509 votes, and it's all over... (till the referendum)

Well, a truly historic night for Scottish politics, with a seismic shift in the political representation of the Highlands and Islands. The Highland Liberal tradition has gone the way of the lesser-spotted Scottish Tory, with the SNP the major beneficiaries.

The SSP gained over 500 votes across the region - a small vote, and one which doesn't reflect the support for the SSP's ideas on a day when the SNP swept the board.

But the SSP's vote is not the story today. The SNP victory represents a huge development in Scottish politics. Scotland has shown yet again that the neo-liberal agenda of cuts, privatisation and attacks on the welfare state promoted by the Tory-Lib Dem Coalition in Westminster has no mandate here. We didn't vote for these policies in the UK General Election and they have been resoundingly rejected in the Scottish Election too. Instead, the SNP has won an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament on an election campaign fought on progressive policies - including SSP policies such as free prescription charges - and on independence.

The people of Scotland have spoken, and they have broken with the traditional ties to the Liberals and to Labour. Even 20 years ago, a vote for the SNP was seen as a 'wasted vote' in many areas of Scotland. 5 May 2011 has changed that forever, and that has implications for all of Scotland's political parties.

The next five years will be hugely exciting for those on the Left in Scotland. The SSP will campaign enthusiastically for a 'yes' vote in the independence referendum, putting forward our vision of an independent socialist Scotland in contrast to the SNP's pro-big business, 'Celtic Tiger' alternative. We will continue to campaign in our communities and in our workplaces, fighting injustice and inequality. And we will continue to argue for the socialist ideas and principles which are as relevant to Scotland in 2011 as they have ever been.

Be part of rebuilding the Left in Scotland – join the SSP today.

Well, the big day is here! Polls have opened, so make sure that whatever you do today, you go out and use your vote.

The SSP is asking for your second vote - the peach coloured ballot paper for the Highlands and Islands regional list.

Whoever you choose to support in the constituency ballot, you can use your second vote to support the SSP and vote for a party with principles and integrity. The SSP have shown over the past decade that we are a party prepared to stand up for our beliefs. Our MSPs take the average wage of a skilled worker, because if you earn the £60k+ our representatives are awarded, you can't understand what your constituents face on a day to day basis.

The polls show that the SNP are on track for a second term, with the Greens gaining strong support too. But there's something missing from that progressive rainbow - a socialist voice in Parliament. The SSP stand up against injustice in our communities and workplaces the length and breadth of Scotland - lets have an SSP presence in Parliament too!

Renewable energy belongs to the people!

The SSP support full community and public ownership of all renewable energy projects in Scotland.

We welcome the SNP’s target of 100% domestic renewable energy by 2020 but believe that if such projects are left in the hands of the energy companies, communities will be left with the crumbs from the table while the private profiteers pocket millions.

In the 1970s and 80s, the SNP famously campaigned under the slogan ‘It’s Scotland’s oil’. Yet the people of Scotland have seen little of the billions of pounds generated by North Sea oil - instead, most of the profit has gone to the coffers of multinational corporations such as BP and Shell. But there is an alternative. In Norway, oil revenues go into a common good fund, and Norway – an independent country with a population comparable to Scotland – enjoys a far better standard of living.

Of course we know that North Sea oil is a limited resource, and although the SSP would take these corporations into public ownership, much of the potential revenue has already been and gone. Renewable energy, on the other hand, offers a sustainable, long term and hugely valuable resource. Let’s not make the same mistakes again!

The Isle of Gigha, where local people exercised their rights to a community buy-out and have subsequently developed a community-owned windfarm, should be an inspiration to communities the length and breadth of Scotland – both in rural areas and in our towns and cities. A few years ago Gigha was a struggling, remote island community with only 6 children in the local school – that number has now increased to 24. The community has been able to build affordable housing and attract young families, and community-owned renewable energy has been at the heart of this.

