Rail guards stand firm: RMT Coup and counter strikers hold private train coup: tyranny in operater Abellio to account Turkey • see pages 12,10&11 • see page 8

£1 • issue 481 • 5th – 18th August 2016 scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com

POST-BREXIT: THATCHERITES SNATCH POWER

As Labour implodes, the choice is independence or a generation of Tory rule • SCRAP TRIDENT! Jobs not bombs • NO TO RACISM! Refugees welcome • END POVERTY PAY! £10 min. wage Thanks to Eddie Truman for the inspiration EDDIE TRUMAN

EDDIE TRUMAN: hundreds have paid tribute to Eddie, who died on July 1st. Eddie was a founder member of the SSP and made friends across the political divide through a lifetime of tireless activism. Eddie is pictured above with former SSP MSP (photo: Craig Maclean) and left, with his partner . A Voice -style tribute was handed out at his funeral Hundreds remember Eddie Truman: socialist, polemicist and grandfather by Ken Ferguson has deprived us all of years we analysed the world every mo - old grandfather but a carer for should have been able to share ment he was awake. his grandchildren. EDDIE TRUMAN, one of the with him and for me, as I am “He analysed it politically, “Last year Eddie started to founder members of the SSP, sure with others, leaves an socially, and economically. He become unwell and from mid- long term socialist activist, aching of sadness and regret. analysed it through philosophy April until his death on July 1st, photographer and polemicist in At his funeral at a packed and music. His analysis and he was in hospital three times. many formats died last month Warriston Crematorium in Ed - passion was the greatest I’ve “We all thought he’d get bet - at the achingly early age of 53. inburgh, his comrades and ever seen. ter and for weeks at a time it His death leaves a massive friends were privileged to hear “He was passionate about looked like he was. But then gap for his family and myriad a loving, moving and often hu - buses, trains, books, films, he would dip again. of friends and comrades in morous eulogy from his partner music, his daughter, his “His final stay in hospital politics, journalism, Hibs sup - Catriona Grant. We reproduce beloved dog, the late Missy meant he was taken to Inten - porters and many, many other part of her words here: Dawg, his granddaughters sive Care and he fought to get aspects of his multifaceted life. “How can I eulogise Eddie and, thankfully, me. better to stay alive, he missed I first met him when he was Truman, completely? The real - “He would literally jump up me and the twins and we working as press officer for the ity is it can’t be done. There and down, waving his arms missed him. SSP’s parliamentary group after were too many parts of him, about when telling a story, lis - “He was delighted with his the election of our six MSPs in too much to put into words. tening to Dutch Trance music, friends coming to the hospital 2003 in the old Lothian Region “Eddie wasn’t just a political or encouraging me to go to the especially James McKenzie, offices and took an instant like man, that would be to misun - library to study for some bor - Euan McColm, Pete Lethaby, to his personality, humour and derstand him – Eddie was ing law exam. Lee McPhail, Craig Maclean straight talking directness. man of great passions. “Euan McColm, in his piece and Paul Hutcheon. On that sunny July day, nei - “His belief that the world in the Scotsman said “he was “He would hold their hands ther of us could have imagined could be radically different 100 men” and it’s true—he and I know he shared intimate the storms ahead many of from how it is organised today, was. The one of those men we moments with his male which we faced shoulder to his belief in socialism never need to honour first is the friends. Eddie was a fighter shoulder, in a way I will never left him. He was a dialectical grandfather to Ella, Poppy, and a lover, not just my lover. forget. His death so very young and historical materialist, he Daisy and Pippa; not just any Thank you for loving him.”

2 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 481 Sorry Sanders booed by own support as he endorses Clinton for President by Colin Fox, were equally bewildered by his U-turn on democratically elected government in SSP national co-spokesperson Clinton. He had spent all year exposing Honduras. She attacked the Arab Spring her record and now here he was in 2010 and led the military onslaught that I’VE FOLLOWED Bernie Sanders demanding they support her. His killed tens of thousands and fomented career for 20 years. We invited him to humiliation was complete when he anarchy in Libya in 2011. Not to mention speak at the Edinburgh May Day rally in claimed this woman at the heart of the US her support for the wars in Iraq and 2005 but he had to pull out at the last political establishment over the past 30 Afghanistan. One of her biggest backers, minute. His decision to seek the years “… will make an outstanding as Sanders has repeatedly pointed out, is Democratic Party nomination for President President. I am proud to stand with her.” Wall Street who have given her tens of surprised me not least because he is not a The key question Bernie Sanders and millions of dollars in recent years. This party member. He ran because no one his Chief of Staff Jeff Weaver must now sponsor is closely followed by the Israeli else would. The ‘left caucus’ wanted answer is what have they left behind for lobby and the arms companies who profit Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to run the socialist movement in America to build from the violence she foments in the but she refused. So like Jeremy Corbyn in upon? And the painful truth is very little Middle East. She can never therefore Labour’s 2015 contest, Sanders stepped indeed. His ‘political revolution’ has left fight Trump as the representative of ‘real in simply to raise the left’s arguments. town and his offices have closed. ‘Bernie’s political change’ or of ordinary Americans. Many doubted the wisdom of seeking Sandernistas’ have been demobilised. Owen Jones’ suggestion is so the nomination but over the past year, Little remains but confusion and misplaced that it is the billionaire Trump, those doubts were put to one side as he disappointment. Worse, he has created odious, racist and idiotic as he is, who is mobilised millions of Americans round his illusions in both Hilary Rodham Clinton now seen as the anti-establishment socialist case for change. They turned and the Democratic Party itself which no candidate in this contest! That is why he out in their thousands at hundreds of self-respecting socialist should ever do. is neck and neck in the polls. rallies in towns and cities across America. Those who insist, as Owen Jones Drawing in $100million in small donations naively did in The Guardian this week, No short cut to socialism he recruited thousands of volunteers to that “The task ahead is to defeat Donald The lesson here is that there is no promote his message on universal Trump and create real political change by short-cut to building a mass movement education and healthcare, on income backing Clinton,” should ask themselves for socialism in the United States or inequality, on Wall Street corruption, what real political change Hilary Clinton anywhere else. Pretending anti-socialist racism, imperial wars and the prospect of represents. Her popularity among parties such as the Democrats will serve a better world for those most in need. working class Americans and young the interests of working class people as people is as bad as Trump’s! There is Sanders has suggested this last year is Predictable dilemma nothing progressive about her. She is foolish. A principled socialist party But his tactic was always destined to part of the problem, not its solution. steeped in the working class tradition in fail. For he sought to build a popular As John Pilger points out on America is needed more than ever. socialist movement in America via a newmatilda.com, Clinton has been an It may take some time but as the capitalist party and ended up in a utterly reactionary response to Sanders message shows, predictable dilemma. It was inevitable he Secretary of State. the potential at least is there. But it would have to endorse Hilary Clinton, She threatened to needs to be intellectually focused and something no socialist “totally obliterate” committed. No self-respecting should ever do. Not Iran by using socialist would join the US even in the face of nuclear weapons Democratic Party. someone as against them. She And as if to amplify the point, odious as Donald backed the coup Bernie Sanders has announced he Trump. How sad it which ousted the will stand as an Independent socialist was then to see again when he seeks re-election to him booed by the Senate for Vermont next his own year. It is of course supporters at remarkable how the Democratic far he got in the BERN AND LEARN: National Bernie Sanders and his race. But Convention supporters should know ultimately that inside the Quick there is no short-cut to shows just Loans Centre in building a mass movement how bad a Philadelphia. for socialism in the United candidate States or anywhere else Millions watching at home Clinton is.

