Election 2015: meet the International Women’s Day: SSP candidates who we look at the daily struggles are fighting for workers of women across the globe • see pages 8, 9 & 10 • see page 12

£1 • issue 453 • 27th February – 12th March 2015 scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com

SIR MALCOLM RIFKIND JACK STRAW LOW PAID WORKER £1,619/hour £5,000/day £6.50/hour AUSTERITY HYPOCRITES ALL

Rifkind: ‘unrealistic’ Low paid workers forI MNPs toI liTve ‘sTimpOly GErecTeivHe 20Ep ‘Rboost’ on £60,000 a year’ to minimum wage ScottishSocialistVoice.wordpress.com /ScottishSocialistVoice @ssv_voice EDITORIAL by Ken Ferguson

ONCE AGAIN the harsh spotlight of publicity has lit up the two faced money grasping hypocrisy behind Westminster’s pro-austerity politicians. Two of the supposed Mother of Parliament’s “honourable gentlemen”— both ex-foreign secretaries Tory Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Labour’s Jack Straw—were caught offering their services for hire to what they thought was a Chinese firm but turned out to be a journalistic sting. Rifkind, a failed Edinburgh MP moved to upmarket Chelsea, explained that it was “quite unrealistic” for MPs to live “simply on £60,000 a year”. Research by the Daily Telegraph and Channel 4 WESTMINSTER GRANDEES’ GREED revealed that the going rate for Sir Malcolm’s services was £1,619 an hour. sEuppXortPer oOf waSr anEd S AUplaSyerTs inE theR deIfeTnceY of i t, HYpoPliticOs whCich Rcan IhaSrneY ss This from a man who was mayhem and a key figure in the Labour Party, is about to them to meet the needs of Secretary of State in the long running New Labour pay the price for their Better people and planet. Thatcher’s government drive to destroy their party as Together partnership with the That’s why in May the SSP enforcing the Poll Tax, who one representing working still toxic Tories come May. is contesting seats in has loyally backed sackings, people to one guarding the Of course all of this makes Glasgow, Edinburgh and cuts and the demonising of interests of the super rich, exciting copy for the opinion Paisley to put the concrete so called scroungers while oligarchs and speculators. formers, pollsters and political alternatives that need to form peddling the lie that “we are Both men spotlight the rotten scribes but we need to part of that new politics all in it together”. “don’t do as I do, do as I say” remember that both of the before the voters. culture underpinning super likely election winers in May Demands such as a £10 Britain’s spooks rich rule in today’s Britain. favour a continuation at an minimum legally enforced As chairman of the We have of course been increased tempo of the wage, banning of zero hours Commons intelligence here before in the world of regime of cuts, sackings and contracts, ban on fracking, committee which oversees duck houses, John Lewis lists privatisation. equal pay for women and Britain’s spooks, he might have and, ultimately, prison cells. crucially MPs and MSPs paid been considered to be exactly However important as the Mass movement a workers wage are at the the type of well-connected exposure of individual wrong Whatever the outcome then heart of the SSP work both in figure well worth buying by doing is the real issue is the —minority/majority/coalition— the election and in influence-seeking capitalists. existence, in Westminster, of a mass movement of action workplaces and communities. Straw’s pay rate seems, a cosy club insulated from to defend the majority from The forces mobilised and compared with his Tory reality by a voting system the greed of the powerful the hopes raised by the opposite number, almost which all bit excludes all but a minority will be essential if broad Yes movement for a modest at an economical narrow band of opinion real change is to be won. more equal, just and £5,000-a-day. friendly to the gilded world of Here in Scotland of course sustainable Scotland remain He already earns a cool wealth and privilege. the Westminster poll is a very much alive and most £60k a year (about the same That club was shaken by curtain raiser for next year’s continue to inform both the as his MPs’ salary) from a the mass movement sparked Holyrood elections and it is work of the wider left and commodity firm and boasted by last year’s referendum and essential that maximum progressive movement and to the undercover reporters of the rejection of the dismal pressure be kept up for the those tens of thousands how he operated “under the drumbeat of austerity and widest possible powers to be seeking real change putting radar” to get clients needs met. war that resulted. It seems delivered to Edinburgh and people and planet before His background is as a likely that one of the key that they be matched by a profit and greed.

