Tag Archives: Scottish Labour

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Labour sets out its vision for Glasgow

25 March 2017

Labour today launches its vision for Glasgow with a pledge to build on the successes of the last five years.

Ahead of the council election in May, the party’s Deputy Leader Tom Watson MP and Glasgow City Council leader Frank McAveety promised to continue to invest in the city, despite £1.5billion of SNP cuts to local services across Scotland since 2010/11.

Nationalist ministers have slashed £377million from Glasgow’s budget over the last decade.

But despite austerity cuts by the SNP, Scottish Labour councillors in Glasgow have:

·         Invested more than £250 million in schools, revolutionising our school estate

·         Built nearly twice as many homes as originally forecast

·         Created 8000 jobs as part of the Glasgow Guarantee

·         Delivered the Commonwealth Games for Glasgow

Scottish Labour councillors have pledged to build on this record with a relentless focus on creating jobs in the city, investing in education and banishing fuel poverty.

Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson MP said:

“The SNP is a party that willingly continues to impose cuts on the people of Glasgow.

“Nicola Sturgeon has passed on Tory cuts to her own city and all of Scotland.

“The SNP joined with the Tories four times to vote against asking the richest to pay their fair share to invest in local services

“Despite SNP austerity, it is Labour councillors who are fighting day in, day out for Glasgow.

“It is Labour councillors who have invested in the city’s schools and services, created jobs and built houses.

“Voters in Glasgow and across the country can send the SNP a message in May – stop dividing our country and get on with the job of investing in local services.”

Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said:

“Five years ago we said we would unashamedly stand up for Glasgow above all else.

“We said we would invest in schools, build new homes and create more jobs. And we said we would deliver the best ever Commonwealth Games.

“Glasgow Labour has not just delivered on our promises, we have exceeded them.

“Glasgow Labour’s manifesto is a plan for the next 5 years. It is a plan to move Glasgow forward, not backwards with another divisive referendum.

“It is a plan that will guarantee a job for every 18-24 year old, it is a plan to deliver 30 hours free childcare for every 3 and 4 year old and it is a plan that will see us build 25,000 new houses.

“When voters go to the polls they have a choice. They can choose to invest in childcare, in schools and in jobs.

“It’s a choice to provide 21st century housing in a 21st century city, to support families and tackle inequality.

“It’s a choice to move Glasgow forward and put Glasgow first.”

 

You can download and read our manifesto here.

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Scottish Labour

THE SNP’S DECADE OF DIVISION

17 March 2017

With the SNP holding its Conference in Aberdeen, Labour has published a new dossier exposing the impact of a decade of division.

As this week has shown, the Nationalists always only have one thing on their mind – dragging Scotland out of the UK. That lack of focus on the day job has resulted in a failure to manage Scotland’s schools and hospitals, invest in our police, and deliver for working families across the country.

You can read A Decade of Division by clicking on the image below.

Scottish Labour will vote against the SNP’s plan for another divisive referendum on leaving the UK. We believe that together we’re stronger.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said:

“The SNP has overseen a decade of division.

“Where Nicola Sturgeon should have been governing, she has instead divided.

“Where she should have been fixing the mess her party has made of our schools, she has instead stoked grievance.

“In ten years of SNP rule, our valued public services have been ignored and neglected in the Nationalists’ pursuit of independence at any cost.

“Nicola Sturgeon’s only tangible achievement in government has been passing on Tory austerity to Scotland.

“There is a better way. Scottish Labour believes together we’re stronger.

“Instead of spending the coming years continuing to stoke division, the SNP need to do the job it was elected to – govern the country.”

Aberdeen City Council leader Jenny Laing said:

“In Aberdeen and the north-east we have felt the brunt of SNP austerity and division.

“Our council is the lowest funded in the country, while NHS Grampian has been persistently starved of cash.

“The SNP’s business rates bombshell will send many local firms to the wall.

“For years, Nationalist ministers have let down Aberdeen. Our life-saving major trauma centre – promised in 2014 – has now been delayed for years.

“While the SNP was happy to tout our oil and gas industry during its doomed separation drive, action has been lacklusture at best since the oil price drop.

“Labour in Aberdeen will fight against the unwanted SNP plans for a second independence referendum that would be even more damaging for jobs and businesses.”

If you agree that together we’re stronger as part of the UK, sign our pledge at www.togetherstronger.scot 

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Scottish Labour • •

We don’t need another divisive referendum – Kez

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s remarks about any future referendum on Scotland leaving the UK, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said:

“Scottish Labour will vote against Nicola Sturgeon’s demands for a second referendum on Scotland leaving the UK. Our country is divided enough – we don’t need another divisive referendum.

“We need the SNP government to get on with the day job. That means focusing on jobs, growing the economy and helping family incomes.

