SSP conference: Scotland’s Stop TTIP: threat socialist party and guests to our democracy gathered in Edinburgh must be opposed • see page 12 • see page 9 £1 • issue 447 • 7th –20th November 2014 scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com PHOTO: Craig Maclean ScottishSocialistVoice.wordpress.com /ScottishSocialistVoice @ssv_voice NEWS by Sandra Webster, SSP class women to come together national co-spokesperson and gain confidence. That may be the confidence to speak at confer - OUR CONFERENCE of a ence, or to take on a role at a local few weeks ago was an inspiration. branch member. Democracy is bursting out all We are women who don’t need over the SSP. There was great de - a t-shirt to declare we are femi - bate and a great mix of older and nists and understand the politics newer comrades all there to sup - of why such goods should not be port each other. produced in a sweatshop where We had all come together to other women are exploited. begin the fightback and stake our There is often talk of the glass claim to share our vision of an in - ceiling but we are aware that we dependent socialist Scotland. SSSSPP wwoommeenn’’ss nneettwwoorrkk should not will step up on other Part of this was our unanimous women to break through it. Our decision to re-establish the feminism is born from many dif - women’s network—one of the LiEiFssT P L bAbTFaOaRMcc: sokkme wooest nncoa s tt drerleagaateccs arkkrive for SSP conference ferent backgrounds and experi - groups I believe will help build the ences but we will find common party, as well as being a safe place me with their achievements. There Discussion about the re-estab - ground to work together on. for women to become more con - are so many women who have lishment has not popped up from To achieve this we need our fident and contribute in an envi - been active in their branches, in the ether. Over the past two years own space and for men to under - ronment that is appropriate to us. Women For Independence or as there have been numerous con - stand why and support us. I be - It was ironic for example that a part of the Yes campaign. versations with many women lieve the women’s network will Central Glasgow motion was not For me personally, I have who can’t wait to help establish strengthen the party and encour - moved by the woman who had grown more in confidence in the the network. The consensus was age us to become more diverse written it because she was unable past few years, and so have many to wait until after the referendum. and participatory. to attend. Like many of you, I un - of my sisters. Part of the joy of Now it is time to show our intent For these reasons I am excited derstood the barriers we face to being national co-spokesperson of and ensure our voices are listened for what lies ahead for women in becoming more involved, from the SSP has been attending too. We are lucky in our party as the SSP and hope you feel able to the practical to the political. branches and meetings where I we have many new members come forward and be involved. Women in the party have not have seen a huge increase in coming forward as well as others It is also our role to listen to you been silent or taken a back seat in women’s participation. who are more experienced. because a women’s network be - the last few years. Since I have be - There are still many barriers we We all have something to offer. longs to all of us. A meeting will come more politically active, there face in regard to even being able to It will be up to us to define how be arranged soon and we will en - have been so many women who participate more fully but the re-es - the network will function but I sure that all women in the party continue to support and encourage tablishment will enable us to do this. hope it will be a place for working are contacted. Scottish Labour’s last supper? by Katie Bonnar each other Since 18 Sept, wondering if this will when huge numbers HINDSIGHT IS a be their last supper. of hitherto Labour wonderful thing. Meanwhile, voters moved into Labour’s Gala hundreds gathered open rebellion Dinner in Glasgow outside to show against the party, was envisaged to them that the people they have lost their be a chance for the of Scotland will not local branch party to make sure forget the role they manager and, if the they got the credit played during the polls are to believed, for saving the referendum she will be joined by Union while raising campaign. most of her MPs some money from Some protesters next May. their rich friends. came from food Maybe for their Instead it looked banks and happily next Gala Dinner more like a wake took donations from they should play with the party in passers-by while safe and book meltdown and those inside spent McDonald’s. At leaderless and MPs upwards of £200 on least they’ll get a looking nervously at their meal. ‘happy meal’. 2 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 447 EDITORIAL PHOTO: Craig Maclean by Ken Ferguson TRULY WE live in brutal times both nationally and internationally, with leading accountants KPMG producing a report showing 5.2 million UK citizens being paid less than a living wage, war raging across the middle east and EU leaders announcing an end to rescue operations for drowning refugees fleeing the results. The latter decision must be one of the starkest, inhumane and brutal illustrations of the moral bankruptcy of the suppos - edly all wise rule of the market. The idea that people faced with war, deprivation and terror - ism are making a free choice to Diverse movement is board death trap boats to flee to Diverse movement is Europe in the belief that they will be rescued by the Italian navy and will stop doing so if rescue hYYarmleess ossccas’i’osnss as nggeederdr. eeanceaa bettweeen thsse inttev i tassble ttsorrciaeleist chnnallengge fort tHohhlyroo d is withdrawn speaks volumes The resulting loss of support, al - pressures of the electoral cycle in 2016. about the pitiless logic of neolib - ready evident before the indy on the one hand and the need to There is no contradiction for eralism. ref, has turned into a torrent as maintain the unity which was the the SSP to both build on its stun - It is this ideology which subor - Labour lined up with the de - key achievement of the referen - ning growth in membership since dinates the real needs of human tested Tories to rubbish the opti - dum campaign. 18 September to strengthen its beings for food, shelter, peace mistic, mass vision of a largely There should be no misunder - challenge while working with and security to the demands of left wing alternative embraced standing that if the changes other forces on the progressive the “markets” for slashed serv - by the Yes campaign. promised by the Westminster left to win real change. ices, ever growing profits for the All indy parties have grown as parties are to be first maximised The referendum campaign few which currently calls the a result but the SNP stagger - and then put to use in the service gave a taste of the kind of poli - tune both in the UK and across ingly so and is now predicted to of changing Scotland then this cies and solutions that are possi - the world. smash Labour’s once iron grip will need to the be work of a uni - ble in the work of building a real at the Westminster polls in May fied and diverse movement. people before profit Scotland. Disaffected public next year. It was in recognition of this All around us the economic cri - And at its heart is the core Such predictions must of that the recent Scottish Socialist sis impoverishes millions, war reason for the much discussed course be treated with a degree Party conference agreed to ex - rages and stark warnings on the but poorly understood chasm of caution both regarding the ac - plore both the idea of what has impending climate crisis grows now yawning between politi - tual result and its political impli - been labelled a “Yes alliance”of demanding action both nationally cians and an increasingly disaf - cations. pro-indy parties SNP, Greens and internationally and it pres - fected public. The greatest strength of the and SSP at the Westminster ents a grave challenge to pro - All across the mainstream po - Yes movement is just that—it is polls and build the best possible gressives to meet that challenge. litical spectrum politicians have a movement and that is a gain washed their hands of any at - which so far has not gone away. tempt to tackle the power of big business to hike energy bills, Women for Indy Fill in this formJ and osend iit tno: Sc ottishh Sociealist P aSrty, SuSite 37P 0, sack workers, deal with the hous - The ferment of debate around 4th Floor, Central Chambers, 93 Hope St, Glasgow G2 6LD. Or phone: ing crisis and protect living stan - a range of topics, the powers for 07810205747. Or join the SSP online: scottishsocialistparty.org/join-us dards and rely on symbolic Holyrood, democratising the g “watchdogs”—largely toothless— media, jobs and justice, building I would like to join the Scottish Socialist Party g to do the job.