Mobilise, resist, defy the Tories: turn votes into resistance in communities, workplaces, campuses, Holyrood and Westminster

PHOTO: Craig Maclean • see pages 2 ,3,4,5,6&7

£1 • issue 458 • 15th – 28th May 2015 scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com

Tories win, City banker boasts: ‘Lobster Thermidor is back on the menu! Buy shares in lap dancing bars!’ NO MANDAT E.. NO TORY

CHypocUrisy aTs CaSmero! n calls Tories ‘the real party for working people’ 40% of eligible voters 24% of eligible voters would be needed to elected a tiny majority strike under Tory plans Tory government ScottishSocialistVoice.wordpress.com /ScottishSocialistVoice @ssv_voice

THE FIRST CUTS WERE NOPHTOTO : CTraig MHaclean E DEEPEST by Sandra Webster, SSP member of a family even if national co-spokesperson multiple members have a dis - ability. Let’s be fair to the Tories WHILE ALL other parties though—they will deliver what promised at least to slow down they have promised, and more. the rate of austerity, and while the These ideological cuts will be SSP’s manifesto was a people’s watched over proudly by Iain one, at the heart of the Tories Duncan Smith and newly-ap - election pledge was to make at pointed Priti Patel who is on least £12billion cuts to benefits. record of supporting the death Softened up by a media on - penalty. We may miss Esther slaught which portrays the poor McVey who lost her Merseyside as scroungers, this pledge is seat. Many find hope that the popular with many who voted new SNP MPs with their anti- Tory—we all need a scapegoat. austerity promises will be able to The first full Tory cabinet in 18 protect us in Scotland from the years met for the first time this worst excesses of Tory policy. week, with Cameron announcing After all, disability benefits they were the party of the work - have been devolved to Holy - ers—rhetoric not that far re - rood by the . moved from the Labour Party But as the first Tory cabinet pledging their support for hard meets, top priority will be given working families. Away from the to the further dismantling of the headlines though, the DWP re - FIGHT! take action and support those affected by the savage Tory cuts welfare state and ensuring “ben - port that, with a benefit system efit units”—as Iain Duncan already pared to the bone, further always suffer. Within hours of abilities into work. We know that Smith has referred to families in cuts are going to impact on those the election result, the DWP an - benefit sanctions will continue, receipt of benefits—are most who may have voted Tory. Of nounced the closure of a scheme with more and more people hav - impacted on. When powers are course, the most vulnerable will that supported people with dis - ing to rely on food banks. devolved, PIP and Universal Iain Duncan Smith has hinted Credit will be rolled out leaving at a form of food stamps where the Scottish Government with those not in work will be given what may prove to be an impos - a pre-paid card to buy food. Uni - sible task in setting things right. versal Credit will continue to be rolled out. Already in , Tory misrule it arrives in Glasgow in June. Another five years of Tory DLA will be replaced by Per - misrule awaits us, and all the sonal Independence Payment finest speeches against austerity with different criteria which will offer no protection. This is a makes it more difficult to get the rallying call to begin to offer sup - financial support the long term port and hope. Be armed with the sick and disabled rely on to lead information. People need to fight an ordinary life. These cuts will benefit sanctions and be success - not make up the £12billion ful in claiming benefits. promised and it is those in work Remember, austerity affects who will be most affected. not only those out of work or in Further cuts to tax credits are low paid work but in all of the to be expected. An end to enti - public sector. The cuts will im - tlement to statutory maternity pact on teachers, nurses, council pay has been leaked in the workers and civil servants. press, as has further limitations We need to plan how to take to child benefit. Carers Al - action and support those affected. lowance, a universal benefit, Only then can we hope to defeat may only be payable to those in the disgraceful Tory rhetoric. The receipt of Universal Credit, and first cuts were not the deepest but PIP may only be payable to one this time they will truly bite us all.