issue 481 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 3 JOHN M cALLION faces a ‘developing calamity’ warns the SSP’s John Scotland. The other seat was former leader Johann Lamont’s from the movement that McAllion , former Labour held by the Labour rebel reference to the “branch almost won Scotland MP and MSP Dennis Canavan. office” status of the party north independence from the UK. By 2016, every one of these of the border, has grown into Research shows that almost LABOUR’S CRISIS has so 29 seats was held by the SNP. demands for a fully half of Labour’s new mass far focussed on characters and In less than 20 years the party independent Scottish party membership is made up of events south of the border. The lost 53 of its 56 constituency advocating Scottish Home middle-class professionals second leadership contest seats while haemorrhaging Rule within a fully federal UK. belonging to the social group within a year looks set to 745,000 constituency and The recent consultation of AB. While nearly half of the confirm the political chasm regional list votes. Scottish party members that UK population is deemed to that exists between the party Labour’s Kezia Dugdale ruled out an independent be working class, only a fifth membership and its was the only major Scottish Scottish Labour Party adds to of Labour’s members are in parliamentary representatives. party leader who failed to win rather than clarifies the that category. There is little doubt that the a constituency seat. confusion surrounding the Nearly half of the party’s membership will re-elect Defeat on this scale existential questions of what members live in London or in Jeremy Corbyn. However, the inevitably sent shockwaves the Scottish Labour Party is southern England. A large impact of his re-election on across the Scottish party that and what it stands for. majority of the membership the Parliamentary party now threaten further turmoil. In the have university degrees. threatens the unity and even wake of the vote to leave the Will of the people The angry and excluded the survival of the party at EU, former Labour First What is certain is that the working classes of northern Westminster. Minister, Henry McLeish, devolution settlement Labour Britain remain seriously Less attention so far has warned that Scotland could be delivered is no longer the underrepresented in the ranks been given to the developing in either the EU or the UK but settled will of the Scottish of the “Corbynistas”. What calamity within the Scottish not in both; adding that he people. Labour’s lost heartlands once were the party’s Labour Party. personally would vote for an have swung to a party that heartlands appear immune to The scale of Scottish independent Scotland that advocates full independence the appeal of “Momentum”. Labour’s collapse is remained part of the EU. from the UK, while the unprecedented. Reduced to a The party’s elected leader remaining unionist vote in National question single MP in the 2015 UK and deputy leader also appear Scotland is gathering behind a More importantly, British general election, the party was to be at loggerheads over a Tory party that proclaims this Labour’s political project further humiliated by a third second independence far and no further on remains exactly the same place finish behind the SNP and referendum. Alex Rowley constitutional change. under Corbyn as it was under the Scottish Tories in the 2016 accepting the SNP’s right to Labour is suspended in the Blair and Brown—to provide Scottish Parliament election. stage a second referendum, no-man’s land between these an effective parliamentary More alarmingly, this while Kezia Dugdale insists two positions. How can it win opposition to the Tory catastrophic collapse has that Scottish Labour will not back its one-time supporters Government as the base from occurred in what once were be dropping its opposition to who voted “Yes” in the which a successful campaign considered Labour heartlands. Indyref 2 “any time soon”. referendum without alienating can be launched to enable In the first Scottish The leadership is also its remaining unionist Labour to become Her Parliament election in 1999, divided over the question of supporters who voted “No”? Majesty’s Government after Labour held 28 of the 29 Scottish Labour relationship This dilemma over the the next election. constituency seats in Glasgow, with the rest of the UK party. national question in Scotland There is not a scrap of and in West and Central A debate that began with is exacerbated by the Corbyn evidence to suggest either that revolution that is shaking the the deeply divided PLP will foundations of the British provide any kind of opposition Labour Party. between now and 2020; or that The grassroots rebellion such a divided party will be Fill in this formJ and osend iit tno: Sc ottishh Sociealist P aSrty, SuSite 37P 0, against the Westminster party able to win a first-past-the- 4th Floor, Central Chambers, 93 Hope St, Glasgow G2 6LD. Or phone: is in some ways reminiscent of post UK general election 07810205747. Or join the SSP online: scottishsocialistparty.org/join-us the Yes campaign for Scottish following another four years g I would like to join the independence. of parliamentary in-fighting. g I would like more info on the Scottish Socialist Party Energetic, idealistic and Scottish Labour has been Name...... radical, it demands a better flirting with the national Address...... and more left kind of politics question for almost half of a ...... that rejects the neo-liberal century. If it is to survive in Phone...... consensus and places people any recognisable form, now is before profits. Yet, in crucial surely the time for it to grasp Email...... respects, it is very different the independence nettle.