2 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 453 Countering UKIP’s myths with fact by Colin Fox, SSP forced many thousands of Scots national co-spokesperson families to emigrate in the 19th century and Thatcher’s ‘indus - THE SCOTTISH Socialist trial clearances’ of the 1980s Party’s new booklet on ‘UKIP, forced thousands more to follow Europe and Immigration’ offers suit. Whilst many have left oth - a timely warning to socialists ers have arrived here in search of everywhere about the potency of a better life. unchecked right wing ideas. My grandpa Mackin—him - It examines the rise in support self the son of Irish immi - for UKIP in order to equip SSP grants—reflecting a widespread supporters with the arguments sympathy for immigrants would needed to counter them. often say to me ‘The poor souls. Dismissed by David Cameron It must be bad where they were as a party of ‘fruitcakes, loonies if they have come to Mother - and closet racists’ in 2012 UKIP well for a better life!’ now has 40,000 members and The SSP welcomes migrant hundreds of elected representa - workers for they make this coun - tives. The ‘secret of their success’ try economically, socially and cul - has been to blame the decline in turally richer by coming here. living standards on immigrants FACT: it wasn’t immigrants, it was bankers, They made a brave decision to and claimants thus concealing the spivs and speculators who caused the leave their homeland to try and real culprits in the City of London. financial crash, and we insist they pay for improve their lives often at great their misdeeds PHOTO: Craig Maclean Many mistakenly describe personal sacrifice. UKIP as ‘fascists’. They are not. socialist federation of demo - tax credits and 7 per cent less Yet in return they often face Fascism evokes the primacy of cratic European nations. likely to live in social housing.’ employers who exploit them and the state, argues for protectionism Working class people are being It made nonsense of UKIP’s hostile politicians who seek to and intervention by the state in all fed an illusion by UKIP [and oth - claim that workers moved to scapegoat them for society’s ills. aspects of society. That is anath - ers] that leaving the EU will make Britain for our ‘generous welfare ema to the unfettered ‘free market things better. It will not. Leaving benefits’. They came here for Blame the bankers capitalism’ of Nigel Farage. the EU puts the British working work. Half of UK businesses now The is class at the mercy of those right- employ migrant workers [British determined to stop UKIP and oth - Xenophobic wingers behind Farage who will Chamber of Commerce Nov ers from victimising working He is a right-wing conservative, feel emboldened by their success. 2014]. They tend to be younger, class people whether they are im - a xenophobic ‘Little Englander’ There can be few other issues more qualified and desperate. migrants or not. After all it wasn’t who wants Britain to leave the EU as incendiary as immigration in But of course UKIP has noth - Romanians who caused the worst because he sees it evolving into a Britain today and UKIP exploits ing to say about employers who recession in 80 years or Bulgari - centralist ‘European Super state’ fears that surround it. This pam - exploit migrant and indigenous ans who bankrupted the economy. he calls ‘the EUSSR’. phlet provides a wealth of infor - labour.Yet such behaviour is It wasn’t immigrants who embez - The need to completely reform mation to undermine UKIP’s widespread. One case reported on zled £100 billion by avoiding their the European Union was again myths. A report for example pub - BBC Radio Four’s Today pro - tax obligations since 2008. emphasised this week when the lished in November 2014 by Uni - gramme [19/12/14] exposed em - It wasn’t immigrants who in - new Greek Government tried to versity College London revealed ployers in Wisbech in troduced the bedroom tax or sold renegotiate its crippling debts. ‘Immigrants contributed far more Cambridgeshire caught paying off the Royal Mail. It wasn’t im - The talks showed how the EU is to the UK Treasury than they took Lithuanian migrant workers a migrants who forced one million ultimately run in the interests of out since 2004, in the case of EU £1/week to pick leeks which were households in Scotland into fuel its bankers. Immigrants £5billion more. And then supplied to all the country’s poverty. It wasn’t immigrants If it is ever to be run in the in - when fixed costs such as defence leading supermarkets. caught red handed stealing hun - terests of the peoples of Europe, are taken out of the equation the If there is one country that dreds of millions of pounds in all 500million of us, then a dem - figure reaches £10.5billion.’ should know about emigration the LIBOR scandal or insider ocratic, socially just pan-Euro - Professor Christian Dust - and immigration it is surely trading on currencies. pean plan needs to be set out and man—co-author of the report— Scotland. People have been leav - It was the bankers, spivs and implemented. The SSP is com - found ‘Immigrants are 43 per ing our shores for centuries in speculators who caused the mitted to working in a pan-Eu - cent less likely than UK citizens search of a better life. The bru - crash and we insist they pay for ropean alliance to achieve a to receive state benefits such as tality of the Highland Clearances their misdeeds.

issue 453 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 3 DRUGS by Hugh Cullen

