Author Archives: Carla Newton

RMT Strike – 16 June 2022

  

The right to strike’s fundamental in a democratic society. Working people may have the right to vote but when Scotland hasn’t voted Tory since 1955 and opposed Brexit substantially it can be viewed as having limited influence. It’s why the ability to withdraw your labour remains fundamental.  There are jobs such as the military where union organisation’s precluded and other roles such as the police where… Read more »

East Lothian Courier – 16 June 2022

  

Parliament last week was again dominated by the spectre of the Prime Minister. Despite losing the support of over 40% of his Parliamentary group he hangs on shamelessly. He’s been weakened though and it seems just a matter of time before he goes. However, whoever replaces him from the Tory benches will have been complicit in the shambles created by… Read more »

YES MOVEMENT MUST ASSERT SCOTLAND’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE ITS OWN FUTURE

  

Reacting to the launch by the Scottish Government of the first paper in a series of “Building a New Scotland” papers setting out the case for independence ALBA Depute Leader Kenny MacAskill MP said: “ Scotland’s right to decide is the key fundamental principle which must determine the democratic governance of Scotland.  It is for the Scottish people and only the Scottish people… Read more »

MACASKILL DEMANDS CHANCELLOR INCREASE MILEAGE ALLOWANCE TO SUPPORT KEY WORKERS

  

The ALBA Depute Leader and MP for East Lothian Kenny MacAskill is demanding that the Chancellor of the Exchequer act to tackle rising petrol costs at the pump which are impacting disproportionately on rural communities across Scotland and on essential workers such as health visitors, district nurses, care workers, taxi drivers, delivery drivers and the self-employed. He is calling on the Chancellor… Read more »

 MACASKILL CHALLENGES JOHNSON OVER PRE PAYMENT METERS

  

TIME TO END PUNITIVE CHARGES AGAINST THE POOR Speaking 8 JUNE (Wednesday) after his question to Boris Johnson at Prime Ministers Questions ALBA Depute Leader and MP for East Lothian Kenny MacAskill said: “It is estimated that one in four Scots households have a pre payment meter (PPM) which results in them paying the highest energy costs, with higher standing charges than… Read more »

Empire Jingoism – 9 June 2022

  

Celebrating the Queens platinum jubilee’s perfectly proper but some of the empire jingoism that accompanied it was frankly nauseating. It’s a remarkable length of reign but her 70 years have straddled the end of the colonies and seen a re-assessment of what it is to be British, with racism and even the union challenged. Yet the red, white and blue… Read more »

Private Port Ownership – 9 June 2022

  

Born in Leith and with the river visible from my flat, the Firth of Forth matters. So does the Clyde, its beauty never failing to please and its history , whether told through the tears of emigrants or through shipbuilding, is burned in the soul. But the Tory privatisation of ports in the 1990’s threatens the well-being of what are Scotland’s two principal firths,… Read more »

East Lothian Courier – 26 May 2022

  

Further scandals befell Westminster last week and its damaging to our democracy, not just the institution. One MP resigned due to watching pornography and another was charged with serious sexual crimes. But the rot sets in from the top. The cavalier attitude that the Prime Minister has for probity sets the tone. There’s a crisis in Northern Ireland brought about… Read more »

Tunnels – 2 June 2022

  

Talk of tunnels between Scottish islands by a UK Minister are to be welcomed. It’s neither fanciful to imagine nor impossible to deliver. Indeed, he’s not the first politician to be arguing that as Angus Brendan McNeill of SNP and himself a resident of Barra has been doing so for quite some time now. The Scottish Office Minister’s road to… Read more »

Radical Indy – 2 June 2022

  

A healthy democracy should reflect a wide spectrum of political views. Scotland was unrepresentative in 1997 with the Tory wipe-out, ironically requiring the Scottish Parliament to restore them. But it was right, as they represent a significant strand of Scottish political opinion. Similarly, the election of both Greens and Scottish Socialist Party members added to the political debate. Since 2014, the main… Read more »