GREENS URGE FM TO PRESS AHEAD WITH YOUNG CARERS ALLOWANCE
A new study published by the Children and Young Peoples Commissioner explores the mental health and wellbeing of young carers in Scotland— and reveals that more than one in four are doing the caring on their own.
Continue reading Just coping: one in four young carers do the caring alone
Northern and Leith MSP Ben Macpherson has hailed the Scottish Government’s business rates rise cap, saying it’s a commitment to local businesses. Opposition MSPs have welcomed the decision but say it’s a humiliating U-turn by the Finance Secretary. Continue reading Cheers! Government rethink on business rates
UK government plans to require compulsory ID for voting have been described as a “Tory ploy that would disenfranchise the poorest” – with more than half of adults living in low-income households not owning a full driving license.
Continue reading Macpherson: Voting plans would disenfranchise the poorest
Scottish Secretary David Mundell met with Scottish MEPs, EU academics and business representatives in Brussels on Thursday to discuss how the UK Government is representing people and business interests in Scotland. Continue reading Scottish Secretary flies the flag in Europe
Dear Editor,
Actions by the Tory-led governments of 2010 and 2015 to deal with the financial crisis (caused not by the people, but by banks and financial institutions) was to immediately pass the debt onto the majority of people by restricting wages and reducing funding for services of all kinds.
They also launched a tremendous appeal to the people assuring them that “we are all in this together”, this worked for a while but very quickly their tactic of divide and rule was brought into play, blaming sections of the population being scroungers and or skivers, the Disabled, those on benefits, particularly those on Housing benefit etc, to justify further cuts in wages and essential services.
After over 6 years, people were seeing through their talk of “ a big society “ and “ all in this together “ speeches and began to realise they had been conned. This posed a threat to the continuation of Tory control, so out went David Cameron, and in came Theresa May saying in her first speech she would do things differently, make changes to bring about a more just society and again making a Tory appeal for support from the people, claiming that the Tories are now the party for working people.
This puts into context the continuous attack on Jeremy Corbyn in the press, in Parliament and other sections of the media. The Tories know his ability to speak the language of working people and therefore his capability of winning an election: this, the Tories fear.
The millions and millions of people who have seen and felt the difference between the words and deeds of the Tories must now re-awaken nationwide activity and campaign to make real changes to our society.
A Delahoy,
Silverknowes Gardens,
The Scottish Parliament yesterday agreed that the UK Government’s European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill should not proceed. MSPs voted by Scottish Parliament by 90 to 34 votes to condemn triggering of Article 50 with ‘no effective consultation’ of Holyrood. Continue reading Governments set on Brexit collision course
Common Weal has launched a national campaign coalition to replace Private Public Partnerships (PPP) with a more sustainable Public Public Partnership. Continue reading Protect Our Future: coalition launches campaign to replace PPP
The UK Government’s austerity agenda, continuing welfare cuts, and economic uncertainty caused by Brexit are the key challenges to eradicating child poverty, Equalities Secretary Angela Constance has said. Ms Constance, who will introduce a child poverty bill to Holyrood this week, said the action being taken to tackle inequalities and end child poverty in Scotland has never been more important.
Findings in a report published by the Resolution Foundation last week show that over the remainder of the UK Parliamentary term typical households will see almost no income growth and poorer households will experience a fall in income.
Ms Constance said: “No child should grow up in poverty. All of our children deserve the best opportunities in life that we can offer them, which is why tackling the issue is a key priority for this government.
“Our Child Poverty Bill to be published this week will be a crucial step forward – it will set statutory targets to reduce child poverty and establish a framework for measuring, monitoring and reporting on child poverty. It will also require long-term delivery plans to tackle the deep-rooted causes, and for Ministers to report annually on progress. Scotland will also now be the only part of the UK with statutory income targets on child poverty.
“UK Government budget cuts, austerity measures, and welfare cuts, and scrapping of income-based child poverty targets are leading to huge social harm, and the poorest and most vulnerable in society shouldering the brunt.
“Withdrawal from the EU and the single market also poses a threat to living standards, job prospects, and income levels of people and communities across Scotland.
“It is completely unacceptable that families are facing such hardship and children are growing up in poverty. I am clear that preventing the next generation of young people being born into poverty is vital and we will work tirelessly across government and with the public, private and voluntary sectors to address this.
“That is why our Fairer Scotland Action Plan includes several cross-Government measures to tackle child poverty – and we will use all options the new social security powers give us to make a difference.
“We are spending £100 million a year mitigating the worst of UK Government cuts, funding we should be able to use to lift people out of poverty.
“So it is absolutely clear that we are taking a range of actions to ensure that children in Scotland have a bright future ahead of them; but we do that in the face of a callous and uncaring UK government which has never put the needs of the people of Scotland on their to do list.”
Holyrood’s European Committee has called for the Scottish and UK governments to consider ‘a bespoke – or differentiated – solution for immigration policy in Scotland’ after Brexit. Continue reading Immigration: a ‘bespoke’ solution for Scotland?