IT WILL be no surprise to find out who wears the Drugs laws furore costs lives trousers in Downing Street’s WHAT’S THE less damaging on your health COMMOTION? ConDem coalition. No matter than alcohol and tobacco. the herb is more than how much spin he tries to put just a powerful potion Harder drugs like heroin are on it, the electorate have very different; there is no realised that the Nick Clegg doubt that they are very had and the Liberal Democrats for your mental and physical have allowed the Tories to health. However, making the implement five years of users criminals is counter- destructive austerity and have productive and unfair. Addicts failed on almost all of their are victims. Victims of a failed campaign promises. society and governments who Even the bills that they have let them down for were allowed to send to generations. parliament as part of the The report examined the coalition agreement; House of Swiss solution to spiralling Lords and voting system heroin and cocaine use in the reform; were watered down country, for the state to and bombed out in a most progressive pieces of drugs is acceptable”. Thus provide heroin to addicts in commons vote. legislation that a Tory reassuring the middle/upper state run facilities. The study government has ever classes, who don’t typically found that treating heroin like Report produced. After all, there is have problems with illegal a medical, not a criminal, In October, a long awaited even a strong right-of-centre drugs, that he was a reliable issue made it easier to treat Home Office report could argument for legalisation on dinosaur that they could put and fight the addiction. have changed the way that the grounds of personal their faith and money into. Addicts were using clean future generations look back liberty and freedom. The Did the Prime Minister read needles, not having to steal to on this government and the Conservative party has even Mrs. Featherstone’s report? fund their habits, surrounded way that Nick Clegg goes had various think tanks on the If he did then he would by healthcare professionals down in history. issue over the years. have found out that it doesn’t and provided a safe place to Lib Dem MP Lynne Instead, the right wing really matter what message live while they got better. Featherstone spent a year tabloid media sensationalised an Oxbridge toff broadcasts This method works in looking at how other countries the story and the Tories soon into the schemes of urban Switzerland and other tackle drug use and came to pulled the plug on Nick’s wee Britain, cannabis and harder countries where it has been the conclusion that most project for fear of losing even drugs are readily available tested in reducing heroin sociologists already know. more traditional Tory votes to and generation after consumption. Prohibition doesn’t reduce UKIP. David Cameron generation will turn to them to drug use. At the time, we defiantly announced that he try and escape from the Decades behind thought that this report could “doesn’t want to send a poverty created by his The lesson that the British pave the way for one of the message to kids that taking neoliberal agenda. political class should have The Home Office report learned from this report is that The SSP’s new pamphlet on UKIP, Europe and examined cases of cannabis we are decades behind the immigration by SSP co-spokesperson Colin Fox. decriminalisation, which are rest of the world and our becoming more frequent outdated approach to social Order your copy: scottishsocialistparty.tictail.com every year in every continent. problems is counter- The report found that it can productive and costing the Or send £5 (includes p&p): take the supply and profit out lives of the poorest and most of the hands of gangs and vulnerable in our society. Scottish Socialist Party, into a taxable process, It shows that progressive Suite 370, 4th Floor, reducing crime which is often thinking and compassion are Central Chambers, 93 seen as the most dangerous more effective than hounding part of the cannabis trade. and locking up people who Hope St, Glasgow G2 6LD. Age restrictions can also be should be treated as victims. Please make cheques implemented on the purchase Should we expect anything payable to ‘Scottish of a plant that world leaders else from our out of touch (including our very own Mr government of millionaires Socialist Party’ Cameron) have admitted to who have no idea what really using in their youth and is far goes on in their country?

4 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 453 FOOD Jack Ferguson unwraps the real story A NEW study by the British JUNK FOOD BARONS’ STICKY Medical Journal is the latest to reveal the astonishing influence of the food industry in the UK FINGERS IN UK POLICY PIE over government policy on At the time David Cameron what we eat. approved the move, on the condi - Sugar: Spinning a Web of In - tion that he did not lobby the gov - fluence found that for the last ernment or civil servants for two decade two key government re - years. However, even this mini - search committees advising the mal commitment proved too government on health and nutri - much to keep to for such a key tion have undertook studies with corporate asset with unprece - huge amounts of funding from dented insight into the political private industry. side of food. The studies that have helped Last year The Guardian re - shape government policy in re - vealed that he had directly ap - lation to sugar were paid for by proached senior civil servants organisations such as Coca- involved in investigating the Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, the Insti - MAKING A KILLING: through its welfare reforms and shocking supply of dirty chicken aim to replace social provision with food banks, the UK tute of Brewing and Distilling, government has become a major driver of malnutrition in Britain—meat which spreads Weight Watchers International, the potentially deadly Campy - NutriLicious (a public relations raised “real concerns about prej - mostly water. The government lobacter bacteria. He argued that firm specialising in conveying udice by commercial concerns delayed as much as possible the if the results of the studies be - “nutrition and health messages” rather than scientific public health publication of an independent in - came well known, people might for the food industry), Sains - priorities.” His response was to quiry into the scandal, fearing it shockingly enough be less in - bury’s, W K Kellogg Institute, promise he would “not attend ad - would hit food profits. clined to buy chicken. and GlaxoSmithKline. visory board meetings at Coca- When it was eventually pub - Cola and Mars Europe at least lished, the report found that an 100 deaths a year Substandard until the...review is completed.” ideological commitment to Campylobacter is the most Their fear is that government These are part of a string of deregulation had left the door common form of food poisoning policy could begin to mandate revelations that have detailed the wide open for organised crime to in the UK, and causes the deaths levels of sugar that it is legally extraordinary power of the food penetrate right into the heart of of around 100 a year, and thou - permissible to add in to our food, and pharmaceutical industry to the British food system, meaning sands more to get sick. Its spread as has happened to some extent in shape state policy on what we put that meat barely fit for pet food is greatly facilitated by unhy - recent years with salt. into our bodies. was being recycled into human gienic, disgusting conditions in However, for many producers While the UK food chain con - consumption, under lying labels. the mass production of chicken of processed food and ready tinues to provide substandard, All this has been drastically ex - carcasses by an industry that fears meals, this poses a serious threat mislabeled food that can endan - acerbated by the impact of auster - little in the way of inspection. to the future of their business ger consumers’ health, they also ity since 2010, with laboratories Here we see in most stark relief model, which is built on disguis - fund expert advice in order to and employees that allow local why it’s not good enough for our ing substandard ingredients with downplay issues any potential re - testing of the food quality hit hard elected representatives to see plenty of the magic white stuff. sponse by society. by spending cuts. their job as ensuring the prof - Without it, much of their produce As a result, UK food policy is Emblematic of the scan - itability of the food industry, would taste disgusting. only interested in the continued dalously low levels of oversight rather than ensuring the public This comes on top of last success of multinational firms of the UK food industry has been has a proper supply of decent, nu - year’s news that five members of producing industrialised com - the career of Tim Smith. tritious and affordable food. the government’s Scientific Ad - modities on a mass scale, with As head of the Food Standards Indeed, the government itself visory Committee on Nutrition, minimal government intervention Agency, he was responsible for has, through its welfare reforms charged with drawing up advice over something as crucial to life food regulation, and upholding and aim to replace social provi - on the consumption of carbohy - as our food. the quality of what we eat. How - sion with food banks, become a drates, had worked for the food The consequences can ulti - ever, in a move reminiscent of so major driver of UK malnutrition. industry previously, including mately be seen in the recent scan - many other revolving-door ca - The need to build political oppo - Coca-Cola and Mars. dals over fake food, most reers that have seen senior gov - sition to the food industry’s Medical pressure group Action notoriously horse meat sold as ernment employees go work for power, and able to provide the on Sugar called on the group’s beef, but also including “crab” the companies they were sup - regulation backed by science that Chair, Ian MacDonald to step that is mostly fish paste and ani - posed to be regulating, he left our food supply needs, is ulti - down, saying his failure to do so mal products of all kinds that are in...to work for Tesco. mately a matter of life and death.

