Be part of the party that represents YOU!

Big Parties like the Labour Party, Tories and Lib Dems are funded by big business and millionaires, so they in turn serve the rich.

Our campaign to get Mark elected in Bishopbriggs South - and our Euro Election campaign, as in all of our campaigns, are funded by ordinary people - you and me, so the Scottish Socialist Party is a true party of the people.

Any elected representatives of the SSP, as when we had six MSP's, vow to take only the average workers wage - around £24,000 a year - not the £64,000 + £000's of expenses the main party representatives have chosen to take from our taxes.

If you would like to have a representative who is truly answerable to you - AND NOT BIG BUSINESS OR MILLIONAIRES - vote SSP next Thursday.

To pledge support/ money to help the party, please text "How can I donate/help?" along with your name to -07810205747





For more details on our Euro Campaign, click on the MAKE GREED HISTORY campaign banner:

There Must Be An Alternative

Bill Newman, a retired City of London Banker, witnessed the greed and corruption of the Capitalist system at first hand. He explains why the greed MUST be made history…


The media continues, with total justification, to forecast more economic doom and gloom to come. And many commentators, with equal justification, identify these economic woes with a collapse of our current version of the capitalist dream (or should that be nightmare?). But if, as so many now agree, the overwhelming greed of financiers was an inevitable result of the capitalist system, then why do none of our major parties offer a socialist alternative?

It is hardly surprising that the Conservative Party and the neo-conservatives of New Labour should want to protect their chums in big business. Given Vince Cable's capable analysis of the stupidity and avarice of the bankers who got us into this mess, it might be expected that the LibDems would offer some radical alternative for the future. Not a chance! Nor is any alternative on offer from the Scottish National Party. It might reasonably be thought that with a substantial swathe of our financial institutions on nominal public hands, at least some modification of banking philosophy and behaviour would be evident. No such evidence exists and all New Labour wants is to hand ownership back to the very kind of people who bought their institutions to disaster. Almost unbelievably, in this context, privatisation of Royal Mail is still being pursued.

So will it be business as usual for bankers and financial traders once their bail-out has enabled them to continue to print their own money again? Tighter domestic and international banking regulations (incredibly slow in emerging) might curb some more outlandish financial gambling, but the very nature of capitalism will ensure that greed will be resumed with merely a tactical nod towards the common good. There may now be few who will proclaim openly that "greed is good", but the basic operation of capitalism rests on such greed.

Of course, politicians and financial supervisors are guilty for letting bankers feather their nests with an absolute minimum of interference. Senior bankers were naturally more than happy to be left to their own devices. Indeed, in my own experience in banking, I witnessed the progressive diminution of risk analysis. Both those with responsibility for credit analysis and the structures within which they worked were steadily down-graded, while internal auditors changed from being individuals feared by colleagues to unnecessary irritants.

The obvious alternative is socialism, and the Scottish Socialist Party offers such a rational alternative for a Scottish public proud of its radical political history. Nor could it be thought that the SSP in anything but internationalist in its outlook, for strong links continue to be forged with burgeoning socialist parties throughout Europe.

An alternative is available and a vote for the SSP in the European elections gives an opportunity to reject the incompetent opportunism of the mainstream political parties, none of whom are willing to challenge the system which got us into this crisis.

SSP European Election Rally - Glasgow

Date: Tuesday 26 May 2009
Time: 19:30 - 22:30
Location: Piper in the Square (previously Chambers Bar)
Street: George Square
Town/City: Glasgow
Scottish Socialist Party candidate Nick McKerrell (see Video below) will be speaking alongside a Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaigner and Joaquim Reymond, a member of the recently formed New Anticapitalist Party NPA, French Anti Capitalist Left

How would a "Greed" Tax work?

Europe: The Greediest Corner of Our Planet
By Raphie de Santos

Europe has been officially declared the greediest continent on the planet. A report* published in 2003 showed that Europe had more US dollar ($) millionaires than any of the world’s continents. Europe had 2.6 million (m) such individuals followed by the United States with 2.2m and Asia pacific with 1.8m. These are individuals who have over $1m in liquid wealth – essentially assets that can be disposed of at short notice which excludes homes.

A modest, one-off wealth tax of just 10 per cent on these millionaires would generate a trillion dollars to create eight million jobs across Europe.

Scotland’s share of that tax would amount to £6.5 billion – enough to create and sustain 80,000 jobs over the next three years, with an average annual salary of £25,000.

We could build tens of thousands of new homes to rent and turn empty buildings and homes into social housing. We could reduce class sizes by employing thousands more teachers and learning assistants. We could insulate every home in Scotland.

Call it a ‘Wealth Tax’, call it a ‘Crisis Tax’ – or even call it a ‘Greed Tax’. It would be a mighty step out of recession, paid for by those who caused the crisis.