Proposals for renewable energy projects are springing up across Scotland. In some cases, such as the proposed wind farm off the coast of Tiree, they are opposed by local communities, while in others – such as the tidal power development off Islay, supported by the Islay Energy Trust, they have strong local support. The SSP believes that such developments should be in the hands of the local community, who are best placed to understand the needs of their community and the appropriate scale of a project. And critically, we argue that the people of Scotland should own and control these developments. In Ardrishaig, a 17-strong wind turbine development is being proposed, where the community will own one turbine and private energy companies the other 16. Since when did private companies own the wind, the sea and the sun? The mainstream parties argue that private sector investment is required to build the turbines. Yet assuming that the wind continues to blow, the tide ebbs and flows and the sun rises in the morning, this should be a guaranteed return – why should communities not benefit from state support to establish projects?

Scotland stands on the brink of a green energy revolution which has the potential to make us a world leader in carbon reduction, wipe out fuel poverty and create sustainable, skilled jobs in some of our poorest communities. Renewable energy is OUR energy, not the private energy corporations!

Scottish Socialist Woof in Oban

Another cracking day - back to Oban this time, where we leafleted Connell and Dunbeg villages before covering the Glencruitten and Soroba areas of the town. As you can see we had lots of helpers - 6 adults, 2 teenagers and 4 dogs, which took quite some organising just to get a picture... One of the teams also headed for the Isle of Kerrerra and haven't been heard of since, if you see them do take a leaflet!

Over to Islay again today, this time for the Ileach's hustings meeting in Islay High School, Bowmore. Initially called as a first-past-the-post hustings, we emailed and asked for SSP representation and were delighted to accept the invitation that was then offered.

SSP policies on issues ranging from public transport and ferry fares to rural schools, spending cuts and banker bonuses were very well received by Islay voters, showing once again that socialist ideas are as relevant in Scotland's rural communities as they are in Glasgow, Edinburgh or Dundee.

And as an EIS activist, there was always time to bend the Education Minister's ear....

SSP in the media

A quieter couple of days on the blog (back to work - and union activity - after the long weekend) but there will be lots more news this weekend as we hit the campaign trail again, taking in the Islay hustings tomorrow night, Oban and Fort William at the weekend and then on up to Inverness for the final week of the campaign.

We have, somewhat belatedly, had a bit of press coverage in the BBC - follow the link to hear what Colin Fox and Jim Bollan, list candidates in the Lothians and West of Scotland regions, had to say about the Scottish Service Tax:

We have had small snippets of coverage in the Highlands and Islands - unfortunately most of the local papers are concentrating on the first past the post seats and ignoring the fact that we have TWO votes on May 5, and that voters - their readers - may also want to know what the smaller parties like the SSP and the Greens have to say.

BBC Radio Highland have recorded an interview which will be used next Monday as part of their election coverage, however - more details to follow as we have them!

SSP campaign on Isle of Islay: support RET and publicly-owned ferries!

SSP top of the list candidate Pam Currie was out and about on Islay over the Easter weekend, delivering the SSP’s Highlands and Islands leaflet in Burnside, Bruichladdich, Bowmore, Keils and Port Ellen. We will be back to Islay on Thursday for the hustings in the High School, as advertised in this week’s Ileach!

One of the main issues on Islay is the cost and availability of ferry services to the mainland, currently run by the publicly-owned ferry provider Caledonian MacBrayne. Onward routes to Jura are run by Argyll and Bute Council, with a community-owned ferry service providing an alternative passenger-only link to Tayvallich on the mainland.

The RMT trade union has challenged the Scottish Government on the wording of the current Scottish Ferries Review, which includes a question “Do you agree that we should test the market by tendering some routes on a single basis with the option for the operator to bring in their own vessels?”, as well as proposals to break up the Cal Mac network and allow greater numbers of private ferry operators such as Western Ferries, which runs a competing service on the Dunoon – Gourock route. The review also considers the potential to roll-out the Road Equivalent Tariff on all ferry routes, which would mean that the cost of a ferry journey would cost no more than the equivalent distance by road.