4 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 481 EDITORIAL Brexit vote unleashes Hydra-headed crisis opening way to Indyref 2 by Ken Ferguson THERESA MAY: creasingly national independence seems the hard right only way to do it. Such an approach will be LENIN’S FAMOUS dictum that “There opposed tooth and nail by London menac - are decades where nothing happens; and ing as it does not just the UK’s existence but there are weeks where decades happen.” its world role in NATO, its seat on the UN might well have been written about the hydra security council and of course its ability to headed crisis sweeping post Brexit Britain. reinvent a “British” world role post Brexit. Not since the torrid summer of 1940, as Nuclear armed submarines based here are Hitler’s panzers swept across France and treasured both as a military status symbol debate was joined in ruling class circles in and guarantor of London’s seat at the “top London on whether to seek a peace with the table” of world diplomacy and the loss of Nazis, has so much been in play for the very there Clyde bases is unthinkable for them. future of the UK as a state. This central role of Scotland in the pro - The Tory cabinet put in place by newly jection of Britishness means that unionists installed Premier Theresa May is firmly of will pull out all the stops to defeat an inde - the hard right and has, in the process, ruth - pendence vote. lessly buried predecessor Cameron’s “big For socialists such as the SSP and those society” attempt to move the Conservatives grouped around a range of campaigning towards a softer social liberalism. a Gramscian “war of position” strategy to groups such as RISE and the Radical Inde - Small wonders that ruling class politicians convince its way to independence in the pendence Campaign the demand for inde - and their servants in legal, academic and middle distance. And then came Brexit. pendence will need to stand on a much media circles sing the praises of Britain’s in - Unlike the UK, Scotland voted heavily to broader base than that of for and against EU finitely flexible “unwritten” constitution ! remain in the EU by a 60/40 margin but be - membership. Meanwhile Labour MPs who have never cause the vote was UK wide now faces sever - been reconciled to Corbyn’s leadership ing its links in the teeth of the opinions of Scots Break with neoliberalism used Brexit to trigger a series of resigna - overruled by largely English Brexit voters. The left sees serious problems with the tions by parliamentary spokesmen and The Brexit vote has sparked public out - EU and those supporting Remain did so stage a no confidence vote in him. rage in Scotland and certainly has all the ap - with a caveat on the need to build progres - Over a month later and defeated in at - pearance of the “material change” floated sive alliances across the EU for change and tempts to keep Corbyn’s name off a fresh in the May election. a break with neoliberalism. ballot the coup plotters now have only rela - Sturgeon has launched a campaign to They also stress the need to address key tive unknown former drug company lobby - keep Scotland within in the EU, setting up concerns among working class voters on ist and claimed “left” Owen Smith, whose an all party commission of experts to ex - such issues as pensions, job and economic pitch is not being Corbyn, in the race. plore how this might be done and engaging security and centrally what currency an in - in shuttle diplomacy with EU leaders. dependents Scotland would use. Labour split However any attempt to stay in the EU In 2014 the left was central in both con - If Corbyn wins again its is hard to see and also a Brexiting UK faces what look structing a vision of an alternative socially how a split can be avoided. However for like insurmountable obstacles. just progressive Scotland and inspiring a Scotland, the outcome of Labour’s agonis - Already Spanish Prime Minster Rajoy mass movement around it in contrast to the ing struggle is far from the centre of political and French President Hollande have made essentially “UK lite” offer of the SNP and debate given their 2015 Westminster wipe their opposition to such a solution public the caution of the official Yes campaign. out and relegation behind the Tories in May. with Rajoy in particular well aware of what This vision was key in delivering massive In the May election Sturgeon carefully such a solution could mean for Spain. Yes victories in key working class cities avoided pledging a re-run of the 2014 inde - Rajoy is adamantly opposed to independ - such as Dundee and Glasgow. pendence vote with the formulation that it ence movements in Catalonia and the Basque In any new campaign the stakes will be would only take place if there was a “mate - country and will oppose a Scottish deal. even higher and the battle sharper which is rial change” in Scotland’s circumstances. Besieged French President Hollande why the Pro Independence left needs to be This allowed voters who voted No in faces a major challenge from the far right campaigning on the broad case for an inde - 2014 to back the SNP based on their record Front Nationale of Marie Le Pen in next pendent socially just Scotland which can in - of competence in government since 2007 year’s presidential elections. Le Pen has spire confidence and win. and the result was a further administration promised a French referendum on EU The Brexit vote has created a grave crisis led by First Minister Sturgeon. membership if she wins and for Brussels for the UK, and the pro-independence Scotland was set for an SNP administra - this is the stuff of nightmares. forces should borrow the old Irish slogan tion soft peddling the independence demand Thus if Scotland is to reject the Union about England’s difficulty being our oppor - despite pressure from its own supporters in Jack right wing politics of Brexit then in - tunity and act accordingly.

