NCR public meeting a huge success

Coverage from the Dundee Courier of our public meeting in Dundee last week.

Trident, Law & Prescription Charges

S2W-31128 - Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP) (Date Lodged 17 January 2007) : To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers from each constabulary have so far been sent to cover the year-long “Faslane 365” protest at the Faslane naval base.

Answered by Cathy Jamieson (30 January 2007): Only officers from Strathclyde Police and the Ministry of Defence Police have been involved in policing the Faslane 365 protest.

S2W-30912 - Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP) (Date Lodged 10 January 2007) : To ask the Scottish Executive what its precise timetable is for the commencement of outstanding sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform Miscellaneous Provisions (Scotland) Act 1990.

Answered by Johann Lamont (23 January 2007): Sections 25-29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 provides for rights of audience and rights to conduct litigation to be granted to members of professional or other bodies which meet the criteria described in the legislation. The commencement of these sections is expected to take place in March 2007, in tandem with section 61 of the Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill 2006, which contains a provision to remove a defect related to the provisions on rights to conduct litigation.

S2W-30911 - Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP) (Date Lodged 10 January 2007) : To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29323 by Lewis Macdonald on 10 November 2006 in which the minister stated that he hoped to publish the review of NHS prescription charges and exemption arrangements before the end of the year, what the reason is for the delay and when the Executive now expects to publish the review.

Answered by Lewis Macdonald (24 January 2007): We are carefully considering the results of our consultation on NHS prescription charges and exemption arrangements in Scotland. Changes to the current arrangements may have complex financial and social consequences. We intend to publish a report on the consultation together with our decisions on the way forward in the near future.

S2M-5412 Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP) : Condemn sacking of 650 by NCR Dundee

That the Parliament condemns the decision by NCR in Dundee to sack 650 of its workers; recognises that assurances given to the workers’ union just last year that jobs were safe have turned out to be worthless; believes that the announcement by NCR is not just a severe blow to Dundee but has ominous implications for workers’ job prospects throughout the manufacturing sector in Scotland; further believes that the NCR decision again highlights the need for greater protection of jobs in Scotland, which can be destroyed on a whim as employers uproot and head east for cheap labour reserves, and offers its full support to Amicus and the entire workforce in efforts they make to save the jobs and secure a future for all workers affected by this dreadful news.

Supported by: Frances Curran, Rosie Kane, Carolyn Leckie, Ms Rosemary Byrne, Kate Maclean, Tommy Sheridan

Lodged on 12 January 2007

Do we need a replacement for Trident?

The debate over the replacement of the Trident weapons of mass destruction is raging on across the country, even if the Labour government is immune to debate,
The Edinburgh South branch of the SSP is organising a public debate on the issue in Moredun.

Public Meeting

Thursday 25th January - 7.30pm

Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre

Moredun, Edinburgh

speakers

Colin Fox MSP

Nigel Griffiths MP (invited)

Lothians Voices

SSP hits the campaign trail

Guess what I'll be doing over the next few weeks!!!!

As part of our election campaigning, the SSP has had 250,000 bulletin printed which we will deliver door to door across Scotland.In the Lothians this equates to 50,000 copies, or 5ft square as you can see from the photo, which will be delivered in Edinburgh, West Lothian & Midlothian.

I'll keep you updated on how we are getting on and will post more photos as the pile gets smaller, a kind of reverse Blue Peter totaliser if you like.If you look at the previous post you can see the Lothians version of the bulletin.

Anniversary of the Union - another unwanted birthday!

The Scotsman recently asked me for my views on the 300th aniversary of the act of union. The article can be found by following this link:
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=79772007
or you can read the full version here.
TIME FOR A MODERN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC IN SCOTLAND
The 300th anniversary of the Treaty of Union allows us to take stock of Scotland's relationship with the 'United Kingdom'. The Scottish Socialist Party view is that the union should now be ended and replaced by an independent, democratic, republic.The Union was born of bribery, the threat of military force and the naked self interest of the merchant classes who lost their shirts on their reckless Darien adventure. It was imposed by a privileged minority against the fury of the common people who burned copies of the Treaty in public.Far from the glorious golden age, the myth so beloved of unionists, 1707 set Scotland in the role of junior partner in the bloodstained British Empire.Undoubtedly some Scots grew rich trading and supplying the sinews of military might. But for the average Scot it meant military service or grinding poverty in the growing industrial slums.These evils were only alleviated by the growing working class movement at home and the liberation movements-starting with the Irish-abroad.Then as now what Burns called "the parcel of rogues in a nation" took the London shilling and from 'North Britain' loyally served the empire.The same representatives of the merchants and banking classes earnestly proclaim Scotland's so called 'union dividend' and attempt to convince us that without the UK Osama Bin Laden would be in Burntisland and we would all be in abject poverty.The truth of course, is entirely different. The union is holding Scotland back economically and politically, held hostage to another social agenda altogether. Should the Tories win the next Westminster election that dichotomy will be shown to be starker still.Scotland also urgently needs the break with British militarism, to close the trident bases and strike out in a new direction.Just as at the enlightenment Scotland can be a beacon of hope to the world offering economic security and ecological sustainability at home and peace and friendship to the world.