The SSP has long supported the introduction of an RET to all island and peninsula communities, and continues to do so. We believe that the pilot should have taken in all routes from the start, and that it should be rolled out with immediate effect. For Scotland’s island communities, ferries are not a luxury or an optional extra, they are a lifeline service – they need to be properly funded and resourced, and publicly owned.

We understand that many people in island communities – Islay in particular, which has suffered several disruptions to its ferry service in recent times – are frustrated with the service currently provided by Cal Mac. But privatisation is not the answer. To see why, we only need look as far as the railways. The previous Tory government privatised the railways, breaking up a national system and selling it off, bit by bit, to private firms. These firms have made vast profits while pocketing subsidies from the public purse – meanwhile ask any regular rail passenger, and you’ll hear a tale of ever-increasing fares, baffling ticket systems, safety concerns and poor service.

The SSP believes that investment in public transport is vital to creating a greener, fairer Scotland. In the long run, we support a completely free public transport system (read our public transport policy), and we see RET as a crucial step in the right direction, which would promote social inclusion, employment and tourism for our island communities. We support the RMT union and say no to privatisation, yes to RET!

Save the Jura Passenger Ferry

The Jura Passenger Ferry has run for the past three years as a 'pilot' with financial support from Argyll & Bute Council. For those unfamiliar with the area, Jura's main link with the mainland is via the CalMac ferry from Kennacraig to Islay, and then the short hop from Islay to Jura on an Argyll & Bute run ferry service.

The passenger ferry provides a direct link to Tayvallich on the mainland, making day trips feasible for locals and visitors alike and providing a much-needed boost to the local economy, as well as a lifeline service for one of Scotland's most remote communities.

Now Argyll and Bute Council want to withdraw the funding which makes this service possible. The decision will be made at a meeting on Thursday 21 April.

Join the facebook group to support the campaign and say no to cuts to lifeline services!

The SSP supports all ferry services being taken into public and community ownership, and the extension of RET to all island communities - more to follow on this...

The SSP's Party Political Broadcast went out on Monday 18 April. If you missed it or want to see it again, here it is:



and for PEB fans, the one from 2007:

Will benefit cuts mean a new Highland Clearances?

Are benefit cuts imposed by the Tory-Lib Dem coalition creating a new Highland Clearances?

The SSP backs independence - not because we're romantic nationalists or we believe the SNP's hype about a 'Celtic Tiger' economy - although they've gone quiet on that of late, funny....

The SSP's vision is of an independent socialist Scotland which would be a beacon of hope around the world. An independent socialist Scotland which would take control of the wealth of resources that surround us, that would redistribute wealth, and that would create a more equal society in which every citizen was respected and valued.

Why do we need independence? Can't we do that with the powers that the Scottish Parliament has? No, we can't. Let's use the welfare state and the benefits system as just one example. We have a Tory-Lib Dem coalition in power that have no mandate in Scotland; they received a fraction of the popular vote north of the border and the Tories boast just one Scottish MP.

Yet they have launched an attack on the welfare state that will force many people across the Highlands and Islands who have disabilities and chronic health problems to go through humiliating and stressful assessments to justify their right to benefits.

The changes hit the poorest and most vulnerable hardest. Those living on benefits in the Highlands already have to content with fuel poverty, high transport costs and higher costs for basic essentials like food.

Changes to Housing Benefit and Local Housing Allowance will also affect thousands of low income households across the Highlands and Islands, forcing young people and families to leave communities because they cannot find accommodation, and increasing the misery of homelessness in the region.

The SSP rejects the idea that people claiming benefits are lazy or that people choose to live in poverty. People on benefits did not cause the financial crisis – the greed of the bankers did. So why should the poor pay the price?

We can’t afford to let the Westminster Coalition chop up the welfare state. We need control over our own affairs – we need an independent socialist Scotland.

Don't freeze Council Tax - scrap it!

The SNP have made much of their proposed five year freeze on Council Tax. For many households struggling to pay bills, this freeze will be welcome news - a few quid saved at the end of each month.

But does freezing the Council Tax really help to tackle the huge inequalities in Scotland? Does it help councils to deliver vital services to our communities?