issue 481 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 5 TORY THREAT New Conservative government writes Roz Paterson tience with those tiresome planet-huggers, EU has brought to environmental issues, who get in the way of business and would you’re not alone; most EU benefits have IN THE eerie silence that follows a major have us all eating locally-sourced vegeta - gone under the radar of our mainstream catastrophe—in this case, the vote to exit bles and re-suing our carrier bags. media, which prefers to focus on bloated the European Union (EU)—it is surely time Or, as stated by Fresh Start, a 100+ Brussels bureaucrats persecuting British to survey the wider damage. It is not just the group of Europhobic Tories, the worry is not grocers for selling by the pound, or forcing economy that threatens to disappear down that the Earth might burn up like a sausage, us to take in ten trillion Polish people, and the toilet—our fragile attempts to reduce rendering all human life impossible forever, subsidise their lavish lifestyles working as waste, resource depletion, pollution, and cli - but that EU environmental legislation kitchen porters, driving rural bus services, mate destruction seem set to collapse too. “leaves European business uncompetitive, and manning our national health service. You didn’t really think that, just because especially in the face of increased eco - What has the EU ever done for you? I’ll he rode a bicycle sometimes, Boris John - nomic competition from countries such as tell you! It has, for instance, vastly improved son actually gave two hoots about the en - China and India...” your air quality, the paucity of which ac - vironment? Writing in The Telegraph , BoJo And, with Andrea Leadsom as Secretary counts for 40,000 premature deaths a year opined: “According to Piers (Corbyn, of State for the Environment, they certainly in the UK. The Clean Air Directive of 2008 brother of Jeremy, and a leading climate got what they paid for! Leadsom, in between set acceptable limits of Nitrogen Dioxide, change sceptic), global temperature de - ill-advised outbursts on motherhood, fa - caused by vehicle emissions amongst other pends not on concentrations of CO 2 but on mously asked, “Is climate change real?” and, things, and this passed into UK law in 2010. the mood of our celestial orb. Sometime “Is fracking safe?”. Nowadays, she happily Needless to day, the ‘Dirty Old Man of too bright the eye of heaven shines, said accepts the affirmative to both questions, Europe’ is still dragging its heels, with cities Shakespeare, and often is his gold com - and will protect our planet only insofar as it such as London, Birmingham, Cardiff and plexion dimmed. That is more or less right.” does not hinder the profitable blasting of frac - even Edinburgh, unlikely to reach compli - Told you. In fact, the Leave campaign, tures in the earth’s crust, and the burning of ance levels for perhaps a decade. spear-headed by ‘Great’ Britain’s very own coal—yes, our SoS for the future of life on But it has made headway, and enabled Donald Trump lookalike, received a lot of earth, has downsized what was a ‘pledge’ to NGO Client Earth to sue the UK govern - its financial and political muscle from Eu - phase out coal by 2025, to a ‘consultation’. ment, and potentially force it to re-write its rosceptic climate change deniers, including feeble plans to tackle air pollution. members of the Global Warming Founda - Gove off his leash Then there is the EU directive that in - tion, based at 55 Tuffton Street, a ‘charity’ As for Michael Gove, he’s the one who sists that a beach strewn with condoms, hell-bent on debunking the case for man- tried to have global warming removed as a tampons, and faecal matter is not actually made climate change, and choc-ful of To - topic from the national geography curricu - good enough. The Britgov of the 1980s ries, including MPs, stockbrokers, business lum. He failed, but he’s now one of the ones claimed beaches such as Brighton, Black - leaders and suchlike. in charge, and soon to be off the leash as pool and Skegness weren’t actually used These canny operators know that an iso - far as the EU and its regulations are con - by people for the purposes of bathing, and lated, right-wing UK would have little pa - cerned. If you’re in the dark about what the thus tried to wriggle shamefully out of what What Theresa may do looks at looked on as they dropped out in civil liberties and a move including our own. The our new Prime Minster... leaving Theresa May as our towards a Big Brother Britain. Counter Extremism Bill was and shudders next unelected Prime Minister. Her Counter Extremism Bill also designed to not target May had been very quiet would have given more those who were guilty of A WEEK may be a long time during the EU referendum powers to Ofcom. Cabinet crimes but innocent people in politics, and what a week it campaign. However she does papers were leaked which suspected of them. was. After the Brexit result, have form on this. When her showed Ofcom would have One of Theresa May’s key those who probably expected a decisions affect her she quietly the powers to veto any British pledges before becoming narrow majority in favour to distances herself leaving made television. Prime Minister was that Remain, found that they were others to shoulder the blame. Britain should withdraw from no longer the folk heroes with Her speech when entering May’s human rights the European Commission For tales to tell round the campfire Downing Street was all about When Snowdon released the Human Rights. they expected to be but in the one nation Toryism but what GCHQ files about the amount This fills me with dread. limelight where all could be lies ahead for us? of state surveillance that exists They have been used to revealed. As Cameron May was Home Secretary today, she was highly critical, support workers and minority resigned, the usual suspects for six years. During this defending the need for increased rights. It is a safety net for all came forward and we all period we saw a huge decrease monitoring of individual lives, of us when we are being

6 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 481 TORY THREAT boosts climate change deniers was clearly an urgent public health issue. Economy, which seeks to close the loop of fectly symbiotic partner. Of course, before But the EU forced them into it, and nowa - production and waste, through a Europe- we get carried away, it is important to ac - days, at least, you can paddle in Blackpool wide, industrial symbiosis, whereby one knowledge that the EU is not a socialist di - without a paddle, as it were. Marine pollu - company’s waste becomes another’s amond, shedding its glorious revolutionary tion, of course, has a new, urgent chal - wealth. Paper-makers matched up with light on the capitalist murk. It is a big gov - lenge—that of plastic waste, which paper-recyclers, that sort of thing, along - ernmental organisation with often opaque photo-degrades into tiny, tiny particles that side stringent legislation to drive down mechanisms, a lack of democratic account - form a skin over the sea and chokes the landfill and raise up recycling. ability, and too many vested interests. life out of it, or gathers in great tidal bores Broad, intercontinental initiatives like this But it is, as Green MP Caroline Lucas of bobbing bottles and things-you-got- have a better chance that something con - comments, the best thing going for tack - free-in-comics, proving the point that noth - fined to national borders because it en - ling climate change, and, as economist ing is truly disposable, not even lighters! sures businesses work on a level playing and journalist Will Hutton notes, an es - The EU has something of an answer to field and a greater pool of different opera - sential counterweight to conservative this too, in its commitment to a Circular tors makes it more likely they will find a per - American hegemony.