The one off wealth tax could be repeated with annual tax of 5% on the liquid assets of these millioniares. This would give them 20 years to adjust to a more normal lifestyle!

Is such a tax justifiable? Most of this wealth has come from goods and services. These goods and services have been made by the majority of the population with their manual and mental labour. The millionaires can then only make money if we the majority buy these goods and services. Essentially through a greed tax we are only getting our money back.


Of course greed does stop at the super wealthy rich. There has been a massive redistribution of wealth in favour of the top half of society. In the UK the bottom 50% of the population has gone, in three decades, from owning 12% of the liquid wealth to owning 1%!

Tax all household incomes over £50,000 a year at 100%. A fundamental of capitalism is privilege, authority and deference, and behind personal power is economic power. This measure would collapse luxury industries like high fashion, grotesquely expensive restaurants and the market for Mercedes – in other words undermine obscene waste and conspicuous consumption. More rational forms of green consumption would follow.

In the UK the richest 10% of households have an average income of £100,000**. Such a wealth tax would generate an extra £9 billion pounds per year for Scotland. Across Europe this would be a trillion Euros!

In Scotland the extra 9bn is equivalent to a third of the entire Scottish budget for 2009/2010. It could fund a whole new health service for Scotland. Alternatively every year with the money we could build 600 new schools or 150 new hospitals or provide 100,000 extra homes. What we would do with the money would be decided by the needs of the majority of the population in a democratic fashion. It would be a society based on meeting people’s needs and not the obscene greed that we now have.



*World Wealth Report, Merrill Lynch Global Private Client Group New York.
** Office of National Statistics.

Scottish Socialist Party Euro-elections broadcast

Mark on Votewise!

Click on image to go to the site to read Mark's campaign issues...

Visit MakeGreedHistory.org

Scottish Socialist Party stand in Bishopbriggs South By-election

Click on leaflet for a clearer view.

This leaflet will be delivered to every home in the ward.




Promoted by Pam Currie on behalf of the Scottish Socialist Party, Suite
308/310, 4th Floor Central Chambers 93 Hope St, Glasgow G2 6LD.

Save Our Schools Moves to Holyrood...

GLASGOW SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN CALLS ON 129 MSPs TO SIGN DECLARATION IN DEFENCE OF EDUCATION IN COMMUNITIES

Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign has taken nearly 100 parents to the Scottish Parliament today, met with a group of MSPs, and started the process of getting a parliamentary majority of MSPs to sign up to a Declaration calling on the Glasgow city council to suspend its hasty attempts to close schools and nurseries by June, and asking for an urgent parliamentary investigation into the impact of these closures.

Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign organiser, Richie Venton, today said:

"We met with a group of MSPs from the Lib Dems, SNP and Labour. Two-thirds of them agreed to sign our MSPs' Declaration on the spot, and to pursue other MSPs to do likewise.
"Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign will now write to and speak to every MSP to seek their backing, to further isolate the cost-cutting councillors in their George Square bunker. "Our aim is to pound the council into retreat with the help of the Scottish parliament.
"The issues involved are of grave concern for the whole nation, as well as traumatising 2,000 young children in its biggest city.
"The Labour council's closures will mean bigger classes and less teachers -
both of which completely contradict the declared aims of the Scottish
government and the advice of educational experts.
"The so-called consultation procedure, where over 96 per cent opposition to
the closures was ignored by Steven Purcell and his puppet councillors,
undermines the whole idea of democracy and the Scottish parliament's own
guidelines for public consultation.
"We appeal to the Scottish parliament to not remain silent on such key
issues, but to shout its opposition to these regressive, cost-cutting
closures from the rooftops.
"Our MSPs' Declaration calls on the Scottish parliament to hold a thorough public investigation into the impact of the threatened closures on education, children's health and safety, social inclusion, jobs, and the implications for the democartic process of consultation with communities.
There is no reason why any MSP of any party would not sign up to this Declaration."



For more info contact Richie Venton on 07828 278 093 or at
richieventon@hotmail.com

Campsie Branch Help with "Reinstate Jim Bollan" Petition in Alexandria...

Comrades from West Dunbartonshire, Campsie Branch and Glasgow turned out to support SSP Councillor Jim Bollan and help with a street stall. Jim has been suspended from West Dunbartonshire council for nine months for speaking out against the diminution of workers rights. More HERE and HERE

The Scottish Socialist Party Alternative Summit...

