign fund cuts, closures and privatisation imposed by successive by Jim McVicar, Scottish and while our local branches have Labour and Tory Coalition governments down South. Socialist Party National been working hard to raise money But a party that imagines you can ‘stand up’ for Treasurer locally for the campaign, we feel that everyone in Scotland is ignoring the stark truth that to develop the general election there are two Scotlands, divided by class, by a gaping THE GENERAL Election takes campaign at local and national level chasm of differences in wealth and power—and by a place on 7 May this year and will give we have to ask our members, fundamental clash of interests, where the increased the people of Scotland an opportunity supporters and friends to financially profits of one class are the decreased wages of the other to let David Cameron and his support our campaign. (majority) class. Which Scotland are the SNP offering unelected Tory/Lib Dem coalition That is why I am appealing directly to ‘stand up for’? The Scotland of the 432 individuals government know exactly what the to you through the pages of the Voice who own half of the entire land in the nation, including people of Scotland think of them. to make a pledge or donation to the the vast tracts of rich, arable land—or the tens of thou - The Scottish Socialist Party after the general election appeal fund today. sands (including employed workers) who rely on the very positive campaign during the Pledges or donations can be post- indignity of food parcels from food banks, for three independence referendum, which saw dated, paid now, paid in instalments or days at a time, to avert literal starvation? the Scottish Socialist Party on line through the party’s website— membership increase and new whatever method is easier for you. £10-an-hour NOW! branches of the party being I appreciate that these are difficult The SSP doesn’t hesitate to declare which Scotland established in every part of Scotland financial times for many comrades, we side with. We will stand up for Scotland’s working with a renewed air of confidence in the but whatever you can afford to donate class majority. We are a working class socialist party party and the socialist ideas that we to the General Election campaign out to end the dictatorship of capital, for socialist represent we have decided to stand a fund is much appreciated by the party democracy, including in our workplaces and commu - number of candidates in targeted and every penny and pound that we nities. We want a campaign not only for a maximum seats at the general election in May. receive will go directly to funding our working week of 35 hours, as the first step to a 4-day Like every election campaign the general election campaign, ensuring week—crucially, with no loss of earnings—but also for SSP is involved in, it has to be paid that socialist ideas are firmly on the employers to be obliged to offer a minimum number of for and unlike the London or political agenda in May. guaranteed hours per week. In contrast to talk of £8 or Edinburgh based parties the SSP If you have already made a pledge £8.70-an-hour minimum wage a full five years down has no rich friends or big business or donation to the Scottish Socialist the road, in 2020, the SSP demands £10 NOW, in 2015, backers to bankroll our campaign. Party general election appeal fund at based on the modest formula of two-thirds median male The SSP rely solely on the support local or national level, on behalf of the earnings, with equal pay for women—rising with wages of our members, supporters and SSP, thank you it is appreciated, and or inflation, whichever is the greater. We stand up for friends to finance our campaigns, thank you for your continuing support. outright repeal of all anti-union laws, and the imple - mentation of a Charter of Workers’ Rights. That to include: full employment rights from day HOW TO DONATE: one in the job; the right to join and organise unions You can make a pledge or donation to the Scottish Socialist Party General without victimisation; fu full and equal employment Election Appeal in the following ways: rights for all, the constitutional right to strike, after a • Pay donation direct into the appeal fund bank account through a bank transfer simple majority vote, including the right to take sol - account details are The Co-operative Bank. Sort Code 08-92-99 / account idarity action with fellow workers full union recog - number 65094637 (if you pay direct into the account, can you please text me nition and free collective bargaining in all sectors. the details of the donation on 07810205747, so we can keep a record of your We stand up for public, democratic ownership of donation). the profiteering banks, all forms of energy, transport, • Pay by cheque made out to ‘Scottish Socialist Party’ and return to Jim construction, big industries, services. For those mil - McVicar at the SSP national office, Suite 370 Central Chambers, 93 Hope lions of working class people in Scotland who do not Street, Glasgow G2 6LD. ‘wake up to money’, we need a party that stands up • At your local SSP Branch meeting or directly to your branch organiser or for the millions, not for Scotland’s millionaires. branch treasurer. We need to ‘wake up to the choices’ between profit • Email me at [email protected] or text me on and pay, full and democratic rights of the working 07810205747 or and let me know the details of your pledge/donation and I class majority, or the untrammeled right to get rich, will make arrangements to get it collected. at our expense, for the 1 per cent. The growth of sup - • Pay via PayPal, using this email address: [email protected] port for the SSP amongst Scotland’s working class • Donate directly to the SSP through the donate facility at our website at majority is a vital part of that awakening. scottishsocialistparty.org/donations/

