Take Keir: local MSP supports cancer campaign

‘Early diagnosis can save your life. Let’s get checked – it’s worth it!’ – Colin Keir MSP

Colin Keir, MSP for Edinburgh Western, has thrown his support behind the #GetChecked cancer detection campaign.

The campaign, launched jointly by the Scottish Government and Cancer Research UK at the M&Co store in the Gyle Shopping Centre last week, encourages people to get checked for potential symptoms of cancer in a bid to save more lives. The campaign aims to use check patterns to remind people to get checked.

Mr Keir said “For so long the fear of cancer as well as what was seen as the inevitability of the consequences of being diagnosed with cancer placed a dark cloud over so many individuals and families. These days we have the treatments which give those diagnosed the chance to receive effective treatments.

“The key to this is early diagnosis. We all know our own bodies best so if you spot anything unusual then get to see your GP. It may be nothing but it could be the early diagnosis that will give you the best chance for a full recovery.

“This is the reason I warmly welcome #GetChecked, the new campaign to encourage people to get checked for potential symptoms of cancer in a bid to save more lives in Scotland. It’s fantastic that M&Co at the Gyle Shopping Centre along with their other stores nationally are helping to promote this campaign along with the Scottish Government and Cancer Research UK.

“One thousand people a year can be saved through early diagnosis and treatment, surely that’s a good enough reason to check yourself out regularly. The Wee C initiative is trying to make Scots reduce their fear of cancer which has been found to stop people going to have their problems looked at by their GP. Early diagnosis can save your life, let’s get checked – it’s worth it!”

Kerr welcomes New York direct flights

‘ a real diamond route’ – Colin Keir MSP

Colin Keir MSP for Edinburgh Western has welcomed the announcement by Delta Airlines/Virgin that their joint venture will launch a new Edinburgh to New York service from May 2016.

Mr Keir said: “All new routes from Edinburgh are welcome as they boost employment and tourism opportunities, something that is vital to the Edinburgh and wider Scottish economy.

“With direct flights to New York, Edinburgh will link with the most influential global financial centre. Add to this the tourism potential and it makes this a real diamond route.

“Well done to Edinburgh Airport CEO Gordon Dewar and his team for securing this route and to Delta and Virgin for identifying Edinburgh as a positive destination.”

Meet Michelle at Muirhouse Millennium Centre

Edinburgh West SNP MP Michelle Thomson now holds a surgery at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre (writes JAMES McGINTY)

FRIDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 10.30 – 11.30am

Our newly elected MP in Westminster is back in Scotland after an extensive introduction to Westminster parliamentary procedure, whilst juggling her duties here in Scotland in her constituency.

Many of us have followed Michelle’s exploits via her reports in the Evening News. and Michelle now starts her promised General Surgery here in the Centre (see above).

Come along, no appointment necessary (open door). The surgery will take place in the cafeteria area but will have private space available if required.

‘That’s a business trying to be a good citizen’

Deirdie Brock MP visits Sainsbury’s Blackhall

Deidre Brock, local MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, visited Sainsbury’s Blackhall on Monday where she met staff and local customers (writes GAIL WILSON).

The MP was welcomed by store manager, George Paton and taken on a tour of the 71,000 sq ft store on Craigleith Road.

Ms Brock learned about the store’s new Local Charity Partner, Meningitis Research Foundation. The charity has a vision of a world free from meningitis and septicaemia and was chosen by customers in July.

She also had a chance to hear about the store’s Food Donation Partner, Fareshare, who Sainsbury’s are teamed up with to make use of surplus food and Granton Baptist Church food bank, who they support with in-store collections.

Ms Brock, who was elected to represent Edinburgh North and Leith May’s general election, said: “I was delighted to hear about the work that Sainsbury’s staff do to reach out into the community, the support they and the store’s customers give to a local foodbank and to Crisis Fareshare. That’s a business trying to be a good citizen.

“The store is also a zero waste store recycling all of its packaging as well as providing recycling facilities for customers in the car park. It’s the first time I’ve seen an oil recycling bank in a supermarket car park and I’m looking forward to coming back soon to see how it works out.”

Store Manager George Paton said: “It has been great having Ms Brock in to our store, and introduce her to our customers and colleagues. I’m incredibly proud of our team, our store and the impact we have on the community. ”

Deirdie Brock MP is pictured with Sainsbury Blackhall PR Ambassador Gail Wilson

General Election a ‘win, win’ for Scotland – Mundell

In an article marking the 100th day since the General Election, Scottish Secretary DAVID MUNDELL writes that Scotland is in a ‘win-win situation’ as Holyrood becomes one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world while we also benefit from remaining part of a strong UK economy:

For the past 100 days our government has acted in the interests of the whole United Kingdom. Every day since the General Election in May we have worked to ensure that every part of Britain benefits from a growing UK economy.

Scotland is enjoying a win-win situation right now. We are winning from the decision we made last year to remain part of a strong UK and keep all the advantages that gives us. We are also winning from the policies this government has delivered in our first hundred days that will provide higher pay and lower taxes for people in Scotland and across the whole of the UK. Scotland’s two governments should be working together at every opportunity to help Scottish workers and Scottish businesses. To protect those who need help most and to provide security in retirement.