No - instead a Council Tax freeze actually benefits high earners in high-value properties the most, as this article from the Herald explains.

The SSP believe that the Council Tax should be scrapped, not frozen. Freezing the Council Tax doesn't tackle the inequalities in the system, which mean that the Duke of Argyll, the owner of Inveraray Castle, pays £2,356 a year, while a low paid worker on his estates would pay at least £785, even in the smallest Band A property.

The SSP proposes a Scottish Service Tax based on ability to pay, not where you live. Those who earn less than £11,000 a year would pay nothing, while the Duke of Argyll and his ilk would pay their fare share towards local services. A tax on the wealthy - earnings over £90,000 a year would be taxed at 20% - would mean an extra £1.4 billion for public services, while the vast majority of ordinary households would pay less.

Doesn't that sound better than a five year freeze, with school closures, cuts to libraries, children's services, day centres for elderly people, sports facilities and all the other essential services that our Councils provide?

Dawgs for socialism...

Regular followers of our blog will realise that animals feature highly in our campaign... my cat Banjo got a mention in the national bulletin (and has subsequently slept through the remainder of the campaign in a flounce of feline disinterest), while cows, sheep and above all dogs have had pride of place in the campaign.

While Murphy (pictured here on an earlier trip) was unable to join us today due to doggy unwellness - we suspect something he ate on Troon beach - we did manage to get nice pictures of Millie and Buddy. After hours of leafleting, even 6 month old pup Buddy was prepared to sit still with a placard...

Millie (left) and Buddy (right)

A busy weekend in Argyll...

A busy weekend, a disproportionate amount of which was spent on the A83 (bus yesterday, two carloads today) - and I'll be back that way on Friday en route to Islay.

Yesterday was a trip to Campbeltown for a hustings with a community land use focus, organised by Argyll Green Party. The hustings part of the meeting was preceded by an interesting talk from Andy Wightman, author of a new book 'The poor had no lawyers', on the subject of community land use, and particularly the issue of renewable energy and community ownership. The hustings section went well, although 'big beast' Mike Russell was absent, attending a meeting on the Cowal Hospice in Dunoon along with Lib Dem Alison Hay.

The hustings was followed by leafleting in Campbeltown and the 4.5 hour bus journey back... just in time to start out again today for leafleting in Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig.

SSP campaigns against fuel poverty

Portmahomack: a beautiful spot on the Cromarty coast, but many households in the north face hidden fuel poverty

One of the issues which has arisen time and again as we speak to voters in the Highlands and Islands region is that of fuel poverty.

It is a disgrace that in a wealthy country such as Scotland, rich in natural resources in the form of both fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas and in potential renewable energy sources, households across the Highlands worry about paying fuel bills.

In the cold winter we have just experienced many of our most vulnerable citizens, including thousands of pensioners and disabled people, were forced to choose between heating their homes and other basic necessities such as food and transport.

The SSP would bring Scotland’s energy resources into public ownership – taking North Sea oil and gas out of the hands of multinational corporations and using the profits for the common good of all, as is the case in Norway.

We believe there is huge potential for the development of community-owned wind farms and tidal energy projects in the Highlands and Islands which would not only benefit the environment but would end fuel poverty once and for all.

Over the (bridge) to Skye

Over to Skye today, to meet local campaigner Robbie the Pict and campaign in Kyleakin and Broadford.

Robbie said:

"When the SSP were in Parliament from 2003 - 2007, Carolyn Leckie and Barbara Scott were stalwart supporters of the SKAT campaign to abolish tolls on the bridge. The people of Skye owe them a debt of gratitude.

"The SSP are the only party still campaigning to resolve the mess left by the Skye Bridge Tolls and get justice for the people of Scotland."

SSP top of the list candidate Pam Currie said:

"The Skye Bridge is one of the biggest examples of the great PPP/PFI disaster. Millions of pounds of public money have gone into the coffers of private companies, who are the real beneficiaries of these schemes. The mainstream political parties all have questions to answer on the legality of the Skye Bridge and on the public money wasted on PPP/PFI schemes."