issue 456 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 7 SSP ELECTION NEWS Glasgow South West – Edinburgh South – The Scottish Socialist Party campaign in Glasgow South West is With now only weeks remaining to the General Election, the campaign in now in full swing. Edinburgh South constituency is now well under way. Regular stalls, leafleting and canvassing are already giving the We’ve made good headway so far: we’ve delivered 20,000 campaign Scottish Socialist Party a high profile particular compared to other leaflets; we’ve held our first public meeting of the campaign, delivering parties. 5000 leaflets for that in a mere five days; stalls and canvassing are also The campaign is also allowing the party to focus on key issues well underway across the constituency. Yet despite all that the real brunt of such as the £10 pound an hour Living Wage, Immigration, anti- the campaign is still to come: we’re currently readying our campaign leaflet Trident and, of course, independence. With one public meeting in for the Royal Mail postal run, of which we’ll be producing some 50,000 for Govan on UKIP and Immigration successfully under our belt; this constituency alone; we’re finalising the details of our next public another is planned for Penilee. meeting, this time down in the Inch, towards the South-East of the The topic, among others, will be MPs salaries and expenses. constituency; canvassing runs are being mapped out to cover substantially Only one hustings has been arranged to date in the constituency; more of the constituency. Our message is clear, and unrivalled for its by Sunny Govan Radio although the our candidate principle and commitment to a truly better society. Bill Bonnar has spoken at a housing event and Our campaign plan is clear, geared towards a hustings organised by Amnesty building a substantially stronger SSP presence International; both in Glasgow city across Edinburgh South, and raising the centre. The local branch are also profile of the SSP. What we need now is well on top of social media with also clear: the more activists and the regular features advertising our more financial resources that can campaign. be drawn together from across the With three weeks to go the East coast, not only the greater party is now stepping up its the impact will be on Edinburgh campaign and whatever the South, but also the greater the final vote it is already experience gained for other proving to be a success. branches will be—a vital element for activists across the Glasgow East East coast to be able to take – Liam McLaughlan back to their own branches as we The SSP’s campaign in Glasgow prepare for not only a rousing few East is stepping up a gear, with a weeks of General Election series of public meetings featuring campaigning, but also for taking the our candidate Liam McLaughlan and SSP forward to the 2016 election others on fighting poverty pay, Zero dawning on the horizon. The Edinburgh Hours Contracts and benefit cuts. We are South campaign is well under way. Let’s be conducting mass leafleting and street action, PH sure we continue to keep the flag flying properly! OTO : Sim engaging with working class people on the issues on Whittle affecting them, rather than cheap sniping and false promises. Paisley and Renfrewshire South We are the only party calling any public meetings, where local people – Sandra Webster can hear and debate our policies. We have no fear of being cross- Blue skies are here at last and comrades from Renfrewshire along examined on the measures we advocate to redistribute wealth and with comrades from Ayrshire and Inverclyde have been using every transform the lives of thousands in one of the most deprived districts in opportunity to meet the public. We continue with stalls and the country. “We think having such a young and talented candidate will soapboxes three times a week and have been thrilled by the encourage more young ones to get involved in politics,” said a couple wonderful response we have received. This fortnight we have been at the first of our meetings, in Liam’s home ground, Easterhouse. concentrating on Glenburn (where Sandra lives). “Our daughter is 17, she’s showing an interest after seeing that Liam is This will be the venue of our first public meeting where we will be standing, and we will encourage her along to the next one.” They both calling for an end to austerity and showing how our policies offer a joined the SSP at the end of a superb discussion—as did several real alternative. Sandra had her first fortnightly column calling for a others, who’d braved torrential rainstorms to attend and discuss a £10 ten pound minimum wage now and was also mentioned in an living wage, taxation of the rich, creation of decent and secure jobs, election round-up discussing fracking. Renfrewshire is one of the abolition of Trident, and the whole big vision of a socialist Scotland. first areas to be granted a licence. The success for our press must Liam is the youngest candidate in Scotland, is the only Glasgow East go to Alan Wyllie for his efforts and relationship with our local paper. candidate living in the local community, and as a retail worker and From our experience folk are keen to hear about the Ten Pound an student shares with other local people the struggle to survive on low Hour living wage now and zero hour contracts. Only a few weeks to incomes. One of the SSP policies most in tune with the people we’ve go but we continue to challenge the politics of the other candidates met is that Liam would only take an average worker’s wage. and are enjoying chapping doors and hearing folk’s opinions. “They’re out for themselves, and they’ll tell you anything to get a cushy We will use this election to build in local communities and ensure job”, was the view of the other parties one woman expressed to me at we have a strong base in the Holyrood and local elections. a street stall. We are proud to raise the socialist banner high in a Many thanks to all the comrades who have given up their time and district that was at the heart of Red Clydeside. came through to support us. We truly appreciate you!

8 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 456 CULTURE Needs more than SNP to deliver indy dream The Dream Shall Never Die: 100 Days smashed’. Yet the truth is the SNP do not chal - makes mistakes, some of them crucial. On Day that Changed Scotland Forever by Alex lenge the establishment in Scotland, they want Fifty-Five: Tuesday 5 August [P138] for exam - Salmond . Published by William Collins to be part of it. Salmond is a politician whose ple, displaying uncharacteristic humility, he ad - goal is independence yet while in office he pri - mits ‘The first TV debate. I lost. I acted out of by Colin Fox, SSP national co- vatises with the worst of them, as the new Sick character’. More substantially [P82] outlining spokesman and Yes Scotland Children’s Hospital in Edinburgh demon - the tensions within Yes Scotland over polls that Advisory Board member strates. He makes cuts to public services as se - unremittingly found us trailing the No camp, vere as any other party whilst attacking he showed how mistaken his tactics often were. ‘SALMOND TAKES us into the heart of austerity. He backs NATO and decries war - ‘YouGov poll shows 60:40 lead for No’. the Yes campaign describing what was said mongering. Like Labour, they support neolib - [P146] ‘YouGov poll shows 56:44 for No’ and done behind the scenes as the referendum eral economics and preach social democracy. [P156] and it is here his considerable hubris reached its climax’ claims the publicity ac - While his book chronicles the journey is on full show. ‘Every sense I have tells me companying this book from HarperCollins. many like his ‘skilled working class’ father in we are home [will win the referendum] and As a Yes Board member, I was naturally in - the 1960s and others in 2014 have made from plans are laid for key personnel to play spe - trigued by such a prospect. Labour to the SNP, Burnett can be heard cific roles thereafter. The London media be - Yet aside from confirming the Board was lieve we will be beaten, and beaten badly. never where key decisions were made, Alex They are wrong!’ [P96]. They weren’t, un - Salmond’s book provided little illumination. fortunately. He was. ‘Tuesday 24 June 2014: I moved the deci - He argues that Gordon Brown’s ‘Vow’ a sion-making [of Yes Scotland] to mimic SNP week before polling day was crucial, yet re - election organisation. Round the table, apart search published by Edinburgh University has from Blair [Jenkins] and Tasmina Ahmed- concluded only 2.5 per cent of No voters were Sheikh from Yes, were Nicola, SNP Chief Ex - influence by it. Most said skepticism about the ecutive Peter Murell, my long-standing press economic merits of Salmond’s case for inde - adviser Kevin Pringle, Geoff Aberdein pendence led them to opt for the Union. [Salmond’s Chief of Staff], Stuart Nicholson, And he is also badly out of step with public my political strategist Stephen Noon, and opinion today regarding Prince Charles’s dan - SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson. gerous efforts to overturn Westminster Bills These are the battle-hardened group who he does not like. ‘It’s not terrible at all’ [P113] planned and executed the resounding SNP claims Salmond for the next monarch to try success in 2011’. [P72] to usurp democracy in this way. Here then is Alex Salmond’s conclusion that ‘The Yes the conservative Alex Salmond, the RBS- side lost the vote but the referendum changed trained neoliberal economist and royalist. the nation’ [P256] is undoubtedly true but the The self-confessed ‘sleekit’ politician who wider truth is that Yes mobilised people covers his conservative tracks by quoting the largely on the SNP’s terms. famous Edinburgh socialist James Connolly. ‘The great only appear great because we are Nats need wider movement on our knees’ [P231]. Energising people to complete the journey to independence demands a greater political Shameless clarity and a propensity to confront the SNP Famously fearless on tactics and strategy, leadership when they are wrong. scoffing as the greatest tributes are reserved Salmond is also shameless in calling in For the nationalists cannot do this on their for wealthy businessmen like Brian Souter, favours from wealthy backers like Jim Mc - own, they need the wider independence Jim McColl, Tom Hunter, Tom Farmer, Mar - Coll, Brian Souter, Jim McColl, George movement even though they give that admis - tin Gilbert and Roy McGregor who have Matthewson, Tom Farmer and, of course, sion only perfunctory acknowledgement. made no such journey. Such ‘Outbreaks of the Weirs. Whilst reading this book I came across a ideological purity’ [P24] as Salmond calls As a participant in Yes Scotland, I en - fascinating essay entitled ‘Socialists and the them however are scathingly dismissed by the joyed being reminded of our remarkable SNP’ by Ray Burnett published in Gordon powerful regime in control of the SNP. journey, but ultimately, Alex Salmond’s Brown’s ‘Red Paper on Scotland’ in 1975. Not that they are not ideological themselves. book leaves you short. Burnett ‘nails’ the essential character of the ‘I turned the SNP into an avowed social dem - It reads like a picturesque calendar remind - nationalists and explains how they like to pres - ocratic party,’ boasts Salmond. [P256] ing us where we have been but it provides lit - ent themselves as outsiders to ‘the establish - As a master tactician Alex Salmond is a re - tle significant insight on why we lost. ment circus’ as Salmond puts it [P9] and insist markable man totally dedicated to his party Nor will it, I fear, inspire many of the unde - with their party in Government in Scotland with legendary ‘hail fellow well kent’ acumen cided to come with us or conclude as I do that since 2007 ‘the accepted order has been and political stamina. But like all humans he ‘independence has been deferred not defeated’.

issue 456 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 9 WESTMINSTER 2015 by Andrew Kinnell

THE SLOVENIAN philoso - pher, psychoanalyst and cultural critic Slavoj Zizek makes the Does the SNP offer semi- point that in today’s neoliberal society contradiction is the norm, people are increasingly skimmed change? offered “products deprived of minster, however at a local level were much more likely to vote government, the Tories or their malignant property: coffee the SNP have, like all the other for independence with the better Labour. The SNP as expected without caffeine, cream without main parties, slashed budgets of off most likely to oppose it. Yet have completely ruled out any fat, beer without alcohol”. local authorities. too much of the SNP’s effort deal with the Conservatives but Zizek argues that this combi - The SNP’s economics in par - went into appeasing the well off have remained open to some sort nation of ‘pleasure with re - ticular highlight their attempts with ‘change without change’, of deal with the Labour Party. straint’ is a fundamental part of to appeal to all, to offer the ‘cof - ‘beer without alcohol’ pledges. So while the SNP, quite the ideological framework that fee without caffeine’ attempting Yes we want independence rightly, attack Labour in Scot - shapes our everyday lives; and I to appeal to folk like Bryan but we’ll keep the pound, we’ll land, at a UK level they are believe that the SNP’s policies Souter while concurrently try - keep the Queen, we’ll lower willing to prop up a neoliberal equate to a similar ‘beer without ing to appeal to the working taxes and so on—only to meet Labour government which has alcohol’, change without change class voters who are sick of with failure. Despite the at - pledged to have ‘iron discipline’ approach, and that we on the left Westminster austerity. tempts to win over and entice when it comes to deficit reduc - must remain critical of. The SNP suggest that Scot - the Tartan Tory demographic tion. The SNP of course pledge Nicola Sturgeon told the SNP land can both have a ‘competi - they overwhelmingly voted no to put the ‘backbone’ into a conference that the SNP opposed tive’ market-led economy and (including Alex Salmond’s own Labour government and have the anti-democratic House of simultaneously have a Scandi - constituents), while many committed to force Labour