2 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 458 EDITORIAL by Ken Ferguson The reality is that, as argued by forces including the Scot - FIRST OF all, there is no tish Socialist Party, many trade doubt that the election result in Mass action unions and a range of cam - Scotland is quite simply his - paigners, the austerity pro - toric, sweeping away a Labour gramme far from a necessary dominance which lasted for evil is in fact a cover for a fun - over half a century. central to defeat damental and final marketisa - From pretend left leader Jim tion of the UK and massive Murphy to puffed up foreign af - destruction of the remaining fairs shadow Douglas Alexan - Tory brutality PHOTO: Craig Maclean welfare state. der Labour place persons The huge vote given to the were crushed by the SNP jug - SNP is both an endorsement gernaut and as the dust settled of anti-austerity and a man - a humbled Labour were left date for resistance to it both in with one MP as were their for - Westminster and Holyrood mer Better Together partners and equally importantly in in the Tories and Lib Dems. workplaces, communities and Without doubt, Labour paid within Scottish society at large. a heavy price for their part in Building such a resistance the two year ‘Project Fear’ No must now be a key task for the campaign which, though it period ahead. won, enduringly linked them Already there are signs from as partners to the widely de - the trade unions that the real - tested Tories and totally dis - ity that the Tory manifesto credited Lib Dems. But it is plans even worse anti-union also clear that much deeper laws will produce a response forces are also at work. with figures such as UNITE’s The cowing of Labour dur - Len McLuskey and the ing the Thatcher years turned STUC’s Graeme Smith posing into a decisive break with so - FIGHT! take action and support those affected by the savage Tory cuts the need to break such laws. cialist policies by Blair and ul - For the socialist left which timately ending in the morass by Westminster transformed chose the wrong side with the played such a key role in the of war, the bankers’ bale out the national question into a key wrong arguments and, on 7 referendum campaign to give it and unashamed pro-business demand with both a demo - May, paid the price. At the a left and progressive content priorities is not of itself unique. cratic and class content. heart of the unprecedented working together to fashion a This basic truth was dramat - SNP victory was their stance coherent anti-austerity cam - Placating bosses ically confirmed in the two year as an anti-austerity party which paign which both keeps the Confronted with a confident indyref campaign which saw contrasted sharply—Jim Mur - momentum against Tory brutal - aggressive global capitalism, the debate moved, through phy rhetoric notwithstanding— ity which 7 May represented like Labour, social democrats mass action from simply a with the pro-austerity policies and build a movement express - across Europe moved to the constitutional argument to one of all three unionist parties. ing it must be a central task. right in a vain bid to placate the which spotlighted a competing As the Voice has pointed out bosses and in the process at - vision of Scotland’s future an - before the SNP claim to owner - Opposition tacked their own supporters chored in the politics of an es - ship of the progressive ground And, as the full horror of the with anti-union laws and spend - sentially red/green Scotland of Scottish politics is challenged Tory assault bites, opposition ing cuts. However while this no and informed by a range of by a range of realities from will be unlikely to be confined doubt eroded Labour support ideas including feminism, anti- council cuts through rail and either to Westminster and there can be no question that, militarism and a rejection of ferry privatisation and policies of Holyrood or simply to the bru - in Scotland, the merging of the consumerist greed. cuts which have led to attacks tal cuts signalled by Cameron break with working class poli - Labour was on the winning on workers wages and condi - but seems sure to see growing cies and the rise of the national side last September but in the tions. However there can be no pressure for a fresh independ - question proved decisive in the process aligned itself with aus - question that in spotlighting ence referendum. defeat of 7 May. terity, nuclear weapons and an boldly a rejection of austerity to In the light of the spectacular The experience of the brutal - essentially Westminster elite mass audiences in TV debates defeats in Scotland for the ity of the Thatcher years which contempt for Scottish democ - and in a high profile campaign unionist parties—and £12billion saw mass unemployment, racy trumpeted by the same the SNP have decisively raised of savage cuts to be inflicted by large scale industrial closures media that is now busily run - the question not just of the wis - a government with one Scottish and the Poll Tax imposed on a ning a quasi-racist anti-Scot - dom of austerity but the fact that MP—the demand for a second Scotland which rejected them tish campaign. Labour simply there can be an alternative to it. referendum can only grow.

issue 458 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 3 by Colin Fox, SSP national co-spokesperson