issue 453 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 5 WORKPLACE by , SSP national workplace organiser

A TALE of two classes; or two planets, more like! All that is rotten and unequal about the capitalist economic system is reflected in the accompanying political system and the capitalist politicians, regardless of whether Tory or Labour. Tory MP Malcolm Rifkind MPs and shamelessly asserted “it’s quite unrealistic to believe MPs will go through their parliamentary career being able to simply accept a salary of £60,000 a year”, as he told us mere mortals that he is “entitled” to earn “far, far more than that”. aW taleo ofr twkoe clarssses: With unfortunate timing for but £18.89 a hour—now! an MP and chairman of a are increasingly scared a revolt those who want working class These creatures at the heart Westminster Select is growing against the people to put up with what we of big business buy politicians Committee. Not to mention outrageous system of poverty get and shut up from to do their bidding, shaping the £800,000 he’s grabbed in pay these exploiters rely on to complaining, the annual Low the tax laws, employment the last five years from the make record profits, directors’ Pay Commission’s report legislation and rampant five jobs outside parliament bonuses and dividends to the recommended a whopping 20 privatisation that fattens their that he actually declared. big parasitic shareholders. pence an hour rise on the profits with obscene success. Labour’s Jack Straw admits That’s how the three richest national minimum wage next Systematically driving down he earns—in one day—nearly families in Scotland own more October! That’s £6.70 an hour workers’ wages as a share of as much as the annual wage wealth than the poorest 20 per if you’re 21 or over; national wealth has been a of a worker on the £6.50 cent of people, and how apprentices should be suitably central mission of successive minimum on a 20 hour Britain’s richest family has thankful for the 7 pence rise Tory and Labour governments contract: “Normally if I’m doing more in their pocket than 12.5 the LPC has proposed for for the past 40 years. a speech or something it’s million people in the UK! them, to a giddy £2.80! Otherwise, if wages as a £5,000 a day, that’s what I These capitalist percentage of GDP were at the charge”. bloodsuckers have drained Great wages robbery same level today as they were workers dry, leaving one in five The bosses’ CBI has no in 1975, a worker currently on Bloodsuckers workers below the breadline; hesitation in telling the working £12,000 would be earning Up until he was caught on creating the longest, deepest class to shut up and count their £21,300; one on £20,000 tape boasting about the price fall in real wages since 1856; blessings. Spokesperson for would instead enjoy £31,300; he can be bought for, Straw making the average Scottish the engorged rich, Katja Hall, and a worker on the current subscribed to Labour’s worker £1,900 a year worse off said the CBI “welcomes this average wage of £27,200 promise of an £8 minimum than in 2010. balanced approach”, adding: would instead be on £35,931! wage...but not until 2020, One of the central issues in “Any artificial increase due Two former government making it barely any more than the general election is poverty to political expediency will Ministers who played their part today’s pathetic £6.50. pay and galloping inequality. help no one and ultimately in hampering workers’ trade When Tory millionaire David People face stark choices in damage one of the most unions, hammering workers’ Cameron told the assembled those seats where the SSP successful government wages and helping boost business fat cats of the British has been able to afford to policies of recent years.” capitalists’ rent, interest and Chambers of Commerce that stand candidates. Artificial increase?! If the profit are the disgraced “Britain needs a pay rise”, you Vote for Labour to continue national minimum wage had reprobates Sir Malcolm Rifkind know there’s something their obnoxious track record of increased by the 243 per cent and Jack Straw. happening in the real world. suppressing workers’ wages rise enjoyed by company Rifkind obviously takes the First and foremost, there’s a with the help of the Thatcherite executives in the 15 years ‘far, far more than £60,000’ general election in two months’ anti-union laws they retained in since it was introduced, it that he believes he’s ‘entitled time. Secondly, the ruthless government. wouldn’t be £6.50, or £6.70, to’. In fact he’s on £81,936 as ruling class Cameron is part of Vote for their bogus headline

6 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 453 WORKPLACE Cross Country tries to gag union over sacking of Edinburgh RMT member by Voice Reporter