On 16th April 2009, Gordon Brown and his New Labour Cabinet met in the SECC, Glasgow to discuss their reaction to the current stage in the economic crisis. Two weeks later, the Scottish Socialist Party European Election candidates met informally at the same venue. The video shows the SSP alternatives to the decisions made by the "Glasgow Cabinet"...
Promoted by Pam Currie on behalf of the Scottish Socialist Party, Suite
308/310, 4th Floor Central Chambers 93 Hope St, Glasgow G2 6LD.

Socialist Alliance meet Campsie Branch SSP

On Saturday 9 May, Dave and Helen from Socialist Alliance in Brisbane Australia, joined Campsie Branch SSP for a meal and a bit of craic.

All from both sides of the world had great chat and Campsie branch have definately made new friends across the world.

Dave writes for the fantastic "Green Left Weekly."
More photos to follow (as soon as Dave and Helen send 'em!)

May Day, Glasgow - photos

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO SEE ALBUM

Photos by SSP comrade, Rikki.

Make Greed History!

www.makegreedhistory.org

www.myspace.com/makegreedhistory

MAKE GREED HISTORY FACEBOOK SITE: HERE

SIGN THE PETITION! - HERE

EURO ELECTIONS... WHICH PARTY SHOULD I VOTE FOR?

SSP Councillor Jim Bollan Suspended for defending Workers Rights...

Scottish Socialist Party Assistant National Secretary, Eddie Truman said, "You have to ask yourself what is so threatening about one man, one comrade, to them. It is because he dared to tell the truth."

Pamela Page, Campsie SSP and EC member said, "Jim is an inspiration. He is genuinely well loved and respected in Renton and the community work he is involved in is quietly revolutionary. Cooncil chiefs must explain to folk in the Carman centre why they have disenfranchised them. An abomination for democracy."

Suspended for speaking out for workers
By Jim Bollan
Jim Bollan has been suspended from West Dunbartonshire Council for 9 months

Free speech on West Dunbartonshire Council is a thing of the past if you try to protect Council worker's pay and conditions.... MORE HERE


Jim on his work as a Councillor and on the SSP:



Jim on the "Elected Dictatorship" HERE



Jim's Blog HERE

GLASGOW SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN SEEKS MEETINGS WITH SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT & MSPs

Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign

PRESS RELEASE … for immediate use (1^st May)

Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign is taking its battle against Glasgow city council to the Scottish parliament and First Minister Alex Salmond, seeking meetings and a parliamentary debate on the issues.

Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign organiser, Richie Venton, today said:

“We have said for weeks we will take this battle to the highest political institutions in the land, because there is no way we are giving up just because a bunch of Labour councillors see fit to slash our kids’ education.

“Today I have written to every one of the 129 MSPs, seeking their support in pursuit of a motion in the parliament to condemn and oppose the closures, on educational grounds, in defence of communities and indeed of democracy itself.

“I have also written to First Minster Alex Salmond, seeking meetings of a parents’ delegation with him and his government Ministers, to spell out the details of our case and seek the support of the Scottish government.

“It is blatantly obvious the Labour council in Glasgow is contradicting the declared aim of the Scottish government to cut class sizes.

“Bigger class sizes – which would be the inevitable result of this closure and job-cutting package – also contradicts educationalists’ professional opinion, the policy of the teachers’ unions, and I believe even Glasgow Labour party.

“So we hope we can win cross-party support for a parliamentary debate and a motion opposing the regressive closures, to add the powerful weight of the Scottish parliament and government to our determined resistance to these closures. ”

For more info contact Richie Venton on 07828 278 093 or at richieventon@hotmail.com

END

GLASGOW SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN TO JOIN GLASGOW MAY DAY MARCH

Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign

PRESS RELEASE … for immediate use (1^st May)

Unity and solidarity begin at home! – Defend May Day traditions against New Labour!

A big contingent of parents, carers, kids and community members from areas savaged by Glasgow city council’s school closure plans will march on Glasgow’s annual May Day march, this Sunday 3^rd May, assembling at 11am in George Square.

Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign organiser, Richie Venton, today said:

“May Day is all about unity, workers’ solidarity, internationalism and socialism.

“So we are proud to mark International Workers’ Day by mobilising hundreds of people against New Labour’s school closures in Glasgow.

“Our campaign has been marked by unity, solidarity, national and international support for our actions. People as far away as Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Italy, Ireland and of course the whole of the UK sent us messages of support over the past 3 months of fighting to stop Labour’s assault on kids’ education and communities.

“We will march alongside trade unionists – huge numbers of whom have supported our stance against cuts in education and community facilities.

“We will appeal to them to help us take our case to the Scottish parliament and government

“We are appealing to trade unionists and others to defend the true traditions of May Day against the way the Labour council has trampled those principles in the muck, in their rush to cut money spent in working class communities and hand it over to property speculators instead.”

For more info contact Richie Venton on 07828 278 093 or at richieventon@hotmail.com

END