Lords, she also outlined their navian social democracy with working class areas voted in away from austerity. commitment to oppose the re - generous welfare state support - favour of self-determination. Yet the message is another newal of Trident Nuclear ing all in need. Research by coffee without caffeine solution: Weapons and said that the SNP Michael Keating and Malcolm Contradiction we want the Labour Party wiped wants to challenge the austerity Harvey in 2014 suggested that Another contradiction in the out in Scotland but we want to politics of Westminster. there would be two, distinct SNP message has been their ap - see a Labour-led government in As a socialist, I welcome all paths an Independent Scotland proach to the UK General Elec - Britain. They want to play a part of this and indeed support all of could follow: either follow the tions. The SNP, now with over in a government led by a party these measures, however that is neoliberal market economy (the 100,000 members are set to do they are apparently vastly differ - not the full picture. Celtic tiger’ the SNP favoured very well in Scotland as work - ent from in a state they commit - until the crash) or the social ing class voters rile against the ted to dismantling. This really is Monarchy democratic model with high long-declining Labour Party taking the change without While the SNP are happy to taxation, a strong welfare sys - that toxically stood shoulder to change message to the extreme, slam the anti-democratic House tem and state intervention. shoulder with the Conservatives May will tell how many Scots of Lords, they paradoxically While Keating and Harvey during the referendum cam - buy this message. support the divine right of kings never considered socialism as paign. So while we on the critical left and believe the Monarchy has an alternative their point was Current polls predict the SNP welcome the demise of the an important role to play in so - very much valid- there can be are to win at least 30 seats, some Labour Party’s hegemony in ciety, according to the First Min - no socially just neoliberal econ - polls suggesting as many as 53. Scotland, we must be equally crit - ster the Monarchy operates as “a omy, it’s against the very nature The SNP are pledging to be a ical of the currently buoyant SNP. model that has many merits”. of the system. The SNP’s plans voice for Scotland in Westmin - We want a better Scotland, a With Trident too, the SNP for the economy in an inde - ster and make sure the Westmin - fairer Scotland, with social jus - have made it clear that they are pendent Scotland was one of ster establishment deliver on tice, democracy, international - against the immoral weapons of their weakest arguments during their ‘vow’ of more powers for ism and ultimately socialism at mass destruction and will al - the referendum campaign. They the Scottish Parliament. its heart. ways vote against any renewal; tried to appeal to the relatively This is a reasonable position, The SNP like to think they and yet they support NATO, a affluent ‘Tartan Tory’ SNP however their approach to the offer this with their ‘beer with - nuclear military alliance de - heartlands while reaching out to Labour Party has again been a out alcohol, coffee without caf - signed to assist US imperial in - the working class majority, contradictory one. Sturgeon has feine’ solutions, but the message terests across the world. (aided by RIC and the SSP) in recommended voters back the we need to tell people is it just The SNP have tried to posi - the traditionally Labour heart - progressive choice: the SNP in doesn’t taste the same. Change tion themselves as an economi - lands of Glasgow, Dundee and Scotland, Plaid in Wales and the without change is not enough, cally ‘progressive’ party much of the central belt. Greens in England. However the we want the real thing. Another offering a different solution to The result of the referendum SNP know that there will be only Scotland is Possible, we can’t the austerity agenda of West - was clear, the working class two parties seeking to form a leave it up to the SNP to deliver.