AS THE Voice went to press, rail union RMT accused Cross Country trains of trying to ban the distribution of fact sheets for the public and staff as the union continues balloting Cross Country staff at Edinburgh Waverley for both strike action and action short of a strike over the wholly unjustified dismissal of union member Charlie Letham. In a letter, which is a measure of just how rattled the company are as the truth of their brutal treatment of Mr Letham comes under public scrutiny, they threaten to use the Railway Byelaws and to bring in the police to try and block the dissemination of official union material publicising the facts behind the dispute which has led to the current strike ballot. VENDETTA TOGETHER: Tories fear a revolt growing against poverty pay Charlie Letham has been dismissed by Cross Country for allegedly missing his revenue targets despite the fact of an £8 minimum wage, When the body that sets that the company procedure quite clearly stipulates that ignoring the stark reality they MPs’ salaries—the any underlying issues shall be taken into account when are only promising this figure Independent Parliamentary the “CRISP” assessment is applied. This was very clearly five years from now, 2020, with Standards Authority— important in the case of Mr Letham who has suffered inflation meantime wiping out surveyed MPs’ views on what from medical and personal problems. In fact, both his GP any meaningful increase this they thought they should be and the company doctor made several recommendations figure would mean. paid, back in 2013, the to the company to assist them in aiding our member in the Vote SNP, with their AVERAGE response was workplace. welcome but extremely limited £86,250! However, management simply refused to acknowledge support for the £7.85 Living Charlie Letham’s underlying health problems and Wage. Limited, because the Socialist measures ignored the recommendations from the medical level is still far below what is Of course MPs from all the professionals before proceeding to sack him. required to match the ‘mainstream’ pro-capitalist mounting cost of living, and parties will gladly pocket the ‘Threats and intimidation’ limited because it’s entirely full ‘rate for the job’—and on RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: voluntary, not legally top, many of them grab “RMT is appalled that rather than sitting down and enforceable, left to the whims hundreds of thousands more resolving this dispute Cross Country has chosen to resort and fancies of employers. on jobs outside parliament, to threats and intimidation to try and gag the union and treating being an MP as their prevent the dissemination of the facts which have forced MPs workers’ wage ‘day job’. us into this strike ballot. Or people disgusted by In contrast, any SSP MP or “Charlie Letham has been a loyal union member for 15 corrupt politicians can vote for MSP will only take the average years and has done everything he can to continue working the SSP, and our relentless, skilled worker’s wage, to stay in his normal capacity. However, Cross Country determined campaign for a in touch with the working class management decided that the easiest solution was to £10 minimum living wage for we seek to represent and help dismiss our member despite the weight of medical all over 16—now, not in 2020 fight for a sweeping evidence. or some other distant date. redistribution of wealth through “This is not a situation that can go unchallenged and is MPs are so divorced from socialist measures. a shocking abuse of power demonstrated by the company the struggles of everyday life Two classes; two planets! management. As a result, the union’s executive committee faced by the rest of us that The SSP knows which class has decided to ballot our all our Cross Country members they have no interest in we fight for. And the despicable at Edinburgh Waverley for strike action and industrial combating poverty pay. Malcolm Rifkind once said action short of a strike, to force the company to re-employ Their current basic salary is “The future is not what it used Brother Letham. £67,060. That’s set to rise to to be”! Let’s make sure of that “RMT remains available for talks aimed at resolving £74,000 after the elections. But by organising for a socialist this dispute, talks which would make a lot more sense even that is not enough for future than banishes poverty, than the issuing of these provocative and inflammatory many of them. inequality and corruption. threats by the company.”

