BEDROOM TAX SPECIAL: As the ConDems try to make April Fools of us all, the people take to the streets to fight back • see pages 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 £1 • issue 414 • 29th March - 11th April 2013 www.scottishsocialistvoice.net AXE THE BEDROOM As 105,000 Scots face the Bedroom Tax attacks, the ConDems award millionaires an eTxtra £A107,000X a year in tax cuts... • NO EVICTIONS • VOTE YES TO MAKE THE TORIES HISTORY facebook.com/ScottishSocialistVoice @ssv_voice NEWS Playing party games bwy Richiei Vetnton h pdespeerately juoggling thpe bills tlo ethat inev’itasbly follo w lwhein pevo - slaeshed bacs k council meetings to survive, as they have to choose ple on rock-bottom incomes are just four a year! THE Tory onslaught on the between heating, or eating, or expected to cough up from £10 In contrast to this stance, the poorest to pay for the million - keeping a roof over their head. to £22 a week. opposition Labour councillors in aires’ tax cuts and bankers’ From the outset, the Scottish North Ayrshire proposed a Mo - bailouts has put both Labour and Socialist Party has been up-front SSP Motion tion very similar to Jim Bollan’s, the SNP to the test. in calling for abolition of the The first such motion raised including the call for no evic - And behind their headline- Bedroom Tax. anywhere by a councillor was tions by the council. The SNP grabbing statements lurks a lot But whilst helping to build a put by the Scottish Socialist delayed a decision, seeking legal of fudge, party political manoeu - movement to bring about it’s Party councillor in West Dun - advice - and their leader told me vring and outright cynicism and downfall, we have also cam - bartonshire, Jim Bollan. He won how Labour had defeated an hypocrisy - especially on the paigned for immediate steps that the backing of the opposition SNP motion along the same part of Labour. at least shield those hit by it from SNP councillors, but the ruling lines in East Lothian! The Tories and Lib Dems its worst effects, including de - Labour councillors refused to For the first time in modern exist to exploit the working mands on councils, local hous - hold an emergency council history, some local Labour par - class, so it’s no surprise they ing associations and the Scottish meeting to debate it - an outrage, ties have conducted street stalls launched the Bedroom Tax, like Government to outlaw all evic - considering since they took against the Bedroom Tax - an Exocet missile aimed at those tions arising from the rent arrests power in 2012, Labour has which we of course welcome, Please visit the brand new website of the Scottish Socialist Party at: scottish socialist party.org Like the SSP’s new Facebook page at: facebook.com/scottishsocialistparty Follow the SSP on Twitter: @The_SSP_ ...see you online! 2 • Scottish Socialist Voice • issue 414 NEWS But at most, the SNP lead nine out of Scotland’s 32 councils. So Labour should match its talk with action by at least following suit. And the SNP government needs to be bombarded with de - mands to outlaw ALL Bedroom Tax evictions, to cover tenants in local housing associations as well as council tenants. Alongside that, they should fund the £50million shortfall in rental income that social sector landlords face this year because of the Tory Tax - and follow the example of Knowsley council’s Housing Trust which is re-desig - nating it’s entire housing stack to evade the Bedroom Tax. SNP Housing Minister Margaret JIM BOLLAN: SSP councillor was the first to call for a ‘No Evictions’ policy anywhere in Scotland Burgess has hinted at the latter in a letter to social landlords. even if they’re less effective at thereby cut the £21billion annual Workfare without compensation. doing it than the SSP! handout to these profiteers, she After initially saying “nothing Evict the Tories Labour has rightly demanded made it plain that a future much can be done until inde - The time for fudge and veiled - in common with the anti-Bed - Labour government will keep pendence” (Linda Fabiani hints are over - people desper - room Tax movement generally - the hated Bedroom Tax... “but it MSP), the SNP has at least taken ately need those elected to rep - that the Scottish Government should only apply if people have the welcome steps of declaring resent them to get off the fence should amend the Housing been offered a place to live and they would scrap the Bedroom and stand up straight in solidar - (Scotland) Act to remove the turned it down”. Tax under a future independent ity with tenants in defiance and threat of evictions based on Bed - To make matters worse, government, and the ruling SNP resistance to the Tories. Labour room Tax arrears. Labour’s Welfare spokesperson council in Dundee has pledged and SNP politicians can’t be al - To their shame, the SNP gov - Liam Byrne reiterated their devo - no evictions for the next year, lowed to play party games with ernment has refused to do this, tion to attacks on