10 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 456 INTERNATIONAL by Bill Bonnar

IRAN DOES not have nuclear weapons. There is no evidence WHAT’S THE REALITY BEHIND anywhere that it has ambitions to develop such weapons. Even if it did it would not have THE IRAN(ST ILNL) NOU NUKCES: nLegoEtiatiAons hRave ‘DEAL’? the capacity to develop such strong roots in the organised weapons for years. Yet negoti - just been concluded bringing to an end working class movement and Iran’s nuclear weapons ‘ambitions’ ations have just been con - among elements of the officer cluded bringing to an end Iran’s corp of the army. The coup led nuclear weapons ‘ambitions’. to the violent suppression of For Iran this was an agree - the party, which remains ment to lift damaging sanctions banned to this day. which have cost the country 150 United States policy in the re - billion pounds and ending the gion has been changing in re - country’s international isolation. cent years. Its opposition to the For the Americans and their Assad regime in Syria has soft - international allies it is about ened with the realisation that building relations with a new po - the main forces fighting the tential ally. Nothing to do with regime are Islamic fundamen - nuclear weapons. talists. More worrying for Wash - The United States invented ington has been a general Iran’s nuclear threat as a way of collapse of existing states with isolating what was perceived a the destruction of Iraq spread - hostile state. It is a road down ing to Syria and Yemen. which Washington has travelled This collapse is being filled by many times before. As ever the dividing line in fine Iranian politics. Islamic fun - radical Islamic groups threaten - Weapons of mass destruction Iran is between the forces of Is - damentalism; reactionary, anti- ing western economic and in Iraq or Libya’s responsibility lamic fundamentalism and democratic and anti-women strategic interests. The current for the Lockerbie bombing those of progressive secular - and progressive secularism; military campaign against ISIS come to mind. No need to pro - ism. Iran is formally an Islamic democratic and modernising. in Iraq has been driven in part duce evidence; simply state the Republic ruled by a theocracy Within the secular opposition by the concerns of American oil allegation as a fact, make sure whose power is enshrined in the are socialist forces although companies who are based in the media are on board and in - constitution. This emerged from their strength is difficult to places like Mosul and Tikrit. ternational allies are on side the revolution of 1979 which es - gauge because of repression. with the message. tablished the Islamic Republic. Overtly socialist parties are ei - Progressive forces A popular mass movement ther banned or severely re - The fear now is that the col - Israel’s ‘good’ nukes against the pro-American dicta - stricted in Iran. lapse of the Assad regime in Of course, the region is men - torship of the Shah was shaped During elections socialists Syria would lead to the general aced by an aggressive military by Islamic forces largely be - would vote for the democratic collapse of the state with almost power bristling with nuclear cause the Shah, with American opposition yet the country has a unimaginable consequences for weapons. Israel’s arsenal obvi - support, destroyed the left op - strong socialist tradition. the region. In Iran, the growing ously comprise good nuclear position; particularly in the On 19 August 1953 the leftist strength of progressive secular weapons as are those of the Tudah (Communist Party). Prime Minister, Mohammed forces should be welcomed by United States and Britain. How The calculated destruction of Mossadeq was overthrown in the left internationally. This can about and international em - the left meant that the space an American and British organ - create the space for genuine bargo on these countries until was clear for the emergence of ised military coup. The main socialist forces to emerge. their threat is lifted? a reactionary opposition. Yet reason was the government’s The country is experiencing a The proposed lifting of sanc - also emerging were progressive nationalisation of the British- generalised economic crisis ex - tions and the move towards elements committed to a dem - owned oil industry and its ‘dan - acerbated by the banking crisis ending Iran’s international isola - ocratic and secular future. gerous’ lurch to the left. This of 2010 and the effects of sanc - tion has been greeted with en - These forces have battled it out reflected a growing radicalisa - tions. In particular, in country thusiasm in Iran particularly for supremacy ever since with tion among many Iranians. where young people make up among the country’s secular, autocratic Iranian state also The Communist Tudah Party 60 per cent of the population democratic and progressive containing space for an elected had emerged at the end of the youth unemployment has forces. Less enthused are the parliament, elected President Second World War as the first reached epidemic proportions. ruling theocracy that used the and partially independent press. mass political party in the Only the left can offer the threat from the United States to This struggle between two country’s history with an esti - kind of radical programme that their advantage. widely visions of the future de - mated 100,000 supporters and can deal with these issues.