THE TORIES’ General Elec - tion victory has revealed a starkly divided ‘Kingdom’. The distribu - tion of the 650 seats in the House of Commons shows they are nu - merically dominant only in the South of England. Labour has a exploitative behaviour. Working ers they were any more capable of party that does not stand for majority in the North of England people on the other hand partic - growing the economy today than anything anymore. When for - [and Wales] and the SNP possess ularly those in sectors where they were back in 2010. mer leader Johan Lamont de - virtually all the Scottish seats. pDoverty pay aInd casSualisation ULabour aNlso supporteId the Tscribed EuniversaDl benefits as The result highlights the fractured are rife in retail, the care sector, Coalitions continual victimisation epitomising ‘the something for state of British politics and casts agency jobs, hospitality and of claimants and immigrants. nothing culture’ the party was a long shadow over the national catering will suffer further falls Who can forget the remarks of lost at sea. question in Scotland. in their living standards. Shadow Secretary of State for The scale of Labour’s defeat So, what we can expect the To - This election will solve noth - Work and Pensions Rachel was breathtaking. It is the end ries to do now? They plan to cut ing’ insisted Will Hutton in The Reeves MP who boasted ‘Labour of an era. The end of the one another £12billion from Govern - Observer at the weekend ‘In - are not the party of people on ben - party state Scotland has endured ment spending, promote further equality will grow. Low wages efits. We don’t want to be and for half a century. Such a rout casualisation of the workforce, and insecure jobs will prolifer - we’re not the party to represent was unimaginable back in 2010 oversee wider inequality and cur - ate. The housing crisis will those who are out of work’. when Labour won most seats by tail what’s left of public services deepen. Public services will be - Labour lost the progressive promising to ‘Keep out the To - and trade union rights in Britain. come even more threadbare.’ electorate right there. So when ries’. But that was before they We have been warned. former Prime Minister Tony got into bed with them. That threat was reinforced in Enormous contempt Blair says ‘Labour lost because And yet in many ways the key the small print of an article Britain’s labour force certainly it was too far left’ it shows how question in Scotland now is, squirreled away on page 43 of lost this election and so did the out of touch he is with the for - what has the SNP actually won? Scotland on Sunday ’s business Labour Party. One week before mer Labour voters who now de - Fifty-six seats yes. But inde - section where employment an - Thursday’s poll, the bookies had test him. pendence? No. Or vital influence alyst Tony Shiret of Besi Re - Ed Miliband favourite to become For a long time the polls sug - at Westminster? No. They face search concluded Sports Direct the next Prime Minister albeit in gested this election was stuck in five years of opposition. And on ‘which has come under fire for coalition with the Lib Dems. a stalemate between a Coalition past experience the SNP leader - extensive use of zero-hours But they were wrong. A week Government that did not deserve ship will not condone or conduct contracts’ are a big winner later ‘Red Ed’ was gone. to be re-elected governing as it extra-parliamentary action of any [from this General Election] be - He failed to turn the enormous did for a rich corporate elite kind to defend Scotland from cause ‘employment laws will contempt for Cameron and Clegg drunk on its own greed and be - Tory attacks. They will encour - not be changed’. In other words, to his advantage because he of - lieving itself untouchable and an age us to be passive and leave it Cameron’s victory is a triumph fered a pale imitation of the To - Opposition so bereft of ideas that to them just as Labour did. for sweatshop employers pay - ries. Labour’s decision to support all it could do was ape the reac - ing poverty wages. They will 90 per cent of Tory cuts was sui - tionary policies of the Govern - Tory traps now face no restraints on their cidal. They failed to persuade vot - ment on poverty and inequality, The Tories are preparing traps on privatisation, on warmonger - for the independence movement. ing and blaming claimants and They plan to devolve the limited immigrants for an economic cri - extra powers included in the sis they did not cause. Smith Commission Report as a To subscribe, see: scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com or fill in this form If the result for Labour in Eng - way to temper the SNP’s mo - and send it to: SSV, Suite 370, Central Chambers, 93 Hope St, Glasgow land was bad it was off the mentum. They have also offered G2 6LD. Phone: 07810205747. Cheques payable to ‘’ Richter scale in Scotland. The full Fiscal Autonomy [FFA] Party was swept which they believe is another Name...... away. It has never suffered a blow way to trap advocates of inde - Address...... like this one. Working class Scots pendence. Full Fiscal Autonomy ...... who had dismissed the party in came up regularly during the unprecedented numbers in Sep - General Election campaign. The ...... tember’s referendum stayed away Unionist parties were eager to see Phone...... and took their friends with them. the SNP accept it and the SNP Email...... And there is no guarantee were understandably reluctant. Labour will survive the blow of For the SSP I suggested the g g g £5 for 2 issues £10 for 4 issues £20 for 8 issues this ‘political revolution’. It is a ‘devil was in the detail’ here.

