Tag: unity

First Minister to convene gathering on ‘democracy and respect’

A new initiative to unite Scotland together against extremism

First Minister John Swinney will convene a pivotal gathering of Scottish society to work together and unite Scotland against the “increasingly extreme far right”. 

Representatives from key organisations across Scotland including churches, trades unions and charities will be invited to attend a gathering in April, alongside the leaders of Scotland’s parliamentary parties.

Speaking at a press conference at Bute House, following the passage of the 2025-26 Budget, the First Minister said the new gathering will be an opportunity renew public trust in politics and unite Scotland in a common cause – “for democracy and respect.” 

The First Minister said: “At the start of the year, I warned that failure to pass the budget would send a signal that Parliament and politics could not deliver. That failure would only serve the interests of an increasingly extreme far right and leave devolution dangerously exposed.

“But the budget has passed, and a different story can be told. Yesterday’s vote demonstrated that partnership and collaboration are possible. And that is something precious, something vitally important itself.

“But we must do more. It is time to come together to draw a line in the sand. To set out who we are and what we believe in. 

“The threat from the far right is real. But that leaves me all the more convinced that working together is not only the right choice, but the only choice. 

“That is why I want to share a new initiative to bring Scotland together in common cause. I want us to work together to agree a common approach to asserting the values of our country, to bringing people together and creating a cohesive society where everyone feels at home.

“It was a mobilisation of mainstream Scotland that delivered our parliament a quarter of a century ago. And I have no doubt, it is only by mobilising mainstream Scotland that we can protect those things we care most about, those things that are most important to us today.”

The First Minister will write to all party leaders and the leaders of civic organisations with the details of the upcoming gathering in due course. 

A new initiative to bring Scotland together: First Minister’s speech – 26 February 2025 –

Letters: Unity is strength

Dear Editor

Capitalism, the system under which we live, constantly tries to retain control over the population. The ways of doing this are many, as a reading of history will show: a catalogue of land thieving, forced clearances, draconian laws and the prosecution of those who resisted. A policy of ‘divide and rule’ always was, and still is, the main tactic.

A recent example, the financial collapse of 2008, is blamed on the Labour Party, dividing organised political resistance against the savage cuts in public services and wages. It is now admitted that the financial crisis was worldwide caused by the banking industry.

From 2010 divide and rule was stepped up,with people not in work accused of being skivers and scroungers. It was then extended to disabled people and those who for many reasons were unable to work, having to claim benefits on which to live. They were then subjected to an assessment on their fitness to work by a private company – despite their having medical certification.

The housing shortage is partly blamed on people occupying a house or flat deemed to have spare rooms, and now this is followed by stories of elderly people being financially better off at the expense of younger generations.

All these example, and many more, are designed to set one against another, making unity more difficult.

To counter this we must show that there are many issues common to everyone, to get people thinking and acting again in a positive manner and making these issues work for the benefit of all.

We all need energy supplies, water and utilities, and a good reliable public transport system. It is not right that these essential services are mainly privately-owned, instead of being run for the benefit of all.

Unity, not division, will change things. There is so much on which to unite, making progress to a better life for all.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

Letter: Unity

Dear Editor

UNITY

Unity is strength – this truth us demonstrated in the struggle to defend the NHS by both users and those who work in providing the services.

Those who are trying to privatise the NHS have a glint in their eyes of making vast profits – what a disgusting attitude, when every penny is needed to treat people both old and young.

Unity also needs expressing by people in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, London – in fact everywhere, who have the same problems of needing regular work and wages and decent working conditions to be able to make life as it should be.

This unity of needs must be expressed as strongly as the unity in support of our NHS. Private companies aching to take over the NHS and other public services and their Tory and Liberal political supporters can and will be defeated.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens