Scottish Labour

16 May 2017

Manifesto a ‘radical vision for the many, not the few’ – Kez

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has today hailed the UK Labour manifesto as a ‘radical vision for the many, not the few.’

Labour’s manifesto was launched by Jeremy Corbyn in Bradford, and includes a raft of commitments that will transform lives across the UK, including:

–          A £10 minimum wage.
–          Public ownership of utilities, including our railways.
–          Fairer taxes on big corporations to invest in public services

You can read Labour’s manifesto here.

A Labour government will also pledge to:

–          Oppose an unwanted and unnecessary second independence referendum.
–          Establish a People’s Constitutional Convention that will consider the option of a more federal UK.
–          Abolish the abhorrent rape clause.
–          Safeguard the future of the vital North Sea oil industry.
–          Complete the HS2 high-speed rail line from London through Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester and then into Scotland.
–          Establish a Scottish Investment Bank, with £20 billion of funds available to local projects and Scotland’s small businesses.
–          Urge the Scottish Government to hold an inquiry into the actions of Scottish police during the miners’ strike.

Speaking at the manifesto launch in Bradford, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said:

“This manifesto is a radical vision for a country that works for the many, not just a privileged few.

“A Labour government will redistribute wealth and power across the UK. Under the Tories, working families are set to be on average over £1,400 a year worse off while those at the top have been given tax breaks worth tens of billions of pounds.

“The SNP has done nothing to stop this austerity – it has simply passed it on with £1.5 billion worth of cuts to local services since 2011.

“A Labour vision for our country is one where the rich and the powerful pay their fair share.

“Labour’s manifesto gives voters a real choice: a fairer Scotland for the many, not the few; or a Scotland caught between the two extremes of Tory and SNP nationalism.

“Scottish Labour believes that together we’re stronger. A vote for Labour on June 8 is a vote to end Tory austerity and tell Nicola Sturgeon that Scotland doesn’t want a divisive second independence referendum.”

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A Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn will abolish the Tories’ abhorrent ‘rape clause’ policy across the UK.

The ‘rape clause’ forces women who have conceived a child as a result of rape to fill out an eight-page form to claim tax credits if it’s the woman’s third child.

Last month, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale used a Holyrood debate to read out the powerful and moving testimony from a woman who conceived a child following rape.

But Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has repeatedly defended the ‘rape clause’.

Labour’s UK manifesto states: “The cuts to work allowances in Universal Credit (UC), and the decision to limit tax credit and UC payments to the first two children in a family, are an attack on low-income families and will increase child poverty.

“Labour will reform and redesign UC, ending six-week delays in payment and the ‘rape clause’.”

 

UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Labour will end the abhorrent rape clause across the UK.

“Kezia Dugdale’s powerful speech in the Scottish Parliament demonstrated the heart-breaking reality of the rape clause.

“Theresa May and Ruth Davidson should be ashamed of this policy.

“Only a Labour government that works for the many, not the few, can bring this policy to an end.”

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Constituency: East Lothian

Candidate: Martin Whitfield 

About the candidate: Martin lives in East Lothian and teaches in Prestonpans Primary School. He is a community campaigner, and has been involved in causes like the Grace’s Sign Campaign for people with hidden disabilities and has campaigned to improve local train services.

The choice at this election: Labour’s Iain Gray won the equivalent Scottish Parliament constituency seat in 2016, and at the 2017 local government election Labour beat the SNP and the Tories. It will be a close fight and every vote will count. Only Labour can beat the SNP here.  The Tories aren’t at the races.

Martin said: “I’m delighted and honoured to stand for the East Lothian constituency, where I live and work.

“I love East Lothian and know that it has been let down time and again by the SNP. My promise in this campaign is simple.  I will always stand up for East Lothian and always put its interests first.

“On June 8 we can send a powerful message to Nicola Sturgeon that we do not want another divisive independence referendum, but instead a fair share for our schools, hospitals and other local services.  Only Labour can beat the SNP in East Lothian, and it’s time for an MP who is focused on this county not another referendum.”

 

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