[We are writing this from the Badralloch campsite, about 20 miles out of Ullapool at the edge of Little Loch Broom, and will upload as soon as we have mobile reception and can coax our increasingly temperamental dongle into life]

The first night of the camping campaigning was a rather windy one – as you can see, we were right on the coast near Portmahomack, near Tain. The morning started bright and early with leafleting in Portmahomack, followed by a trip to Tain in search of internet access – the blog was eventually updated from the library, where the librarian was giving an IT lesson to an elderly chap keen to get to grips with internet dating sites! Funny, perhaps, but the gap between the information ‘have’s’ and ‘have nots’ can only grow as public spending cuts bite and affect vital local services such as libraries and community education. Blog updated, we had a quick leafleting blast in Tain itself and then set out with the intention of canvassing in Lairg. Today’s timetable was driven by the need for Pam to be at the campsite with the tent up by 7pm for the important business of a Sabhal Mor telephone tutorial, however, so after a quick lunch stop in Altnagay we settled on leafleting in Bonar Bridge, where we again received a warm welcome We then drove on to Ullapool, and after a quick stop for groceries, to the campsite. En route we took in some of Scotland’s most beautiful scenery in the vast empty spaces of Sutherland and the edge of Assynt – the occasional ruin a reminder of this area’s brutal past, when thousands were driven off the land first to the coast and then to the cities and the ‘New World’ across the Atlantic. The SSP’s pledge of an independent socialist Scotland fitted well with the mood of the afternoon, with our tartan blood stirred as we blasted Runrig from the car.

Picture opportunities abounded, our favourite being of this rather silly one – pretending to be cat woman, and bursting from a phone box as “Super Socialist” – replete in jeans and t-shirts. Well, whoever heard of a superhero in sparkly pants and heels?

The long march north...

To the Highlands! We are camping-campaigning in the northern part of the seat this week, starting in Inverness before camping and leafleting in Portmathamlock, just outside of Tain. Huge internet problems (dongle in a huff, Tain Library not letting me upload pics) means that the blog will be a bit limited for the next couple of days, unless I find a decent wifi connection somewhere... We are in Tain at the moment and heading for Lairg, then westwards to Ullapool and Skye tomorrow. A very friendly response once again, and we're taking plenty of pics to upload when we can! Pam

Doon the watter to Rothesay

The best weather of the campaign so far, and we spent today in the tropical southern paradise of Rothesay - look, there are palm trees to prove it!

A bigger team (our numbers were supplemented by EIS activists Aileen and Dorothy - thanks guys) meant that we canvassed and leafletted the Bush, High St, Ladeside, Columshill, Ballochgoy, Barone and Bridge St areas of the town - in all we reckon about 70% of the households.

Our campaign team was further supplmented by Murphy and Millie - enthusiastic to the last, and spurred up the hills by the promise of ice cream at the end. Oh no, that was the humans...

On a more serious note, we got a good response again in Rothesay, particularly on local issues such as council cuts and school closures, low pay and unemployment. The cost of fuel and ferry fares exacerbate the problems faced by many on this island community, and despite the unseasonably warm weather today, fuel poverty is a major issue for the large number of pensioner households in the area.

Our leaflet - with the front in Gaelic and English. Email ssphighlands@gmail.com if you'd like a pdf copy of this to give to neighbours, friends, family etc...

Socialism and rural Scotland

A beautiful view - but rural poverty is a huge issue across the Highlands and Islands A day off from campaigning today and a chance to catch up with the blog and make plans for the campaign.

One issue which is often asked of the SSP in the Highlands and Islands is why socialists are standing in a rural area - surely socialist ideas are something that belong in the Central Belt and the cities?

The SSP contests seats across Scotland as we believe our ideas are as relevant in the Highlands and Islands as they are in the tenements of Edinburgh and the housing schemes of Glasgow.

Colin Turbett lives in Arran and is the SSP's top of the list candidate for the South of Scotland region. He wrote the SSP's 'Rural Scotland and Socialism in the 21st century' pamphlet, published in 2009, which outlines key SSP policies on agriculture, fishing, the environment, housing, low pay and gypsy travellers' rights which have direct relevance to communities across rural Scotland.