Another Europe is possible The EU’s esteemed Nature Directives, which have been instrumental in protect - ing wildlife habitats, and the creatures who live in them, are under attack from a European Commission review process, called the Regulatory Fitness and Per - formance Programme. That’s not good. But we’re stuck on an island with the kind of leaders who think protecting endan - gered species is too pricey, yet argue that Trident renewal, which kind of makes us an endangered species, somehow is not. We are, clearly, better off with the EU, not least because, when we fight against this kind of corporate-inspired vandalism, ‘IS CLIMATE CHANGE REAL?’: we’re making common cause with people worryingly, this question was real. It was across Europe, from Naxos to Nairn and asked by the new Secretary of State for back again. Another Europe is possible, the Environment, Andrea Leadsom but you have to be in it to win it. victimised. Perhaps she has only imagine the desperation She made George Freeman it means my neighbours or got her wish with Brexit. of those who started on a the head of her policy board. those who face the cuts. In Especially appalling are her perilous journey in the hope of He is on record in saying fact, we expect more to be policies and attitudes safety. We have seen the workers in new firms should coming our way. regarding immigration. It was horrendous images of boats have no employment rights and Her silence on the EU her policy to introduce the falling apart. that Corporation Tax should be speaks volumes. However, as White Vans with the legend One of May’s acts as home decreased to 10 per cent. Prime Minister, she will have “Go Home,” creeping around secretary was to stop the no place to hide. neighbourhoods. I blame these Royal Navy search and rescue No place to hide There are very difficult as part of the mood that missions in the Mediterranean After being appointed, he times ahead and we need to encourages people to blame saying that any help said he wanted to “help shape steer those who believe the immigration for all social ills “encouraged” people to make the new Government’s anti-immigration stance and when we know the impact of a hazardous journey. Is this the programme.” are fearful about terrorism Tory misrule has been more act of a compassionate leader? Freeman is on the right of towards the bigger threat to effective in creating a more So what will Theresa do the Tories—so much for May our civil liberties: the Tories. divided economy. next? She has began to make being the voice of reason. The next few years will be We all saw the images of her intentions known. When I heard May had been difficult ones. We can guess refugees on ramshackle boats The role out of PIP and appointed, I shuddered. from her past what Theresa sending there children into the Universal Credit has been Despite her pleas of May will do. sea in the hope of an escape expedited and she has begun bringing people together; who Let’s see what emerges and for them. As a parent I can to choose policy advisors. does that mean? I do not think get ready to form a resistance.

issue 481 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 7 INTERNATIONAL Coup and counter coup: tyranny in Turkey by Stephen Smellie, Co-convenor, The arrests of alleged supporters of the Erdogan’s counter-coup alienating further Scottish Solidarity with Kurdistan coup have been reported widely whilst the sections of society. For workers the fear is lifting of the immunity of MPs so as to allow that the state of emergency will allow at - THOUSANDS OF armed forces person - pro-Kurdish MPs to be prosecuted for criti - tacks on trade union rights and an onslaught nel and government employees sacked; ac - cising government policy has hardly been against wages and conditions with state ademics banned from leaving the country; mentioned. The persecution of LGBT, trade forces deployed in support of employers . thousands of people arrested with reports of union and environmental activists, journalists Trade union federation DISK have de - beatings and torture; hundreds of media and Kurdish civic society that has been on the clared their opposition to the anti-democra - outlets closed down; the Human Rights Act increase since the AKP lost its majority in tic nature of Erdogan’s counter-coup, suspended, and state of emergency imposed Parliament in the June 2015 election now has stating , “One cannot categorize an author - giving the President, Regional Governors state of emergency powers to justify it. itarian system of governance devoid of any and police commanders, unlimited powers. In the wake of the coup attempt opposi - legal foundation as a “struggle against And that is after the coup attempt failed! tion politicians made it clear that there was coups” with the legal window dressing of a Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has no political support for the coup organisers. state of emergency.” They go on to warn, long wanted to have greater powers vested The main opposition secular CHP and the “It is also clear that workers’ rights are se - in his office and to rid his state apparatus of nationalist MHP rallied to defend democ - verely threatened by the state of emergency. supporters on political opponent Gulen. It is racy just as Erdogan was moving to dis - In an atmosphere in which the quest for all therefore no surprise that many believe that pense with the democratic niceties of manners of rights has been prohibited, the the attempted coup on 15 July by sections governance. The HDP, recognising that the rights that workers have won could be of the army was a set-up and that Erdogan generals behind the coup were the same top stripped away ” himself was behind it so that, in the post- brass who had been ordering the bombing Meanwhile concerns regarding the safety of coup period, he could achieve his own aims. of Kurdish towns in recent months, also imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan There is evidence that the plans for the coup condemned the coup. Erdogan has enor - have been raised following revelations that the were known about several hours beforehand mously strengthened his hand but at the coup leaders had intended to attack the island and that no steps were taken to arrest the plot - same time Turkey’s position has been prison of Imrali to murder Ocalan and cause ters. Either this is evidence of a conspiracy or weakened. Erdogan’s demands that the US further chaos in the country. So far requests for of a decision to let it proceed in order to flush deports Gulen have been rebuffed and Eu - access to Ocalan who has not seen anyone out those elements who were against the gov - ropean leaders, spooked by his post-coup since April 2015 have been denied. Ocalan had ernment in order to crush them. Whatever the repression are now distancing themselves. played the lead role in negotiations for a peace - truth it is clear that Erdogan is stronger now Meanwhile the economy after years of ful settlement of the Kurdish question until Er - than before. Not only has he got the state of growth is in trouble, severely damaged by dogan pulled out of the process throwing the emergency powers to detain whosoever he the drop in the tourist trade following the country into chaos. HDP leaders have written likes but possibly to execute them. publicity around the ISIS terrorist attacks to the European Committee for the Prevention The widespread media coverage that the and the sanctions applied by Putin following of Torture asking them to send a delegation to attempted coup received, with live coverage the downing of the Russian fighter plane. Imrali to check on Ocalan’s health. of tanks on the bridges of Istanbul and at - Erdogan’s adventurism in Syria is coming tacks on the Parliament in Ankara, is in unstuck with his support for the anti-Assad Challenge male power stark contrast to the lack of coverage of the forces including ISIS being exposed and the As to the future the HDP parliamentary state violence, curfews and hundreds of mainly Kurdish forces of the YPG control - women’s group point out that there is a need deaths carried out by the government forces ling most of the Syria Turkey border. to challenge male power. They stated, “In - against the Kurdish communities in the east The situation in Turkey remains tense cidents we have witnessed on the streets of the country over the past year. with the onslaught on Kurds continuing and after July 15 were far from creating a hope for democracy for us, women. Since July 15 To subscribe, fill in this form and send it to: , men are on the street, men are in uniforms, Suite 370, Central Chambers, 93 Hope St, Glasgow G2 6LD. men were in politics. Their methods were s Cheques/POs payable to ‘Scottish Socialist Voice’. Phone: n male. Their struggle was not for democracy,

