"Are you'se handing out fivers?"-the observation of a passer by to the amazing, sometimes six deep at the table, response to our #bedroomtax stall in Kirkintilloch today.
We filled 8 petition sheets and had to use a couple of blank sheets hastily hand made into petitions by a comrade!
Kirkintilloch is definately against this dreadful robbery of the most vulnerable of our society.
Tories/Labour and Libdems in the council please note...
SSP Campsie members Neil Scott and Angus Clark delivering a letter on behalf of local Socialists urging Jo Swinson MP and Tory/Liberal Democrat coalition Minister to vote against murderous military intervention that is being promoted by Tory Prime Minister David Cameron. The letter can be read here
Tonight across Scotland, Peace activists commemorated the dreadful mass murder of over 200,000 Japanese children, women and men by the US use of nuclear weapons during the closing weeks of World War 2. These weapons did not- and do not- distinguish between civilians and military, nor do they distinguish between BAE / Serco/ G4s shareholders, workers, politicians, soldiers nor peace protestors.
These weapons have been used in conflict twice in history, by the USA, and are weapons of mass murder that no sane person will ever use, yet in these times of Tory and Liberal Democrat cuts, all three main unionist parties in Westminster support their estimated at least £65-100 billion replacement and upgrade.
All of the UK's nuclear weapons- around 200 of them, each with power at least eight times that of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs are all housed 30 miles from Glasgow on the Clyde.
Tonight I joined with SSP Campsie members and peace protestors from CND to walk from the peace tree in Botanic Gardens to the peace tree in Kelvingrove Park.
The demonstration was dignified- poetry was read and a Scottish woman who had family friends killed by the dreadful weapon laid chrysanthemums in memory of those she had known.
Speakers from across the political benches spoke of their want for a nuclear free world. Most agreed with the CND stance that a yes in next years referendum would rid Scotland- and most probably by example lead to the disarming of the rest of the British isles and beyond.
Bill Butler, New Labour Councillor, caused discord during an empty New Labour speech heavy on meaningless spun buzz words. He expressed how New Labour agreed with the Liberal Democrat and Tory Westminster coalition partners nuclear stance. He blindly quoted the no campaign partners policy of using nukes as bargaining chips.
Pulling the independence referendum debate further into the no campaign gutter, he accused previous fellow Councillor speakers Green Party representative Martha Wardrop ( @MarthaWardrop ) and SNP representative Feargal Dalton ( @PartickFeargal ) & @ScottishCND of "infantilism"for their support of a Yes next year.
But most disgustingly of all he twisted the words of Nagasaki and Hiroshima politicians to make it sound that they supported Westminster rule.
CND organiser, Brian Quail, along with SSP members, voiced thei disgust and anger at Butler's divisive speech.
Despite Butlers bitter words, the dignity and integrity of the principled commemoration shone through.
90 year old CND peace activist and Scottish Socialist Party member Ron Mackay rounded the demonstration off with protest music on his saxaphone.
For more details on anti nuclear demonstration and activity, check www.banthebomb.org and https://www.facebook.com/sspcndnetwork
Campsie Socialists and local Greens manned a Yes Scotland stall in Milngavie this morning.
Afterwards, SSP Member, Alan Green said, "What was striking was just how many disaffected Labour voters and ex- Labour Party members were keen to listen to our view of a future independent democratic country.
The dismal image the Tory, Liberal Democrat and New Labour Party have been painting of present day and a future Scotland is not one progressive left supporters recognise.
The recent publicity given to the rapidly expanding Labour for Independence group was noticable as more and more people spoke about their disapointment that the Labour Party seems to speak more for the well off Etonian Liberals at the heart of Government than the working and poor it used to represent.
Many people were glad to hear the pro working class vision of the SSP and the ecological concerns of the Greens.
Milngavie is well on its way to voting Yes!"
(photo- Alan Green canvassing for Yes in Milngavie- c/o @Ross_Greer)
