6 May 2017
LABOUR WILL ONLY AGREE TO ANTI-AUSTERITY COUNCIL POWER-SHARING DEALS
Labour’s Scottish Executive Committee (SEC) today agreed that Labour council groups will only agree to anti-austerity power-sharing deals in local government.
The SEC, which includes leader Kezia Dugdale, deputy leader Alex Rowley, MSPs, trade union representatives and constituency representatives, agreed that council groups will be required to ensure that ‘no power-sharing arrangement will mean increased austerity that will disproportionately impact on the poorest communities’.
All local Labour groups will be required to apply to a working group of the SEC to set out in detail the policy aims of any proposed administration.
The policy priorities will have to be drawn from Labour’s vision for local government, and must oppose any compulsory job redundancies in local government and oppose any further austerity to that already imposed by the SNP and Tory governments.
Since 2011, the SNP has cut £1.5billion from local services – including £170million this year alone.
Scottish Labour deputy leader and local government campaign manager Alex Rowley said:
“Following this week’s elections, Labour remains a major party of local government.
“The SNP failed to win a single majority anywhere in Scotland, and the nature of the voting system means that cross-party deals may be agreed.
“Labour’s approach is clear and consistent: we will categorically refuse to do any deal with another party if it would result in further austerity being imposed on local communities.
“Labour values must run through any deals: the defence of local services against cuts; and the proper funding of the services so many people rely on such as education and care for the elderly.
“Additionally, we will require any power-sharing administrations to protect jobs by opposing any compulsory redundancies.
“Every Labour councillor will always put their local communities first. They will fight against Tory attempts to drive down living standards and will not be distracted by campaigning for a divisive second independence referendum.”
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