This UK Government has made our intentions very clear since May 7th . We will help working people in the UK at every stage of their lives.

The Prime Minister and the Chancellor have set out our stall in the last 100 days. We are moving the UK to a higher wage, lower tax and lower welfare society. The next 100 days will tell us more about whether the Scottish Government shares this ambition.

More powers

One of David Cameron’s first ports of call after the General Election was to come to Edinburgh and meet with Nicola Sturgeon. He promised her we would bring forward legislation to make Holyrood one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world. The Scotland Bill was indeed one of the first Bills we published in late May and we are now well on our way to implementing the historic cross party Smith Agreement.

We are entering a new era of devolution in Scotland where the Scottish Parliament is more powerful and more accountable than ever before. Holyrood will have control over billions of pounds worth of tax and welfare powers. They now need to set the Scottish Rate of Income Tax. This money will come out of Scottish paycheques next April. How much will it be? When will they tell us?

If the Scottish Government wants to choose a different path from the UK Government then that is what devolution is all about. If the First Minister wants to increase taxes, create new benefits or top-up existing benefits then that is her choice because these are the new powers Holyrood will have. She should, however, use the next 100 days to explain how Holyrood intends to use these new powers.

Higher pay, lower taxes

The UK Government will keep governing for all parts of the UK. Scotland holds on to the opportunity, security and stability of being part of the UK. This UK Government is committed to driving down borrowing and getting rid of our deficit. We will get our public finances in order and the Chancellor has announced steps to make sure that UK workers hold on to more of their pay and businesses across the UK pay less tax. Britain deserves a pay rise and the Government is establishing a new national living wage which will reach £9.00 an hour by 2020.

New figures this week showed that wages are going up and employment is at near record levels. We are on the right track, providing opportunities for those who work hard and protecting the value of a well-earned UK pension for those in retirement.

Place in the world

In his Summer Budget the Chancellor pledged to increase defence spending. As a Scot, I am proud that this UK Government is meeting both the NATO pledge on defence spending and the UN commitment on international aid spending. This is not an either or decision for us. We will protect ourselves at home and we will continue to help the poorest people in the world.

Scotland will benefit from the security our increased defence spending will provide. Scottish workers and Scottish companies will be at the heart of building the latest UK defence technology for our brave UK Armed Forces.

Conclusion

Last year’s referendum was an historic moment for Scotland. The right decision was made on a once-in-a-lifetime day where a higher percentage of people turned out to vote than ever before in the UK.

We are now building a stronger economy for all parts of the UK and a more powerful devolved parliament for Scotland. It is a win-win situation for Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The first hundred days is just the start. This government will continue to govern for all parts of the UK. We will work with the Scottish Government and others to help those who work hard, create opportunities and support those who need the most help.

Letter: Time expired

Dear Editor

The system of capitalism under which we live – where resources are mined, extracted, made or grown – are mainly owned by private investors; they even claim ownership of the land itself.

To realise profit on these materials they need the labour of the wage-earning population to turn these resources into items to sell or use. The cheaper this can be done – by keeping wages and conditions of work as low as possible – the more profits are made.

The lives and poverty of the wage-earning population throughout history, including today, shows capitalism is a failed system for the majority, by it’s nature of seeking maximum profit for the few – even to the extent of closing industries if profit is considered not enough, regardless of the devastating effect on workers and their families.

This is why generations of people – men and women – have struggled in their various ways to change the system to one where the wealth of resources and labour power is used for the benefit of all. These generations called the new system Socialism.

The system was, and is, heavily weighed against them in many way. Communication is the only way to start to convince people of the necessity for change, but how to do this when most channels of communication are owned by private companies or individuals? The sheer volume of their support for capitalism blurs the truth and can shape people’s minds. The working population, by contrast, has limited access to alternative socialist communications, they have limited means to promote it – and have limited time to do so.

The working population can make lives better if they seek maximum unity to right glaring wrongs, such as privately-owned essentials for everyday living. These should be publicly owned – electricity, gas, water and sewerage. Rail and bus transport to get to work and/or leisure. These are essential to all, as is the National Health Service.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

Leith Walk candidates confirmed

The candidates standing in the Leith Walk by-election, which will elect two councillors on Thursday 10 September 2015, have been confirmed.

They are:

Marion Donaldson – Scottish Labour Party
Mo Hussain – Scottish Liberal Democrats
Tom Laird – Scottish Libertarian Party
Alan Gordon Melville – UK Independence Party (UKIP)
Gordon Murdie – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
Susan Jane Rae – Scottish Green Party
Natalie Reid – Scottish Socialist Party
John Lewis Ritchie – Scottish National Party (SNP)
John Ferguson Scott – Independent
Bruce William Whitehead – Left Unity

Voters in this ward have until Tuesday 25 August to register to vote or apply for a postal vote for the by-election. To register to vote or apply for a postal vote people should contact theElectoral Registration Office or phone 0131 344 2500.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. Voters should check their polling cards carefully to find out where to vote.