issue 453 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 7 ELECTION NEWS SSP ANNOUNCES Sandra’s soapbox tour GENERAL ELECTION by we as I am lucky to have a great team around me who help with press, and CHALLENGE YOU MAY find this unusual but I have offer great support. THE SCOTTISH Socialist Party’s preferred never stood for election before. I have We were mindful of the Margo mo - option following last year’s historic been the leafleter and the canvasser the bile but don’t have the resources to fund referendum was to present ‘Independence woman who stood at stalls. a vehicle so we decided to have a Soap - Alliance’ candidates in the 2015 General I always persuaded myself that I was box and encourage local activists and Election, uniting the Scottish Greens, the not a politician just someone who local people to come along and meet me SNP and the SSP. wanted to make a difference. and say what they want from our It was and remains our belief this approach Then I became a member of the SSP elected representative. We will have live would have provide the best chance for our and with the encouragement of my music and distribute leaflets most of all movement to unseat the greatest number of branch stood as co-spokesperson of the let them know they have someone who Labour MPs in Scotland and increased the SSP. The past couple of years have is a neighbour and can represent them. chances of securing the maximum devolution helped me find my voice. I have spoken The soapbox tour started on a wet of powers to Holyrood. all over Scotland for the SSP, Women and windy day in my local area. It was In the absence of such an agreement, the for Independence and the Yes cam - grim weather but people were inter - SSP will fight a limited number of seats in paign. I have learned so much. ested to hear our message especially May, to present our own unique case for This has lead me to the place where I around zero hour contracts. independence and to spell out the extra stand today as a candidate for the Gen - As the weather improves we will be powers that a progressive Scottish eral Election in Paisley South and Ren - having soapbox events throughout the Government could use to improve the lives of frewshire the seat currently held by campaign and have local people sharing most Scots. Douglas Alexander. the mike. I do feel weight on me and am mind - Powers to benefit millions ful I am the only female candidate. I feel #GetDougieTelt We favour powers which will benefit I have a responsibility to all the women I am the only candidate who stays in millions of Scots such as: in the party and those who have stood the ward. We are standing against the • The introduction of a £10-an-hour living in the past and our future candidates. political apparatus of the larger parties. wage for all and an end to zero hour I want to make this a positive cam - We know though that our policies are contracts paign with no political attacks. Just second to none and we are proud to • Opposition to austerity, cuts to local spreading the message that as a party share these with the local community. services and privatisation we can dare to be different and offer an I’ll mostly be emphasising that I’m a • Building 100,000 high quality public alternative to voters. true neighbour who understands the housing for rent impact of other parties’ policies on indi - • Replacing the Council Tax with an Look of disdain vidual lives. We will keep this campaign income based alternative called the I decided to stand when on referen - upbeat and not get involved with per - Scottish Service Tax dum night, I saw Douglas Alexander sonal attacks just other party policies. • The expansion of green energy shake hands with a Tory who was there I see this as an opportunity to “Get programmes including wind, solar and representing the No campaign outside Dougie telt” and let my neighbour hydro electric generation under public my local primary school. I called him know what a true socialist alternative ownership to combat fuel poverty out and he looked at me with such dis - can deliver. • Nationalise railways and make Scottish dain. I will never forget that. This will of course build on the elec - public transport free The tribal system of two party politics tions coming up in 2016 and 2017. • Scrap Europe’s most repressive anti- suit Westminster well. They can take We will all learn from this experience. union laws turns to be in opposition while churning So, a few busy months ahead. Please In contesting seats in Edinburgh, Glasgow out the same old policies. It suits them like our VoteSandra4PaisleySouth our and Paisley, the SSP puts forward policies to they can continue to draw their wages FB page and like me the candidate. benefit Scotland’s working class majority and of sin while gently complaining. Mean - If you can come along to the Soapbox ensure our natural resources are used to while we are offered nothing but the tour we will print dates on the FB page. benefit the people as a whole, not merely a same old way. We would be grateful if you could tiny, rich elite and tax dodging corporations. Enough is enough. It is time for a come and help us with leafleting and It’s time to move to a society which puts change. canvassing. Looking forward to a few people and the planet before greedy In our election campaign we are busy months ahead where we remind profiteers—an independent socialist going to remain positive. We also intend my community they have a choice of Scotland—that is the SSP’s message for the to visit all or as many as the working who they vote for and they can dare to May election and beyond. class areas in the electoral ward. I say be different.

8 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 453 ELECTION NEWS Meet the SSP election candidates Colin Fox Sandra Webster Edinburgh South Paisley & Renfrewshire South Colin Fox is the Scottish Socialist Party’s candidate in “I am standing in the Paisley and Edinburgh South for the Renfrewshire South constituency. General Election in May. Colin I am the only local person is the SSP’s national co- standing in the constituency and spokesperson and lives in The am a true neighbour. Not the type Inch with his wife and two who pops round every four year teenage children. He is a “well kent face” in the and expects to get elected now. I believer our policies can constituency having served as an SSP MSP between 2003 deliver so much to my community and am proud to be able to and 2007. No one has credentials to match Colin Fox for share them. This campaign will be community led and we will be standing up for working people in Edinburgh South. targeting voters who have not voted before. We offer an alternative to the continuing austerity which a vote for the major parties will mean. I have such a strong, hardy team behind me Glasgow South West who I can’t thank enough for their time, patience and effort. We will remind people that we are here and build on the vote for the Bill Bonnar has been active in 2016 and 2017 elections. This is my first time standing as a the socialist movement in candidate and I am looking forward to the challenges ahead. We Scotland, London and North will learn lots and come out on the other side with a smile on our Africa since the early 1970s. A face if a bit exhausted. Hope to see you on the campaign trail.” founder member of the Scottish Socialist Party, he is currently its Liam Mclaughlan co-chairperson. Since leaving Glasgow East university, Bill has worked in the field of Community Development and Economic Regeneration. This includes two Liam is an 18 year old history years as a Community Worker in , nine and politics student who also years as Development Officer for two community-based works part-time as a sales projects in Drumchapel, nine years as Regeneration Officer assistant. Born and brought up with housing associations in , Govan and in the East End for all of his 18 Castlemilk and five years as Social Enterprise Advisor with years, he lives in a rented Glasgow Regeneration Agency. He has a strong connection housing association flat with his mum who has brought with the Glasgow South West constituency; particularly with him up as a single parent. Liam became active in politics at the Greater Govan area. As stated earlier, he worked for the age of 16 after researching a solo talk on Scottish nearly two years for Govan Housing Association and when independence for his standard grade English class. He has Glasgow Regeneration Agency became Jobs & Business appeared in the BBC Question Time audience twice, and Glasgow, he worked for two years in their Govan office. He is joined the SSP in late 2013. Liam was co-founder of the married with two daughters. Glasgow North and East branch of the Radical Independence Campaign and the RIC School Students Network. He has a deep knowledge of Glasgow’s East End and a passionate commitment to making it a better place to live in for all.