Since this pamphlet was published, the Tory-Lib Dem Comprehensive Spending Review has hammered home the impact that the current recession will have on the Highlands and Islands. Public spending cuts mean the threat of school closures, the loss of vital services for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and disabled people, and thousands of job losses across the Highlands and Islands, which threaten the viability of communities and will force many to consider relocating in search of work, accessible education or affordable housing.

Changes to welfare benefits and tax credits mean that the poorest and most vulnerable in our community suffer while the wealthy enjoy 'business as usual'.

The SSP challenges the story told by the mainstream political parties, that we are all in this together, that there is no alternative, that difficult choice have to be made.

We say that there is an alternative to the cuts.

Scotland is a wealthy nation. We can more than afford an infrastructure and public services which would create vibrant, thriving communities in rural areas and which would allow everyone in our communities to enjoy a decent standard of living. The problem we face is the ever-widening gap between rich and poor - a chasm perhaps evident in the Highlands and Islands more than anywhere else in Scotland.

The SSP argues for a radical alternative to the cuts and misery promised by the mainstream parties. We argue for the redistribution of wealth - through a tax system which makes the rich pay their share, and through the public ownership of land and other resources, such as oil and energey production, so that these resources can be used for the benefit of all, rather than the personal gain of the priviledged few.

We may not be Scotland's largest political party - and there's no denying that we've had a difficult few years - but the SSP is back. We are standing in the Highlands and Islands regional list - the peach ballot paper on which you cast your 'second' vote, and we hope that you will choose to vote for a party of integrity and principle on May 5th.

Live Blog - Oban & Dalmally

This blog is coming to you live from Oban Promenaade - and we have the pictures to prove it!

We are having a wee sit down and some chips after another successful street stall - and as you can see, the sun is finally shining on the SSP's election campaign.

We stopped in Dalmally en route to canvass the village - unfortunately we coincided with the Dalmally litter pick, so most folks were out, but we managed to chat to a few voters, and will be out and about canvassing in Oban this afternoon!

The SSP visited Dunoon today, with a successful stall in the town centre - campaigning to scrap the Council Tax - followed by canvassing in the Ardenslate area. Thanks to all who helped us on our way today - including our Tory chum who enjoyed the argument so much that he returned to the stall three times and waved at us as he drove off. I hope his wife hadn't just sent him out for a pint of milk or he would have had some explaining to do... Anyway the good news was that it finally stopped raining when we were halfway across a very choppy ferry crossing, and the forecast is good for Oban tomorrow!

Campaiging for local communities in Dunoon

Dunoon's Argyll St is characterised by the presence of local shops - the heart of a vibrant community, despite the economic troubles affecting the town in recent years. Compared to towns like Paisley, blighted by out of town shopping developments and left with boarded up shops and chain stores, Dunoon's independent retailers are a vital part of the town's character.

SSP candidate Linda Howie , a lone parent and mature student whose father's family hail from Innellan, said:

"One thing which really stands out in Dunoon is the number and variety of independent local shops in the town centre. The SSP have long opposed large-scale developments on the outskirts of towns, which suck the lifeblood from our communities, force people into cars and promote the profits of large chains at the expense of local economies. We opposee the CWP proposal for a supermarket on the Walkers' garden centre site."

Message of support for SSP from Ken Loach

The internationally-renowned film director Ken Loach has sent this message of support for the Scottish Socialist Party in May's elections:

I am very pleased to support the campaign of the SSP in the coming election.

All across Europe people are finding their jobs threatened, wages and benefits cut and the quality of life reduced. The great public institutions that have been built by past generations are now to be dismembered, sold off, privatised.

Blaming the bankers is not an adequate response. Socialists know that it is not individual greed but the very system itself that generates these disasters. Private corporations and banks will always put profit before people, otherwise they would not keep up with their competitors.