o 07810205747. Or see: scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com but for power. We have witnessed police i calling coup-suspected soldiers as “infidels”

t Name...... and their wives as “spoil of war,” and threat - p Address......

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r ...... tions with abusing their daughters!” c There is no doubt that the struggle for

s ...... democracy and freedom in Turkey was not b Phone...... u won when the coup was defeated. That

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8 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 481 EDUCATION Wealth redistribution and action to tackle poverty is key to closing ‘attainment gap’ by Kevin McVey FREE MEALS: measures like universal free school meals can make a difference, as it ensures that every child can learn without being hungry. (Photo: Jo Harvie)

IN AUGUST 2015, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declared that she wished to be judged on her success in closing the ‘attain - ment gap’ in Scottish education. For good reason. Reflecting the grotesque inequality that scars Scottish society educational attain - ment maps almost exactly the division in wealth between and within our communities. For example, according to the Child Poverty Action Group, children from higher income families significantly outperform those from low income households at ages 3 and 5 and by the age of 5 there is a gap of ten months in problem solving develop - ment and of 13 months in vocabulary. Alongside health statistics that highlight that the gap in life expectancy between the most affluent and deprived communities has ing as part of how they identify the needs ment has committed over £100million to widened significantly in the last 20 years, it of pupils. There are various reasons why a closing the attainment gap but it is not en - is clear that poverty and inequality is a blight regime of more testing can be seen as cre - tirely clear how that money will be allocated. on the lives of thousands across Scotland. ating more problems than they may solve. There have been suggestions of the This is the context of the attempts of the The plan is to test pupils in P1, P4, P7 money going directly to schools which Scottish Government’s to close the attain - and S3 in reading, writing and numeracy leaves it unclear about who will be making ment gap in education. The links between with the results ‘informing’ teachers of their decisions about how it is spent, who is ac - deprivation and educational attainment are pupil’s progress. How these tests may add countable for it and how much flexibility it complex and deep seated, so simply put no to the professional judgements teachers are may give individual schools in setting matter what initiatives are taken in the ed - making on a daily basis on how each child teacher’s terms and conditions. ucation system their impact will be severely is progressing is not entirely clear. Regardless, this extra finance will not limited unless it is part of a much wider so - Indeed, even two advisors to the Scottish offset how austerity continues to grind cial programme that tackles inequalities in government have now questioned the value away at education services across the coun - income, housing and access to services. of testing with one of them pointing out the try. One example is in North Lanarkshire “limitations that the system is going to Council which is proposing to close three Simple measures have, from a data perspective”. libraries and two mobile libraries. Even measures like universal free school Even more problematic is the experience In some of Scotland’s most deprived com - meals, a campaign championed by the SSP, of how such testing can distort how teach - munities a service that can provide access to can make a difference as it ensures that ing in the classroom takes place. The temp - books, IT and even a quiet place to study will every child can learn without being hungry. tation to “teach to the test” as schools do disappear. Classroom Assistants numbers Such simple measures which according not wish to be seen to be “failing” in terms have been cut meaning less support for indi - to a study in Durham found that it “in - of the results would inevitably grow and vidual pupils in class and increased pressure creased attainment in disadvantaged areas” could have a negative impact on what is for teachers aiming to support those pupils have to form part of a much wider consid - taught in class. who may be in need of support. eration of how systemic inequality must be Also, at a time when two of Scotland’s There is no doubt that closing the attain - tackled if kids have the opportunity to biggest teachers unions, the SSTA and the ment gap may be the biggest challenge that achieve their potential in whatever field in - EIS are in the process of organising action faces politicians in Scotland. It cannot how - spires or interests them. to cut workloads it is difficult to see how ever be achieved without measures like re - However, it is also the case that policies the Government’s commitment to increased duced class sizes, reducing teacher specific to the education system have a sig - testing fits in with the Education Secretary workload and properly resourced support nificant part to play in improving all chil - John Swinney’s apparent willingness to ne - for all pupils. It can also only be achieved dren’s educational experiences. Already, in gotiate ways of cutting the amount of time if the underlying issues of poverty and dep - the early stages of the Government’s teachers already have to commit to assess - rivation are tackled which will require a agenda on attainment alarm bells are begin - ments for the new National Qualifications. much wider programme of wealth redistri - ning to ring. Central to these concerns are Other concerns exist around how these bution and investment in Scotland’s poorest the Government’s determination to use test - measures will be resourced. The Govern - communities.