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issue 453 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 9 ELECTION NEWS by Calum Martin, Edinburgh South & Midlothian SSP Service Tax challenge to COUNCIL CHAMBERS across Scotland must be echoing with the sound of grating steel this week, as council austerity budgets one after another, council “user-friendly for residents manner. Whilst these parties the vast majority be either administrations have begun and the business community”. perform their Punch-and- substantially better off, or at sharpening their axes. Cuts The reality? These cuts will Judy routine attacking each least no worse off in terms of are coming. continue to get worse. With other for cuts they tax burden—significantly In Edinburgh the fragility of most wage rates effectively themselves are complicit in, improving the intended effect the claims of Labour and stagnating—or worse, facing neither have ever made use of the council tax freeze; but SNP to be truly anti-austerity real term falls—already hard of these powers to implement the total revenue raised was revealed, as the Labour- pressed families and the measures necessary to nationally would be sufficient SNP administration of the city individuals will find things avoid these cuts—and it not only to avoid cuts, but to council committed itself to getting worse, and as always doesn’t take a radical move actively invest in the future of some £22million pounds of seems to be the case under to do so! our public services. cuts this year. the austerity management of The Scottish Service Tax is There is a new SSP Some 1,200 council 21st century Scotland, it will the Scottish Socialist Party’s pamphlet currently being workers will lose jobs during be the most vulnerable in our answer to the claims that written with further these first rounds of cuts, and communities who will be nothing can be done to avoid information and statistics on plans have been announced hardest hit. these cuts. The proposition is the Scottish Service Tax. for a total of £67million worth At the end of the day, the simple, the case undeniable. Scottish Socialist Party of cuts by the end of 2018. SNP and Labour councillors Holyrood has full legislative MSPs and Local councillors It’s not just Edinburgh. In have all broadly agreed on power over Scottish local never have and never will the Highlands Local Authority, vote for a single cut. The Scottish Socialist Party has consistently argued that run by a coalition Holyrood should scrap the Council Tax and replace it with a local Moreover we can stand administration involving both income tax – or ‘Scottish Service Tax’ – based on six bandings: proud in a record of having Labour and the SNP, it was consistently advocated clear reported that almost 1000 The first £0-£10,000 would go tax free and effective alternatives to council workers were set to Income between £10,000 and £30,000 would be taxed at 4.5 per cent austerity that remain well have their jobs lost as the Income between £30,000 and £40,000 would be taxed at 15 per cent within the scope of the council considers some Income between £40,000 and £50,000 would be taxed at 18 per cent powers of Holyrood and of £64million worth of cuts. Income between £50,000 and £90,000 would be taxed at 21 per cent local councils. Income above £90,000 would be taxed at 23 per cent SNP: cuts ‘desirable’ Clear alternative Example: on an income of £14,000 a year, the first £10,000 is under Meanwhile the Labour Councillors are not meant Band 1, so you would pay no tax on that. The following £4000 would be majority administration of taxed at 4.5 per cent, under band 2, giving you a total annual bill of £180 to be elected to make cuts. Glasgow City Council has Councillors are meant to forced through at least their story. They frequently government, and that stand up for our communities, £28.9million of cuts. The list appear arguing that a simple includes the Council Tax. not push them down. If you goes on. The length and managerial exercise; that The SSP has consistently want to see the job local breadth of Scotland the axes they have no option but to argued that Holyrood should councillors are meant to do, are falling. Yet both these pass austerity budgets scrap the council tax and just look at , the parties have argued that because of Holyrood. The replace it with a local income SSP councillor in West setting and implementing problem with that is that they tax, based on six bandings Dunbartonshire and you’ll the austerity budgets doesn’t have both in turn been in (see table above). difference a representative on mean they’re not anti-austerity! charge at Holyrood! For an example, on an our side can make: standing Indeed SNP councillor Whilst we need more income of £14,000 a year, the up with working people, to Alasdair Rankin, the finance powers, Holyrood does first £10,000 is under Band 1, protect communities, not to leader for the Edinburgh City already have the power to so you would pay no tax on attack them. Council administration, even implement policies to not only that. The following £4000 We have a clear alternative went so far as to argue that avoid council austerity would be taxed at 4.5 per to austerity, and a clear way these cuts were in some way altogether, but to do so in a cent, under band 2, giving to deliver it. It’s time to desirable, describing them as manner which fundamentally you a total bill of £180 each challenge austerity not just at being aimed at building a redistributes wealth from the year under this example. a Holyrood or Westminster, “leaner, fitter and more agile” rich to the poor in a Under these proposals we but also at home. No cuts. council, which would be more progressive and equitable would find that not only would Not Now. Not Ever.

10 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 453 INTERNATIONAL by Bill Bonnar