4 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 458 COLIN FOX dismiss our role in the inde - pendence revolution, the way Andrew Neil tried on The Daily Politics recently, we would point out the tens of thousands of voters who told us ‘This [Westminster General Election] is not your turn. We need to get

PHOTO: Craig Maclean rid of Labour and under first past the post only the SNP can do that. Your turn comes next year with Holyrood when we KINGDOM have two votes and we need to get socialists [and Greens] elected there to hold the SNP to account.’ The was, and remains, an important part of the independence move - ment, for it is a movement and not a single party. It has its polit - ical wing but it must also have its industrial wing, its cultural wing and its wide breadth of support. We knew our vote in 2015 would be tiny. Our job now in the SSP is to work with others to ‘hold the SNP’s feet to the fire’ as it were, to insist they keep the promises they made to the Scot - tish working class to defend them from Tory and bosses attacks.

Tide of illusions The timing and tone of our crit - icism of the SNP will therefore bear that role in mind. Will the SNP deliver? No they will not, in MOVEMENT: the pro-market, pro-capital our view. That is why our 2015 Scottish National Party can’t secure ‘self- manifesto in contrast to theirs was determination’ for Scotland on its own entitled ‘Standing up for Scot - FFA is said to give Scotland plans for change. With his House the SNP’s record at Holyrood land’s working class majority’. ‘full tax raising powers’ when of Commons majority David leaves a great deal to be desired. In 1997 New Labour was as in fact it proposes nothing of the Cameron has ruled out a second The independence movement popular as the SNP are today and kind. VAT, fuel, alcohol and to - referendum for example. And is an energised working class the SSP [or Scottish Socialist Al - bacco duties are to remain with since the matter is reserved there force and we must remind the liance as it was then] was the London as payment for Scot - is little prospect of this path to in - SNP that it cannot secure ‘self- only left party to stand against land’s contribution towards De - dependence opening up again determination’ for Scotland on them and the tide of illusions in fence, Foreign Affairs and any time soon. its own, even with 100,000 them too. We were vindicated by European Union Bills as well as members. The SNP is a pro- subsequent events. The Scottish a share of the UK National Bluster market, pro-capital, neoliberal Socialist Party will continue to Debt. All these figures are eas - For all their bluster about ‘the party. Many others in the inde - work with others to expose the ily manipulated to Scotland’s people of Scotland deciding pendence movement are not. illusions in capitalism and its detriment and Westminster has when the next referendum will The SSP for example, remains true character and present the so - every incentive to fiddle the be’ [presumably based on opinion a vital part of the movement, we cialist case afresh. FFA negotiations. poll evidence] the SNP suggest are not pro-market, and we are ‘I am a great believer in what At the same time Westminster that meantime ‘Swinnerian com - anti-capitalist. We are not social you say before an election will, as John McAllion explained petence’ is the way to galvanise democrats, we are socialists, should be what you say after,’ recently in this newspaper, lay the independence movement! there is a huge difference. And said Nicola Sturgeon. So are many traps for the SNP and their That will not work because fact is before our opponents seek to we, Nicola.

issue 458 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 5 WORKPLACE by , SSP national workplace organiser