issue 481 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 9 WORKPLACE • from back page guards are trained to take over communication with signal staff and carry out a range of procedures to prevent collisions, as well as safe evacuation procedures. In contrast, Ticket Examiners primarily sell and check tickets, with only very limited customer services duties. And they are substantially lower paid than conductors/guards—which is why dilution or downright abolition of the guards’ role is attractive to money- grabbing Abellio bosses.

Literally driver-only! Abellio ScotRail bosses have fired off a double-barreled lie with their protestations that they will ‘always schedule a second member of staff on all trains’. What they don’t mention is LET THE DRIVER DRIVE: it is that they mean Ticket Examiners, less safe for both the driver instead of guards. What they and passengers if the driver is distracted by additional duties desperately try to hide is the fact that on already-existing DOO trains, at least 20 DOO trains because their prime aim is strikebreaking scabs, mostly managers, per cent run without even a Ticket profit maximisation. And their attempts to to try and break the back of the RMT. Examiner on board; literally driver only! hoodwink the public morph into obnoxious They sought to enlist a new batch At least 300 DOO trains per fortnight hypocrisy when we consider who owns from Merseyrail. in recent months have run with only the Abellio, and what their parent company They tried to divide and conquer driver on board. That’s especially the practices regarding train conductors. workers by offering ‘guarantees’ to a pattern at night—precisely when anti- Abellio was awarded the franchise by minority of the guards on High Speed social behaviour and the dangers at the SNP government in October 2014— Trains and diesels—whilst refusing to unstaffed stations are most prevalent. in itself a disgraceful decision, when they even discuss their DOO plans with the Understaffing means Ticket Examiners could have taken ScotRail into public RMT or Aslef. are frequently asked to change from a ownership, as favoured by a sweeping They rarely even agreed to talks, back shift to morning, when the highest majority of the Scottish people. including ones brokered by ACAS, and ticket revenue is available, leaving The Scottish government spurned the consistently failed to make any meaningful drivers to be the sole staff member on opportunity for Scottish state ownership in proposals when they did turn up. later trains. favour of Dutch state ownership; Abellio is Two other devastating factors part of the Dutch state-owned railway Abellio in retreat underline the critical importance of company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen. The They hoped they could browbeat keeping the guards on our trains—and latter reported “revenue from passenger workers into submission. But they indeed of not only defending the jobs transport increased by £644.8million (in reckoned without the courage and and roles of the existing 600 guards, but 2015) primarily due to the start of the tenacity of RMT strikers, and the growing of demanding the SNP government ScotRail franchise”. opposition of drivers in Aslef to DOO. stand up for safety by re-introducing And the profits siphoned off ScotRail So now Abellio has switched to a guards on ALL ScotRail trains. workers and passengers have then combination of repression and Even the company funded Rail contributed to their policy of having not concession to try and break the Standards and Safety Board has newly just one, but TWO guards on most opposition they encounter. They’ve just reported a rise in assaults on platforms Dutch trains!! announced legal action against the RMT and trains, and a devastating 48 per for ‘inducing an overtime ban’. This cent rise in accidents at the Platform Bosses’ methods stink accusation is utter rubbish; it treats Train Interface—the likes of ‘grab and For months Abellio have planned to workers as cattle with no minds of their drag’, falls onto the track. impose DOO across the Central Belt, own. But it’s meant to scare the unions And the Scottish government bypassing the unions by use of Yammer, into submission. Transport Secretary Humza Yousaf social media and letters to workers’ And now they have floated a new recently admitted an astonishing 70 per home addresses. proposal that allegedly guarantees a cent of Scotland’s stations—214 out of Never have they consulted with the guard on every one of the new trains 346—are entirely unstaffed! recognised unions on their proposals. (EMUs), but would give drivers control Abellio bosses are trying to impose They conscripted an army of over the train doors. That’s a very