Polling Places:

Pilmeny Youth Centre
Norton Park Conference Centre
London Road Church Hall
Holy Cross RC Primary School
Ebenezer United Free Church Hall
Royal Navy & Royal Marine Association & Club
Broughton Nursery
Pilrig St Paul’s Church Hall
Lorne Primary School
McDonald Road Library
Leith Walk Primary School

The by-election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system where voters can rank candidates in order of preference using numbers rather than a single cross. Voters can choose to vote for as many or as few candidates as they like. The result of the by-election will be announced once the votes are counted after polls close at 10pm on Thursday 10 September.

Unusually, TWO councillors will be elected in this by-election. Former SNP councillor Deidre Brock stood down after being elected as the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh North and Leith in May, and Green councillor Maggie Chapman resigned her Leith Walk seat in June to focus on winning a Green seat in the North East of Scotland in the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections.

For more information on the Leith Walk by-election, visit the Council website.

Letters: A not so cunning plan

Dear Editor

The worldwide financial crisis started in the USA, creating huge debts everywhere. These were not caused by working people.

The Conservative Party’s leading spokesperson Chancellor Osborne repeatedly told us over the last five years he ‘had a plan.’ If you were not sure about the objective of the plan then, you cannot now be unaware.

The working population is not only to pay the debt, public services will be cut again and again and there will be further selling of public property to private investors.

The Conservatives now see no need to hold back in carrying out their ‘Plan’ and feel safe in doing so.

The Tories now have the audacity to claim they are now the party for the working person – this they can never be!

The partial support at the general election must be falling away now that they are putting into practice their real intentions: that support must haunt those who voted for them.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Cast Adrift

New definition hides true extent of child poverty

Around 120,000 children will be ‘cast adrift’ if the UK Government changes its definition of child poverty, Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil has said.

In a letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mr Neil urged the UK Government to focus on tackling the root causes of child poverty instead of redefining the way it is measured.

Proposals set out in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill would mean the UK Government would no longer be required to take action to reduce the number of people living on low incomes. Instead, the focus would move to ‘worklessness’ and ‘educational attainment’, ignoring the increasing problem of in-work poverty which affects 120,000 children in Scotland.

UK Government figures, released in June, showed an increase in the number of children living in poverty to 3.71 million after housing costs were taken into account. Of this total 65 per cent of the children were from families where at least one parent was working. This highlights the fact that progress in reducing child poverty, and improving the chances for all children, will be difficult without improvements to the living standards of working families. However these figures will not be taken into account if the Bill is passed.

Mr Neil said: “By changing the definition of child poverty the UK Government is hiding the true extent of the problem and casting adrift the 120,000 Scottish children whose parents are working on low incomes and struggling to pay their bills.

“The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions must rethink these flawed plans. They will only gloss over the impact of the UK Government’s austerity agenda and fail to show the shocking reality of its inexcusable attack on low-paid families.

“The Scottish Government will continue to measure and report on the wide range of factors that drive child poverty including income, educational attainment and health outcomes. Our sophisticated measurement framework was developed with experts and leading children’s organisations and is helping us to understand the full scale of the problem and find the most effective ways to address it.

“Around 210,000 children are living in relative poverty after housing costs are paid, but these numbers are likely to soar in coming years because of cuts to social security. Reforms to tax credits alone will reduce the incomes of between 200,000 and 250,000 households in Scotland, with families facing almost £700 million of cuts.

“We recognise that any serious attempt to tackle inequality has to focus on in-work poverty, which remains very high. That’s why we are calling for powers over the minimum wage, employment policy and working-age benefits to be devolved to Scotland.

“We have invested £296 million in welfare measures and around £329 million over two years to expand free early learning and childcare, including extra provision for disadvantaged children, while our work to encourage employers to pay the Living Wage is also helping to increase income levels in Scotland. We have appointed our first Independent Adviser on Poverty and Inequality who will be looking at what more we can do to address inequalities.”

Letters: Capitalism or Socialism?

Dear Editor

It would seem that in some quarters there is glee with the situation the Labour Party and Labour movement is in, overlooking the fact it is a setback for most people in their struggle to make society work in their interests.

For many decades the focus of the labour movement was the transforming of the capitalist system into a socialist society: not an easy job to do, but great strides were made after the war from 1945 with the introduction of universal services such as the NHS, nationalisation of the rail system, the electricity and gas suppliers and the coal mines – may other welfare services were also initiated.

A frequent criticism if the labour movement is that it did not go far enough to curb the power of the rich, so for today’s ‘flag carriers’ the following article, written many, many years ago is worthwhile reading and worth pondering on:

Socialism v Capitalism

How long will we continue to tinker and patch at an inherently rotten system; every attempt to remedy it’s defects will shed light on the real way forward.

When socialism becomes better understood, when it’s aims are seen not only to be beneficial but possible of accomplishment it will attract men and women to take the path of reconstruction and regeneration of society.

Cooperative management would become a well-defined system and lead to an organisation of society which would take over the present system of fierce competition and selfish class interest to secure the welfare of all, to realise in time the best of humanity.

Men shall be brothers yet, and a’ that.

Tony Delahoy