WORDS FAIL to adequately convey the enormity of the ‘bal - lot box revolution’ witnessed in the General Election. NOW DEFY TORY But an emboldened Tory dic - tatorship, backed by only 24.4 per cent of the electorate, have unleashed unmitigated class war, targeting benefits, public services brutality against the working class, Coalition deal. But now they can ble job insecurity to undermine and the organised workers’ bCenefits aLnd basAic humanS rights; Sunleas h thWe dogs of claAss war. Rother! workers’ wages and condi - unions for full-frontal assaults. 63 per cent voted against them. Within the £30billion overall tions. So what will the 56 SNP An unprecedented tsunami of Their share of the vote crept up a butchery is £12billion cuts to MPs do in the face of such support for the SNP swept all be - minuscule 0.4 per cent, to 24.4 per welfare benefits, clobbering wholesale butchery, which flies fore it. Labour plunged to its cent of the total electorate. some for the poorest to satiate the in the teeth of everything Scot - worst election result in Scotland It was their claim to be ‘anti- appetites of the new influx of tish voters gave the SNP a man - since 1918, ending 50 years of re - austerity’ that was key to the Tory MPs. But if anyone imag - date to pursue? mote, corrupt dominance. The SNP’s historically incomparable ines it’s only those unfortunate They’ve spoken about how they treacherous Lib Dems were landslide. The SNP’s was both an enough to fall sick, be disabled are there to be constructive, not to wiped out, with the loss of 4 mil - anti-Tory and anti-Labour vote, a or simply unemployed that are in destroy. Of course they should use lion votes, in punishment for their continuation of the Referendum the Tories’ gunsights, think every parliamentary committee, collaboration with the Tories. momentum, but especially a vote again; they plan to rob £3.8bil - Westminster debate, and Prime for change, for an end to austerity. lion off Tax Credits, which low- Minister’s Question Time to ex - ‘Euphoria returns’ After the euphoria of crushing paid workers rely on to survive. pose and oppose the scorched But the results at UK level Labour comes the reality check While squandering £100billion earth policies of the Tories to - could not have been more pro - for all those who’ve invested on Trident renewal, the Institute of wards benefits, jobs, public serv - foundly different. Literally their hopes of change in the SNP Fiscal Studies predicts the Tories’ ices, workers’ rights, civil liberties, within hours, £40billion was and ‘Nicola’. What will the 56 public sector plans will wipe out and against Trident renewal. added to FTSE 100 share values. ‘Strong Voices for Scotland’ do 1.3 million public sector jobs by But they face a stark, simple One brazen City Investor told about the class war unleashed by 2019. Zero Hours Contracts and choice: even if they convince some The Guardian : “Euphoria returns Cameron’s capitalist cabal? insecure temporary jobs will let or all of the other opposition MPs to the City! Lobster Thermidor is Despite 63 per cent voting rip. Pivotal to this plan to rob mil - to vote with them against Tory back on the menu! Buy shares in against them, Cameron’s Tories lions on behalf of the millionaires, measures, they will still lose the lap dancing bars! The City is safe feel immensely emboldened in the Tories are determined to effec - parliamentary vote, and then either for five years!” their mission to destroy the rem - tively wipe out trade unions. They mobilise ‘extra-parliamentary’ Black despair at the prospect of nants of the welfare state, which see the unions as the first and last mass movements, or end up impo - escalated reliance on food banks, they ideologically detest. They line of defence for working people. tent as a minority at Westminster. child poverty, slashed jobs and plan to fast-track crucifying aus - When Labour had 50 Scottish wages was the more typical re - terity cuts, with an immediate Smashing the unions MPs in the 1980s/90s, they were sponse in working class house - 100-day blitz. Before the election New Tory Business Secretary, dubbed the ‘Feeble 50’ for their holds. The Tories did not win any the Tories feared their plans Sajid Javid, has announced the refusal to lead a movement of landslide mandate for their plan of would need to be diluted under a Queens Speech will include laws mass non-payment of the Tory to make it virtually impossible to poll tax, imposed by Thatcher’s take strike action on jobs, wages parliamentary majority. The or workplace victimisation; re - same fate awaits the SNP 56 if quiring a 50 per cent turnout in they repeat that failure to use Fill in this formJ and osend iit tno: Sc ottishh Sociealist P aSrty, SuSite 37P 0, any union ballot for action, plus their elected authority to spear - 4th Floor, Central Chambers, 93 Hope St, Glasgow G2 6LD. Or phone: a threshold of at least 40 per cent head mass movements on the 07810205747. Or join the SSP online: scottishsocialistparty.org/join-us of all members voting for it. So streets, in workplaces and com - g I would like to join the Scottish Socialist Party says a Tory regime with 24.4 per munities against what is an even g I would like more info on the Scottish Socialist Party cent of all eligible voters! more savage package of attacks Name...... To enforce even harsher dicta - than those of Thatcher. Address...... torship of big business over The SNP have made the wel - ...... workers, they will also lift the come demand for far more pow - Phone...... current ban on use of Agency ers to be devolved to Scotland, workers to scab on strikes, to including welfare, income tax, Email...... dragoon workers suffering terri - the minimum wage, employment