10 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 481 WORKPLACE PUBLIC OWNERSHIP : the SNP government should be pounded with distracted by additional duties such as demands to fine Abellio for provoking disruption to services, strip protecting the platform train interface. them of the franchise, and to take ScotRail into public ownership The guard/conductor should retain responsibility for door operation.” Anyone reading this can add their weight to the strikers’ courageous battle for public safety. Organise workplace collections and union donations to the RMT strike fund. Visit your nearest picket line. Write letters in support to local media. Send solidarity messages to [email protected] Bombard your local MSPs and the Scottish government with demands to ‘Keep the Guards’. The stance of the SNP government on this issue shows up their leadership as pro-big business, not friends of the unions as they’d like us believe. They awarded Abellio a franchise that aims to extend DOO. They’ve failed to significant retreat compared to their have played an important part in stepping condemn Abellio’s union-bashing, stance over recent months. up the pressure on Abellio—and not just safety-slashing mission. But it still begs several questions, still through building public support for the Nicola Sturgeon last month trotted out unanswered at least as we go to print: strikers, important as that is. the company line that this was all about Will the guard still deal with platform and They were the first to demand and ‘who presses a button’. train dispatches safety? If so, why not organise emergency branch meetings of SNP Transport Secretary Humza also control of the doors? What if guards Aslef members, which have been Yousaf tweeted, on 23 July, “Strikes go onto the platform but the driver doesn’t attended by about a third of the should be suspended and passengers see them and moves off? Why add to the members—a tremendous turnout put first while dialogue ongoing”. burdens of responsibility already faced by considering the number of drivers on What dialogue?! drivers? What guarantee is there for the shift at the time of meetings—where Abellio had at that stage refused any full duration of the Abellio franchise, and Motions demanding a strike ballot have meaningful negotiations. Far from indeed after it finishes? been unanimously passed, as well as suspending strikes, it was only after What’s to stop Abellio or their donations to the RMT strike fund. sustained RMT strikes and Aslef branch successors from phasing out guards in It’s no accident that subsequent to votes for action that they’ve even started favour of cheaper labour—Ticket these meetings, and public talking to the unions about DOO. Examiners—if the roles they play are announcement of their decisions, Abellio The SNP government should be blurred, with dilution of the safety roles immediately agreed to talks with Aslef on pounded with demands to fine Abellio for of the guards? DOO—after months of refusing to—and provoking disruption to services, strip then met with the RMT and floated their them of the franchise, and to take SSP acts in solidarity new proposal. They’re frightened of ScotRail into public ownership—with a The reality is this concession has united action by the two unions—which guard on every train. It’s time to take been wrung out of Abellio by the is precisely why the SSP has persistently sides! The SSP stands squarely with the courageous, solid strike action of RMT argued for Aslef to join with the RMT in strikers for safety—join us. members, the growing demand from action for the policy they jointly declared Aslef branches for a strike ballot against as recently as 27 November 2015: DOO, and events which continued “We are completely opposed to Driver strikes will hugely impact on. Glasgow’s Only Operation and its forms, including Queen Street station is opening earlier Driver Controlled Operation (DCO) and than planned after a major overhaul, and Driver Door Operation (DDO), throughout additional services for the Edinburgh the network. We firmly believe this method Fringe are planned, tapping into the of operation is less safe for passengers holiday season, including the school and the workforce and our unions will not holidays in England. agree to the extension of DOO or It’s the first offer Abellio has made to DCO/DDO under any circumstances. the unions! Which, depending on details, The responsibility of the driver of the doesn’t necessarily mean the unions train is to drive, which requires100 per ABELLIO: insulted workers with jibes should accept, as it shows bosses in cent focus. It is less safe for both the about ‘indulging in unnecessary strikes over who presses a button’ retreat. SSP members and supporters driver and passengers if the driver is

issue 481 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 11 for Socialism, Independence and Internationalism Issue 481 5th – 18th August 2016 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 TTaakkee ssiiddeess wwiitthh ssttrriikkeerrss ffoorr ssaaffeettyy

SAFETY FIRST : keep safety-critical guards on the train, instead of dumping more responsibilities on drivers by , not safety; in reality, with no other staff Who in their right minds would SSP national workplace organiser on many trains except the driver. sacrifice three weeks’ pay (so far) over ScotRail has pumped out a stream of who presses a button?! AFTER 13 days of rock-solid strike lies, claiming they have no intention of The guards are intensively and regularly action, ScotRail guards/conductors making trains Driver Only Operated trained in at least 35 different skills that continue to display tremendous courage (DOO) during Abellio’s franchise. can make the difference between life and and self-sacrifice in defence of public But that’s precisely the aim that’s death, and certainly guarantees a level of safety. These RMT union members are embedded in the franchise issued to them safety and security otherwise missing for increasingly winning public support for by the SNP government in October 2014. the rising number of passengers. their stance, as they suffer the loss of DOO is what they proposed in a letter to Their skills include track safety; risks wages in opposition to the profit-driven all staff in March.That’s the aim spelt out with electrified lines; dealing with fires, Abellio bosses’ reckless gamble with in the accidentally leaked documents suspicious packages, and on-train passenger safety. from Abellio bosses last month, which incidents; dealing with train accidents and But behind a smokescreen of lies from they only then apologised for claiming evacuations; signalling as well as a host of the Abellio ScotRail spin machine—plus that they were ‘purely discussion customer services for disabled a lashing out with legal threats to the documents’—after Aslef threatened to passengers, elderly people, on-train RMT—there are sure signs that these ballot ScotRail drivers for action, thereby illnesses, and those most vulnerable to arrogant bosses are beginning to opening up a second front. harassment and even assault by the anti- retreat, with a new proposal emerging social minority, especially later at night. from talks with both the RMT and The role of guards The guards’ role includes ensuring the drivers’ union Aslef, literally as we go to Abellio bosses want to extend DOO train is correctly positioned at the print. Details of Abellio’s offer are still trains on the backs of the new fleet of platform. They get off the train to ensure hazy, but both unions would be wise to Hitachi electrified trains (EMUs) as a safety at the ‘Platform Train Interface’— adopt the motto ‘keep chasing them, way of cutting costs and boosting their looking out for passengers falling, getting they’re on the run’. profits even further. trapped in doors, getting stuck between The ScotRail guards’ strike is about They say it’s to speed up train the train and platform, alert to late safety, not salaries. It’s about keeping dispatches from stations by 15 runners especially—as well as helping the safety-critical guards on the train, seconds—but at what cost to safety? disabled or frail passengers on and off. instead of dumping added That’s where their lie machine seeks They only close the doors and signal responsibilities on the drivers. It’s about to smother the safety-critical role of the driver to drive off after all these retaining the highly-trained guards guards and insult these skilled workers safety checks. instead of—at best—replacing them with with one-liners about the RMT “indulging In the case of accidents, where the lesser-trained Ticket Examiners, whose in unnecessary strikes over who presses driver is incapacitated or even killed, the overwhelming role is revenue collection, a button”. • continued on page 10