issue 456 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 11 for Socialism, Independence and Internationalism Issue 456 10th – 23rd April 2015 email: [email protected] scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com Promoted by Jim McVicar on behalf of the Scottish Socialist Party, Suite 370, Central Chambers, 93 Hope Street, Glasgow G2 6LD. Printed by Forward Graphics, Elderpark Workspace, 100 Elderpark Street, Glasgow G51 3TR

bDy Allaon Grongan, ’fotrm erbly elieve Murphyapp oihntmenty woupld leade to the of Labour for Independence, resurgence of Labour in Scot - now an SSP member land. The truth of the matter is that Jim Murphy represents ANOTHER WEEK, another everything that is wrong with Ashcroft poll, another bad news the party today and every rea - story for the Labour Party. With son why Labour voters are leav - the latest figures now estimating ing the party in their droves. that the SNP could win up to 53 Look at his record before he of the 59 Scottish Westminster took over as leader. seats, it has sent shock waves Since taking on the job as throughout the Westminster elite Leader, Jim has had the media in both the Red and Blue Tories. giving him a glowing report Closer to home, there is a card, he has been getting to the puzzlement of how this can be. very heart of issues affecting the That despite winning the refer - people of Scotland. Forget un - endum, Scottish Labour are set employment, fuel poverty and to be wiped out north of the bor - food banks, drinking at football der, virtually eliminating any grounds, that is the real issue. chance of forming a majority Labour as a whole have been government following 7 May. no better, introducing their big You can almost hear them at pink bus to meet with women in John Smith House, mutter in their ‘own environment’ to dis - bemusement. How has this hap - TOO ARROGANT TO NOTICE: that Labour are heading for the abyss cuss ‘women’s issues.’ How in - pened? It wasn’t supposed to be credibly patronising! The problem this way! Even after the fallout MURPHY’S PRE-LEADERSHIP RECORD for Murphy and the Labour Party of the referendum, after the • Since 2001, Murphy has claimed over £1million in expenses as a whole is that they don’t get huge influx of new members to • Murphy voted to cap benefits in March 2014 why they are so far off message. pro independence parties, there • Murphy failed to show up to vote against the Bedroom Tax They don’t understand why those was a feeling of wait and it will • Murphy voted for tuition fees despite being NUS president whose ‘mither and faither always all return to normal. • Murphy went on 100 day tour of Scotland campaigning for a voted Labour so I’m voting fir ‘No’ vote, which meant leaving his Eastwood constituency them too...’ are now joining the UKIP obsession without an MP for almost a third of a year. Yet he still claimed SNP, SSP or Greens. I have to confess that I myself over £200,000 in Westminster expenses felt the SNP numbers would • Murphy is a major figure in Labour Friends of Israel, who Changed landscape drop once the attention fell on refuse to recognise of the state of Palestine Regardless of the referendum Westminster issues, when • Murphy strongly supported the illegal invasion of Iraq result, the political landscape in smaller parties get squeezed out • Murphy has never rebelled against the Westminster party line Scotland has changed, the pub - of the picture. Credit must go to lic are better informed, more the Greens, SNP and Plaid have attacked the anti-austerity confusion stems from their own confident in their understanding Cymru for gaining public sup - politics of the main Westmin - ignorance. How can traditional of the issues affecting us all. port for their inclusion, although ster parties and created a clear Labour voters not vote Labour? Thankfully we now also have this support is more likely to distinction with their stance on Why are we potentially losing groups like Women for Inde - have been outrage due to the Trident, welfare and the econ - our jobs? Why do they no longer pendence ensuring that women media’s obsession with UKIP, omy, even dropping the dead believe the Daily Record? But are no longer confined to leaving them little choice but to weight of reducing corporation the most prominent question is, ‘women’s issues’. include other political parties tax. You would have to wonder why aren’t they in love with Jim Until Murphy and Labour un - with greater representation. if they had been so forthright in Murphy as much as we are? derstand that the lay of the land The SNP has also played an the independence campaign Many within my former party has changed, then they are attacking game, very different then perhaps we would not still are dismayed at the election of heading for the abyss. The prob - from their often too defensive be part of the UK. the arch Blairite Murphy, while lem is they are probably to ar - position in the referendum, they For Labour in Scotland, their others genuinely believe that his rogant to notice.