6 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 458 WORKPLACE It’s about time the union leader - ships broke from these failed at - tempts to reclaim a party that is a shell, dominated by pro-capitalist place-seekers, with a Scottish Labour leader about as popular as herpes. They should instead com - bine with the SSP and all genuine socialists to build a mass, working class, socialist party to stand up for Scotland’s working class majority population. There’s been an elec - toral mass uprising for change, sweeping change. But to tackle the underlying causes of austerity cuts, we need not only taxation powers, but the powers and polit - ical will to take the banks, energy giants, transport companies, con - struction and big business into democratic public ownership. MOBILISE, RESIST, DEFY: a mass movement can That’s why the socialist vision and PHOTO: Craig Maclean defeat the Tory mission to destroy socialist policies of the SSP are law, business tax. Cameron is Rights, including the right to 56. These could build confidence more indispensable than ever. likely to make concessions on strike, and to take solidarity action for more decisive action, including powers in the face of the SNP with fellow-workers, even when coordinated strike days and civil Second referendum tidal wave, in the hope of not be - the strike is deemed ‘political’? disobedience, such as community Rather than succumb to an - coming ‘the last Prime Minister Certainly they’ve never promised occupations of threatened facilities. other five years of escalated class of the UK’. But he’ll make no to do so up until now. Yet that is Such mobilisations outside par - war from a Tory dictatorship concessions on austerity. the minimum required in the face liament should be used to pound with absolutely no mandate in So serious questions confront of Cameron’s onslaught. the MPs, MSPs and councillors - Scotland, we need to call for a those who entrusted the SNP to The looming juggernaut of whether SNP or what remains of mandate in the 2016 Scottish oppose austerity - especially the cuts and effective ban on trade Labour - to defy Westminster’s parliament elections for a second 80,000 new members who stam - unionism by Cameron spells dis - cuts, set No Cuts Defiance budg - Referendum - and demand that peded into the SNP to fight aus - aster unless a mass movement is ets when the time comes at Scot - the SNP leadership do likewise. terity and win full independence: mobilised to resist, defy and de - tish and local authority levels, and The political landscape has been are the SNP leadership going to feat the Tory mission to destroy. mount a struggle of the increas - transformed by an incredible lead a mass movement to defy ingly expectant Scottish working movement through the ballot box. and defeat the Tory butchery, or Break anti-union laws class to win back the funding off But to implement and achieve the just make fine speeches in parlia - As STUC general secretary Westminster, rather than simply aspirations of those who swept the ment and then pass on the cuts Grahame Smith rightly wrote in make parliamentary opposition SNP into the hallowed chambers of whilst blaming the Tories? the Sunday Herald , “Democracy speeches and then surrender to the Westminster, we need a mass Will the SNP Holyrood gov - is about more than politicians and inbuilt Tory majority. movement on the streets, in the ernment refuse to pass down parliaments...the unions are well Politically, the unions in Scot - workplaces and communities Westminster cuts to the Scottish placed to provide a legitimate and land need to stop propping up the against Tory class-driven atrocities. budget, and mobilise the newly effective voice if the Tories’ cruel bankrupt project that is Labour. It’s mass movements that bring awakened masses in a huge plans are to be thwarted.” He also We were told to reject independ - about real change. Witness the de - movement to win back our stolen wrote: “New anti-union laws will ence last year and get ‘social jus - feat of anti-union laws and im - £billions in defence of every job, be fiercely resisted and, if they re - tice with a Labour government’ prisonment of workers through service and pay packet? Or will move our democratic right to or - in 2015. That’s failed, utterly. mass strikes in the 1970s. Or the they continue what they’ve done ganise, broken.” We’ve seen attempts by the downfall of the hated Poll Tax and for the last four years, devolving That’s precisely the spirit that biggest of all unions, UNITE, to its architect Maggie Thatcher, about £4billion of Tory/Lib Dem needs to become real and decisive drag Labour back to the left. which founders of the SSP helped Coalition cuts to colleges, coun - action, and without delay or prevar - That’s proven utterly futile. spearhead. cils, and public sector workers? ication. Mass demos to garner pub - We now see a rising chorus of The unprecedented mass move - Will the SNP demand powers lic opposition to the cuts by a Tory demands for Labour to return to ment for change through the bal - over employment law so as to re - government with absolutely no undiluted Blairism, to appeal to lot box lays the foundations for a peal every single anti-union law mandate in Scotland should be ‘the aspiring middle class’. The campaign of mass defiance on the on the statute books? And replace called by the STUC, with or with - same Blairism that retained streets against Tory dictatorship. them with a Charter of Workers’ out the active support of the SNP Thatcher’s vicious anti-union laws. The alternative is unthinkable.

issue 458 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 7 b

The East Kilbride branch of the The SSP Podcast Scottish Socialist Party sends sends May Day greetings May Day greetings to all workers to all Voice readers in struggle across the globe. “The philosophers have only “The great only appear great interpreted the world in various because we are on our knees. ways. The point is to change it.” – Karl Marx Let us rise.” For international SSP podcasts available at: Solidarity and Socialism scottishsocialistparty.org Search iTunes for ‘Socialist Voices’