“Scottish Labour believes that together we’re stronger, and the Labour Party I lead will never support leaving the UK.

“Holding another referendum on leaving the UK is the wrong thing to do for Scotland’s economy, especially when there is so much economic uncertainty from the Tories’ reckless and complacent plans for a hard Brexit.

“We should not forget that we are only in this position because of the Tories’ reckless Brexit gamble.

“There absolutely should not be another independence referendum until after Brexit. We have no idea what Brexit looks like, or how it will impact our economy and families in Scotland. People cannot be asked to make a decision about the future of our 300-year old Union in the dark. If there is to be another vote the people of Scotland deserve clarity on what they are being asked to vote on.

“Nicola Sturgeon should stop trying to pretend that if Scotland leaves the UK we would remain in the EU. It is clear that a separate Scotland would need to reapply for EU membership from scratch, regardless of the Brexit process.

“If after Brexit we have that clarity and the people of Scotland want a referendum on leaving the UK then it isn’t the job of the UK government to stand in the way of that. But if there has to be another referendum it cannot be a stitch up by either Nicola Sturgeon or Theresa May.”

If you believe that together we’re stronger together then seen our pledge at www.togetherstronger.scot

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Scottish Labour • •

Scottish Labour will vote against another independence referendum

Responding to Nicola Sturgeon’s speech calling for another independnce referendum, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said:

“Scotland is already divided enough. We do not want to be divided again, but that is exactly what another independence referendum would do.

“Two years ago, 85 per cent of Scotland’s voters took part in the independence referendum and the result was a clear vote to remain in the UK.

“With our country facing all of the uncertainty around the Tories’ reckless plans for a hard Brexit, the last thing we need is even more uncertainty and division.

“A clear majority of the people of Scotland voted to reject the SNP’s false hope and lies, and backed working together with the other nations of the UK.

“The reality is that leaving the UK would mean turbo-charged austerity for Scotland, putting the future of our schools and hospitals at risk.

“Labour believes that together we’re stronger. That is why we firmly oppose a second referendum and Scottish Labour MSPs will vote against the SNP’s proposals next week. We will stand up for the people of Scotland, who do not want a second independence referendum.

“Nicola Sturgeon could have made a passionate case for bringing powers from Brussels to Edinburgh, instead she did what she always does: sought grievance and division.

“Scotland deserves better than this. Nicola Sturgeon’s government is presiding over an education system with a growing gap between the richest and the rest, a health service that doesn’t have enough doctors and nurses, and an economy which sees more than 200,000 Scottish children live in poverty.

“Scotland would be a better place if the First Minister stopped dividing the country and started actually governing the country.”

If you agree with us, visit www.togetherstronger.scot to back our campaign against a second independence referendum.

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Scottish Labour • •

97 per cent of key modern apprenticeships in Scotland are taken by men

97 PER CENT OF KEY MODERN APPRENTICESHIPS TAKEN BY MEN

New research by Labour has revealed that 97 per cent of Scottish modern apprenticeships in construction, the motor industry, manufacturing and engineering are taken by men.

In a speech at Reform Scotland to mark International Women’s Day and the Budget earlier this week, Kezia Dugdale published new research showing that just 3 per cent of modern apprenticeships in key industries are taken by women.

Research by Engender revealed that just 25 per cent of company directors in Scottish FTSE 100 companies are women.

More details about modern apprenticeships in Scotland can be found here.

Speaking at Reform Scotland, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said:

“In planning for the future we should be planning for a Scottish economy that puts equality at its heart. 

“By that I mean the whole gamut of equality. We need an economy that works for all, regardless of who you are, where you live and the sector you work in.

“For those in professional sectors the tide is turning but it is still not nearly good enough. 

“As Engender’s Sex and Power report said earlier this week, only 25 per cent of company directors of Scottish FTSE 100 companies are women, and not a single chief executive of a Scottish FTSE company is female.

“At all senior levels in public life, and in the private sector, women are still not getting the top opportunities. As we look to the future, we have to ensure that this same inequality isn’t sustained into the next generation.

“Earlier this week, I had the privilege to meet some of the new apprentices at Standard Life. These are young people getting front line experience of the finance sector and gaining valuable real-world experience. It’s a great scheme.

“But across the country, the next generation of workers are still finding themselves setting out on their careers being segregated by gender.

“Ninety-seven per cent of the modern apprenticeships in construction, the motor industry, manufacturing and engineering are taken by men, while more than half of apprenticeships in sport, health and social care and administration are taken by women.

“These apprenticeships are meant to provide the best start for young people beginning their careers. We cannot have a situation, as we do right now, where inequality is being hardwired into the future workforce in these sectors.

“The SNP should be taking action to make sure that this situation doesn’t persist into future years of the scheme.”

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Scottish Labour • •