DURING THE Cuban missile crisis of 1963 the American Gov - ernment declared that it would New Cold War at heart never accept enemy nuclear weapons located near its borders nor would it ever tolerate the es - tablishment of any kind of hostile of Ukraine crisis sians died and almost the entire military base. Even if this meant country devastated. This last inva - the start of World War Three. sion is burned into the collective Now look at Russia. Since the folk memory of modern Russians fall of the Soviet Union; Russia particularly when they look at has been systematically sur - events in Ukraine. rounded by countries which have During the German occupation joined Nato, have foreign military many Ukrainians sided with the bases established on their territo - Nazi’s and it was from its ad - ries and in many cases are launch vanced positions in Ukraine that pads for nuclear weapons targeted Germany was able to launch a at Russian population centres. wider offensive against the rest of Yet when Russia takes action to the country. stop this encroachment it is branded an aggressor. It is all part Aggressive Nato of a newly emerging Cold War. This is certainly not the situ - Vladimir Putin may be an auto - ation today although pictures of cratic President at the head of a Ukrainian militias sporting Nazi regime of corrupt oligarchs and regalia don’t help the Ukrainian therefore someone the West cause. should be happy to deal with but AUTOCRAT: Putin is seen as undermining strategic western interests Nato, an aggressive instrument his pursuit of Russian national in - during the Cold War, has been ex - terests is seen as undermining all are ethnic Russians fleeing ing a military base on the Mexi - panding since the end of the So - strategic western interests. Ukrainian attacks. In fact the main can-American border with mis - viet Union. Driven by American complaint by these people is not siles pointed at Los Angeles and imperialism and by the huge Yeltsin’s sponsors intervention by Moscow but the San Francisco. American arms industry it is con - How they must long for the lack of such intervention. The failure to comprehend stantly on the lookout for its next days of the alcoholic and mentally There needs to be a negotiated Russia’s security concerns was war. Having destroyed Iraq and unstable Boris Yeltsin always political settlement within highlighted in a recent House of Libya it has been actively building happy to do a deal with his west - Ukraine and between Ukraine and Lords report. Defending its bor - its presence in North Africa and ern sponsors. Russia. This settlement must be ders from potential attacks is the the Middle East with the estab - This new Cold War is being ac - based on recognition of Ukraine’s central factor governing Russian lishment of permanent military tively promoted by the United territorial integrity, the rights of foreign policy and is rooted in its bases to ensure American hege - States keen to build up its exten - minorities within Ukraine and modern history. mony in the region. sive military presence in the re - Russia’s strategic interests in the In the months after the Russian In Latin America its equivalent gion in particular through its region. Revolution the Bolsheviks signed has been consistently expanded support for a range of corrupt and Western interference in this the Treaty of Brest Litovsk with particularly under the Obama Ad - despotic dictatorships in former area to date has consistently un - the German Government ending ministration ready to intervene Soviet republics. It is also being dermined this process; encour - Russia’s involvement in World against progressive governments driven by a rapacious arms indus - aged Ukrainian reactionary forces War One. and roll back the tide of history on try always looking for new con - and threatened Russia’s national Germany imposed a harsh set - that continent. tracts and markets. interests. Proposing that Ukraine tlement annexing huge areas of Since its establishment in 1949 Much has been made of Russ - join Nato would be viewed in territory. During the Russian Civil it has been an instrument of war ian intervention in Ukraine; in the Moscow almost as a declaration War between 1918 and 1921 the and aggression; the military wing mostly Russian east of the coun - of war. country was invaded by the of global capitalism. When Scot - try. Yet look at the facts. It is esti - Joining would mean the estab - armies of fourteen different coun - land finally wins independence, mated that more than 6000 people lishment of American military tries supporting the counter revo - one of the first items on the have been killed. Almost all are bases on Russia’s western border lution and with an eye to agenda will be the withdrawal ethnic Russians killed by Ukrain - with nuclear missiles and would acquiring Russian lands. from Nato. If an independent ian forces. A third of a million be seen as a direct threat to Russ - During the Second War the Scotland is to play a progressive people have fled to refugee camps ian national security. It would be country was again invaded by role in world affairs it cannot be along the Russian border. Almost the equivalent of Russia establish - Germany. Twenty million Rus - as a member of this nuclear club.

issue 453 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 11 for Socialism, Independence and Internationalism Issue 453 27th February – 12th March 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 by Sandra Webster, Katie Bonnar, Hollie Cameron, Jenni Gunn and 8th March: International Women’s Day Christine McVicar

‘MAKE IT happen’ is the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day. The day we celebrate the uniqueness we offer the world and celebrate our tenacity in difficult times. It is a time to look to the past and the brave women such as Rosa Luxemburg, Mary Barbour, the suffragettes who campaigned for women’s rights. They LE T’S MAKE offer us some much needed support and courage in our day to day struggles and our desire to create a more equal society. PHOTO: Craig Maclean Their voices from the past call out to us that we can make it happen. We also remember the struggles of women IT HAPPEN! across the globe and we are mindful of the women of Greece who have had to cope with the impact of austerity on their own and loved ones lives. Austerity kills. In Greece, a 56 year old quadriplegic woman died when her power supply was cut off by her energy supplier due to a debt. Her family are now engaged in a legal battle for justice.

Suicide Many women have also taken their own life. According to the BMJ Open there was a 35.8 per cent increase in the number of women who committed suicide. The most vulnerable are those most affected. A local Greek charity, SOS Children villages saw a 45 per cent increase in single parent’s asking for support. Dr Makon of Kalmata General Hospital observed a 39.2 per cent increase in women’s heart attacks. The cause? There was no access to the medication they needed. Greek women in these dark times have had to make it happen. They have Elsie Inglis was told when she offered to To all the amazing women we know, created creches, offered free medical set up a hundred bed hospital during we applaud you for all you do. care taken up the role of the state. They WW1. She went on and set up hospitals Women in our party have used their were also front and central in Syriza. in Serbia and The Russian Front. What voices to campaign at Faslane, to IWD 2015 celebrates the power and would have happened if she had gone support Women For Independence, to tenacity of women who make a home and sat still? always struggle for our voices to be difference wherever they live. They In Glasgow, the Women’s Library heard. change the world in local communities have been organising workshops We thank you all and offer our support and are everyday heroines who light the around the suffragettes and will be to all women who in their day to day path as amazing women always have marching on 7 March at 2pm from the struggles, or as part of wider and always will. library to Glasgow Green, so get campaigning help make our world a “Go home and sit still”. This is what involved. better place to live in.