Scottish Socialist Voice • 9 MAY DAY GREETINGS FROM Renfrewshire SSP “Freedom is always the freedom of dissenters ” SOCIALIST GREETINGS FROM Rosa Luxembur g NORTH EAST FIFE SSP • FIGHTING FOR PEACE AND SOCIALISM IN TOWN AND COUNTRY • INDEPENDENCE INTERNATIONALISM SOCIALISM 8 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 458 NEWS Militant celebration marks abortion act anniversary by Norman Lockhart

IN EDINBURGH on Saturday 25 April there was an international militant celebration of the 47 years since the passing of the Abortion Act which started to decriminalise women taking control over their own bodies and fertility. Since 1967, there has been a positive campaign that means many trade union bodies such as the STUC, UNISON and PCS have been con - vinced this is a class as well as a feminist issue. Even when illegal, the rich could often afford to get abortions through private clinics that would record another procedure, while the NHS. These are the voices that must be heard Abortion is often the source of heated de - poor relied on the secret help of so called “back today, not those who seek to roll the clock bate amongst socialists but it is worth look - street abortions” that were often the source of back, endangering women’s lives.” ing at the example of Canada—one of the infections and worse. In Scotland, it is an anomaly that while very few countries in the world that has NO Ann Henderson, STUC Assistant Secretary, the NHS is a devolved matter, abortion is criminal law restricting abortion at all. said: “We owe a great deal to those women reserved to Westminster. Some try to argue The law there against abortion was first and men who came before us, campaigning this is to safeguard the limited progress, liberalised in 1969, then their Supreme for the provision of abortion services, family once welcomed, by the 1967 legislation. Court threw it out completely in 1988. planning and contraceptive services, provided However, that is certainly not true for Since then, they have managed without any free and without judgement in our communi - women all over Ireland where it is still to - limitation on women’s choice, providing ties. For working class women on lower in - tally illegal. Neither does it account for the fully qualified medical support and profes - comes, this has always been particularly constant attempted attacks on women’s sional facilities. This would be a fine exam - important. There is no other access to safe, rights from the 1970s to now and the re - ple of a future independent Scotland legal services, if not provided through the strictive amendments to unrelated laws. committed to social progress for women.

The Executive Committee of the Scottish Socialist Party extends May Day greetings to all our friends and Executive comrades, both Committee in Scotland and internationally

