“People’s manifesto”: Sandra SNP: John McAllion on Webster on the party that’s not what the new wave of afraid to put people before profit MPs can expect • see page 2 • see page 5 £1 • issue 457 • 24th April – 7th May 2015 scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com Before the election/after the election... INCREASE ACTION AGAINST AUSTERITPHOTO: CYraig Macle an • £10/hour min. wage NOW • End zero hours contracts • Axe anti-trade union laws ScottishSocialistVoice.wordpress.com /ScottishSocialistVoice @ssv_voice SANDRA WEBSTER by Sandra Webster, SSP national co-spokesperson WE SHOULD be proud of our manifesto which is a blueprint A PEOPLEF’EASTURED PHMOTO by CrAaig MaclNean IFESTO for our policies. Policies which visers. A friend with a sick child present our vision of independ - was sanctioned recently as she ence and a statement of intent could not attend her weekly in - that for us independence is terview because her child was only the beginning. ill. This led to her family being af - It truly is a people’s manifesto fected and having to rely on a which puts the interests of hu - food bank. Sanctions don’t only mans before big business. In - affect the individual but punish vesting in people rather than in the whole family. Other reasons global corporations will create a for sanctioning include not ap - more equal society. Trickle plying for 60 jobs a day, or being down economics have been late. We will put an end to this proven not to work in this gov - regime and allow staff to support ernment’s five years in office. people to find work. The rich are getting richer or at Our other policies, such as best holding on to their capital. free public transport and the Social “entrepreneurs” in - building of more council hous - crease their wealth from the ing could have the benefit of misfortune of others’ lives. We creating more work, if these are as socialists have the opportu - brought into public ownership. nity to share another narrative. Imagine a Scotland too Greed isn’t good, despite the where people have access to Thatcherite mantra. Caring for free public transport and where others and a more equal distri - a council house is another op - bution of wealth will create a tion instead of private renting. more compassionate society. At the moment, Housing Benefit is nothing more than People before profit MANIFESTO : to get yours, phone 07810205747 or see the SSP website rich landlord’s subsidy going That is why I am proud that into the pockets of those who our manifesto is not ashamed Our policy of ‘£10-an-hour care for them. Despite listening least need it. Housing Benefit to put people before profit. No now’ will take thousands out of to carers and the promise of the paid into the public sector will other party has said they will poverty not in some distant Smith Commission in devolving support an ongoing programme protect the most vulnerable. utopian state like a carrot dan - disability benefits to Scotland, of building more social housing. While other parties pledge to gling before us but immediately. the best the SNP could come continue austerity and only We will also reach out to car - up with is increasing Carer’s Al - People’s election reach out to “hard working fam - ers, ensuring they have the lowance in line with Jobseeker’s These are a few highlights of ilies” we recognise that what - same opportunities. This will Allowance. The SSP is also the the manifesto. A people’s man - ever unit you live in, you want transform the lives of people only party that is critical of exist - ifesto for what I hope will be a the best for those you care for. with disabilities and those who ing Self Directed Support which people’s election. It was written has created a postcode lottery not by political mandarins but throughout Scotland. by people with experience in Individuals face real hardship, life. We are not poverty-tourists having to pay the “care tax” but a party who will always put To subscribe, see: scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com or fill in this form which means a certain amount people before profit. and send it to: SSV, Suite 370, Central Chambers, 93 Hope St, Glasgow being taken off care benefits at As a candidate in the Gen - G2 6LD. Phone: 07810205747. Cheques payable to ‘Scottish Socialist Voice’ source before an individual re - eral Election, I see it as ammu - ceives a personal budget. This nition and the chance to show Name........................................................................................... has led to increased poverty we are different from the other Address....................................................................................... among people with disabilities. parties. During the indyref, we .................................................................................................... We also acknowledge that the moved politics to the left, and current welfare system is unfair this process will continue dur - Phone......................................................................................... and unfit for purpose. Civil ser - ing this election and those that Email........................................................................................... vants are expected to stick to follow. I’m proud of this mani - g £5 for 2 issues g £10 for 4 issues g £20 for 8 issues targets to enforce benefit sanc - festo and of being able to stand tions rather than their role as ad - with you, comrades. 