some of the poor - “provided the director of hous - people’s lives. even though it is well within est sections of the working class: ing is satisfied the tenant has The Scottish Socialist Party their devolved powers, and “The best way to bring down done all that can be reasonably will continue to unite with others would have demonstrated in the benefits bill is...a tough but expected to avoid arrears”. in putting demands on them to practice the advantages of full- fair Compulsory Jobs Guaran - In turn this has led to Alex outlaw evictions, fund the losses blown self government, to pro - tee...one they’d be required to Salmond’s declaration that all caused by the Bedroom Tax, and vide the powers to scrap the take, no ifs, no buts.” SNP-led councils will do like - join with working class commu - Bedroom Tax. And of course the vast major - wise. Those are welcome, if hes - nities in defence of all who are ity of Labour MPs abstained to itant steps forward for people hammered by this cut, building Labour hypocrisy let the Tories off with forcing worried sick at the prospect of a rebellion to evict the Tories, But Labour doth protest too unemployed people into unpaid being turfed out of their home. not tenants. much, methinks! In contrast to their attempts to embarrass the To subscribe, fill in this form and send it to: Scottish Socialist Voice, SNP in Holyrood on this issue of Suite 370, 4th Floor, Central Chambers, 93 Hope Street, Glasgow G2 6LD. amending housing law, and Or telephone: 0781 126 5388 Labour’s Margaret Curran Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to ‘Scottish Socialist Voice’ branding it “a cruel tax”, their Visit our website: www.scottishsocialistvoice.net Shadow Cabinet member Helen Goodman has spilt the beans. Name.......................................................................................... She trotted out the Labour line Address....................................................................................... “in the short to medium term we .................................................................................................... need to reduce the housing ben - efits bill”. Phone......................................................................................... But instead of going on to Email........................................................................................... pledge, for instance, to regulate I enclose: g £5 for 5 issues g £10 for 10 issues g £20 for 20 issues the private rented sector to cap Solidarity rate: g £6 for 5 issues g £12 for 10 issues g £24 for 20 issues outrageously high rents and issue 414 • Scottish Socialist Voice • 3 McALLION by John McAllion or to deliver the lifestyles and security that we all derive from ACCORDING to the most being “British”. recent opinion poll on voting Conscious that the “British” intentions, the SNP enjoy a The reality Coalition government is already comfortable eight point lead destroying jobs, slashing over Scottish Labour. benefits and pension Meanwhile, the Scottish behind Better entitlements, as well as Tories and Scottish Lib Dems dismantling what is left of the trail the Nationalist party by 30 welfare state, Darling likes to and 36 points respectively. lace his speeches with It is no surprise therefore that Together’s rose references to the “profound Labour’s assumption of the disagreements” his party leadership of the ‘Better continues to have with their Together’ campaign went tinted unionism Tory and Lib Dem partners in unchallenged. The prospect of Better Together. either of the Coalition parties Darling tries to paint a picture heading up the No operation of a Labour Britain far removed north of the border, while their from the real Britain of Labour’s own UK leaderships pursued “Better Together” allies. The scorched earth policies across facts do not fit his argument. the Scottish public sector, was On the economy, Labour is as always a non-starter. committed as the Coalition to Labour, on the other hand, has free markets, public spending only recently seen half a century cuts and deficit reduction. The of Scottish political ascendancy interests of the City of London brought to a crushing halt by and international finance remain Nationalist electoral success. paramount whichever British More importantly, Labour is party is in office. now in opposition at Westminster and therefore able Savage to distance itself from the deeply Britain’s three big parties take unpopular UK austerity turns at reforming and shrinking programme. the public sector. All three Currently, only Labour can support the most savage anti- make any kind of case for trade union laws in Europe. The sticking with austerity Britain. HYPOCRITE: Better Together high heid yin Alistair Darling list could go on. The Britain that Better Labour inaction of the Bedroom Tax when or if taxation and free at the point of Together dreams of reviving Scottish Labour politicians, it ever again gets its hands on use.