issue 458 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • 9 INTERNATIONAL Why has US blockade on Cuba been lifted? by to directly increase living stan - dards, bringing key industries IT WILL come as a relief to the into public ownership and estab - peoples of the world that Cuba lishing far greater level of state has now been removed from the control, regulation and planning. list of ‘rogue nations sponsoring Another has been the drive to international terrorism’. This bring about far greater economic, gesture from the United States; social, military and political unity a country which virtually in - across the continent. For these vented international terrorism; governments and the people of is another sign of the collapse of Latin America the US treatment the US strategy of trying to iso - of Cuba is an affront to their sense late Cuba and another victory of dignity and solidarity and a for the Cuban revolution. graphic example of everything In fact, the term, ‘rogue nation that has been wrong with the US sponsoring international terror - attitude to the continent. It is this ism’ is an almost perfect descrip - anger and hostility which has tion of the modern history of the EMBARGOS TO AMIGOS: Obama with Cuban President Raul Castro caused the change in US policy. United States role in Latin We should be clear however America. Whether it be the pro - basic social services and a base Since 2000 a number of left of that this does not reflect a change motion of right wing death of operations for gangsters from centre governments have come in the objectives of Washington. squads in places like Nicaragua all over the United States. No to power across Latin America. Their aim is still the removal of in the 1980s or its support for vi - wonder there was a revolution. They range from the mildly all ‘anti-American’ governments olently repressive regimes con - To restore the country to this social democratic as in Argentina and a return to the status quo. ducting reigns of terror against capitalist paradise US interven - to the overtly revolutionary as in They have been actively sup - their own people; the United tion over the years have in - Venezuela but they have a num - porting the counter-revolution in States stands accused of being cluded the following. An ber of things in common. One is Venezuela, given massive sup - the largest exporter of interna - economic embargo which has a complete and total rejection of port to the brutal regime in Co - tional terrorism in history. cost the Cuban government an the kind of neo-liberal, free mar - lumbia, supported the rigging of estimated sixty billion dollars. ket economics which so devas - national elections in Paraguay Dramatic change Terrorist attacks ranging from tated the continent in the 1990s; and Mexico and have doubled The change in US policy to - the blowing up of a civilian air - in fact the election of those gov - the size of the American 7th wards Cuba in recent months has liner to numerous assignation at - ernments were a direct political fleet which is positioned to at - been dramatic. Up to this point tempts on the life of the President response to that experience. tack any country in the region. the strategy was to isolate the to the bombings of economic tar - Another is the refusal to ac - Cuban Revolution preventing it gets and a failed invasion. Also cept the Munroe Doctrine Threats remain from spreading and infecting the the beaming of counter-revolu - which gives the United States In fact, the Obama administra - rest of the region and ultimately tionary propaganda into the carte blanch to intervene in the tion’s biggest criticism of the pre - to overthrow its government and country and an international affairs of Latin America if its in - vious Bush government is that it restore freedom, democracy and campaign of disinformation to terests were threatened. This re - allowed these governments to capitalism to the island. turn world opinion against the sulted in a century of military come to power in the first place. It is worth recalling what cap - revolution. And it has all failed. interventions and brutal right Many of the developments in italist Cuba was like before the In recent years this strategy wing dictatorships which have Latin America in recent years revolution. A country was ruled has left the US more isolated scared the continent. Another is have been a cause for celebration a succession of American spon - than ever with the Cuban Gov - that the problems of poverty, in - by left and progressive forces sored brutal military dictator - ernment winning new friends equality and under development around the world but we also have ship which stayed in power by and allies all over Latin America. cannot be resolved by free mar - to realise that real threats remain. violence and repression. This is why American policy ket policies; in fact these poli - In particular in Venezuela A country reduced to colonial towards Cuba has changed. By cies have proved to be the where the possibility of counter- status with most of the econ - engaging with Cuba the United problem rather than the answer. revolution and civil war are very omy owned by American com - States hopes to influence devel - Only government intervention real. Our solidarity with Cuba, panies and tied into humiliating opments in that country and end can change the lives of the peo - Venezuela and the rest of a con - treaty arrangements with Wash - its own isolation in the region. ple for the better. This interven - tinent struggling to throw off the ington. A country rife with This at a time when a tidal tion has ranged from massive shackles of imperialism and poverty, inequality and corrup - wave of progressive change has public spending on health, edu - build a better future has never tion lacking in even the most swept across the continent. cation, social care and measures been more important.

10 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 458 for Socialism, Independence and Internationalism Issue 458 15th – 28th May 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 SSP councillo r’s Israeli arms boycott backed Council the full council meeting in West has unanimously backed a motion from Dunbartonshire last week was agreed SSP councillor for the ward, Jim unanimously by all 22 councillors.” Bollan, opposing council pension funds “West Dunbartonshire already have a investing in firms supplying arms to Israel. boycott of Israeli goods in place and this West Dunbartonshire is one of 12 further move to call for productive, instead councils whose pension funds are part of of destructive investments with pension the Strathclyde Pension Fund and holds funds from council workers confirms our a multi-million investment portfolio. The position of seeking truth, justice and motion backed by all 22 councillors says: equality for the Palestinian people. Cutting ‘Council agrees to encourage the of the supply of arms to the Zionist members of the Strathclyde Pension apartheid regime in Israel is of paramount Fund Committee not to invest any funds importance and must be top of the political in Lockheed Martin the largest military agenda for any individual, group or contractor in the World who manufacture organisation that shares these values. Trident, Cluster Bombs and F-16 Fighter “Apartheid Israel uses Gaza, an open Jets or Raytheon who sell weapons to prison, as a testing ground for these the Israeli Government. Raytheon : “No peace for apartheid Israel weapons and the SSP is committed to weapons were used by Israel in the 2014 without justice for the Palestinian people” doing all we can to ensure pressure is invasion of Gaza during which 2,000 brought to bear to stop parts for these Palestinians were killed. Council calls on is constructive rather than destructive.’ weapons being manufactured anywhere the Strathclyde Pension Fund to invest in Councillor Bollan told the Voice : in Scotland. There can be no peace for ventures where the yield to the fund is “The Scottish Socialist Party were apartheid Israel without justice for the similar or higher, but where the venture delighted the motion they put forward to Palestinian people.”

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