2 • scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com • issue 457 COLIN FOX The more Cameron vilifies the SNP, the more Scots voters flock to the nationalists by Colin Fox, SSP argued the move was unavoid - national co-spokesperson able after their budget was cut by the SNP government. THIS GENERAL Election ap - So, for all Nicola Sturgeon’s pears to be a foregone conclu - opposition to austerity, the SNP sion. The polls all predict another make cuts all the time. Edin - hung Parliament. And the more burgh City Council, run by a David Cameron vilifies the SNP Labour/SNP coalition, last (in order to weaken Miliband’s month voted to cut £30million support) the more Scots voters from frontline services. flock to the nationalists. And their promise to increase The Tories having failed to public spending by 0.5 per cent persuade voters they deserve an - looks ‘progressive’ only be - other term may win the largest cause the other parties want number of seats but it looks like cuts. But a 0.5 per cent increase it will not be enough to govern, is paltry. It means accepting even with the help of their allies ELECTION: socialists ought not to get carried away with SNP propaganda 13.5 per cent of cuts imple - the Liberal Democrats, UKIP mented since 2010 and will do and the Ulster Unionists. suddenly appear from Nicola ents, introduced tuition fees and little to grow the economy. On the other hand, Ed Sturgeon’s handbag. PFI, restricted trade union rights This is the same SNP who Miliband having failed to mo - The neoliberal economic poli - and launched an unforgivable voted for Scotland to join bilise the widespread anger at cies these pro-capitalist parties war on Iraq based on lies and NATO in 2013. They also the ConDem Coalition, and de - share will continue to dominate naked warmongering. But the promised to eradicate fuel spite his ‘pre-election denials’ our lives. None of them are SNP are different it is claimed, poverty in Scotland by 2015 (in that he will not work with Alex about to challenge the corporate they don’t support privatisation of its 2007 manifesto) but that Salmond, seems the most likely elite who run UK PLC and con - the NHS, they don’t make cuts. pledge was abandoned just to form a government involving trol its political institutions. In Edinburgh, construction when it was most needed. Labour, the ever-available Lib The most common experience workers have just begun laying Now Nicola Sturgeon sug - Dems and the SNP. SSP canvassers face on the the foundations for the city’s gests only that she would restore doorstep is listening as people new Sick Children’s Hospital. the Winter Fuel Allowance. Corrupt force vent their contempt for Jim Mur - It will stand alongside the Labour’s ‘triumph’ however phy and the Labour Party. And Royal Infirmary Labour built in Monarchy will be bittersweet in Scotland because the mood is so anti- 2005 using their infamous Pri - And in response to the wide - where their political collapse Labour most will simply not vate Finance Initiative. Whilst spread financial corruption at means the end of the one party hear any criticism of the SNP. Labour’s privatisation was con - Westminster SNP candidates re - state that has dominated this They almost put their hands demned by the SNP, the nation - fuse to match the SSP’s commit - country for 50 years. No one who over their ears when we point out alists are not so keen to tell voters ment to live on the same wage favours progressive political ad - the nationalists’ own record of the Sick Kids they commissioned as those they represent. They vance will mourn it’s passing. austerity at local government and is also privately-owned. also favour the monarchy over a Labour has been a socially con - Holyrood these past few years. The SNP’s record in govern - modern, democratic, republic. servative and politically corrupt The situation reminds me of ment is not something we be - So whilst we rightly celebrate force in Scotland for decades. 1997. New Labour and Tony lieve that should be hidden from the end of Labour’s hegemony in On another important level Blair were seeking election and voters. Scotland, socialists ought not to however this election will the dominant view was ‘we need And neither are their cuts to get carried away with SNP prop - change very little.