Only a party that starts from the independent interests of working people can begin to redress the balance. A secure job, care for the elderly, a good education free of private interests, a fully funded health service, decent housing - these are not unreasonable demands. But now they are revolutionary. The system cannot allow them. Which other party, to take but one example, now calls for full employment?

Scotland has a long history of radical struggle, like the great cities of England. We should show solidarity with those around the world who fight for justice, peace and the rule of law.

Socialism is the heart of that. A strong vote for the SSP would be the best news for ordinary people wherever they live. And it would be brilliant for Scotland - you might find some of us were coming to work here even more than we do now!

Solidarity with the SSP!

Ken Loach

SSP: get in touch!

The Highlands are big... very big. And as you can see from our picture (on Rannoch Moor), sometimes there is quite a distance between voters.

If you are an SSP supporter/voter/member in the Highlands and Islands area (the regional list takes in the following places: Argyll & Bute - except Helensburgh district; Caithness and Sutherland, Ross-shire, Inverness, Lochaber, Moray, Nairn and all of the islands except Arran and Cumbrae) or you would like to know more about the SSP, please do let us know. We can't promise that we'll be in your area, but we will try! You can contact us on ssphighlands@gmail.com or through the main SSP site, www.scottishsocialistparty.org

If you like what you read here, please do get in touch. We have members across the Highlands and Islands region and although it's been a difficult few years for the SSP, we are very much still here and are working hard to re-establish branches in the Highlands & Islands.

Fort William

The SSP (with list candidate Andi Rossetter, a former trade union activist at Marine Harvest fish processing plant, pictured) hit the streets in Fort William, promoting our Scottish Service Tax. This would generate an additional £1.5 billion for local authorities through a taxation system which would see the rich pay their share.

After an enthusiastic response in the town centre we delivered election bulletins and canvassed in a rather damp Inverlochy!

About the SSP - and our candidates

You can read more about the SSP on www.scottishsocialistparty.org

Our candidates are:

Pam Currie - Pam is 35 years old and lives in Glasgow with her cat, Banjo. She teaches in a Further Education college and is an activist in the EIS teachers' union. Her parents live on Islay and she is a frequent visitor to the area. A Gaelic learner, Pam sings in a choir, enjoying her first trip to the National Mod in October 2010. Pam is a Quaker, a feminist and an LGBT activist who has been involved in campaigns ranging from the peace movement to the Vigil for a Scottish Parliament. A graduate of the University of Paisley, she has also studied with the Open University, Ruskin College and UHI Sabhal Mor Ostaig, and believes 'lifelong education' should be available and affordable to all.

Iain Hogg lives on South Uist and works as a Physics teacher. A former electrician, Iain is currently the Head of Science at the local secondary school on Benbecula. He has a long history of political activity and was in the Labour Party for many years, leaving after fighting Labour's disastrous policies on PFI and Iraq. As a former councillor he has held posts as both Vice Chair of Social Work and Education in his native Renfrewshire.

Roz Paterson is a journalist and full-time parent, whose political life began in Inverness CND, followed by a long involvement with the green movement, culminating in her joining the SSP in 2002, where she has helped to shape environmental policy and build links with outside agencies, from transition town initatives to local peace groups to international campaigning organisations, and to join hands with those protesting against GM crop trials, billionaire Americans building golf courses on precious ecosystems and predatory supermarket chains seeking to monopolise local economies and kill off local shops. She is married with two children.

Willie Hamilton is an artist and teacher in Dunoon, where he also serves as a Community Councillor and trade union activist. Willie left the Labour Party after twenty years' membership due to its continued failure to defend people in their daily struggles, and joined the SSP when it was founded in 1998. Willie has been active in politics for over 40 years and his commitment to waging war on poverty and injustice has involved him in many national and local campaigns, from the miners' strike and anti poll tax campaigns to fighting public spending cuts.

Linda Howie is a mature student and lone parent who looks after her teenage niece. She is a member of the SSP's Campsie Branch and is active in campaigning against education cuts which will affect both young people and mature students, especially in Further Education.

Andi Rossetter grew up in the Highlands & Islands, first in Shetland where he attended primary school, then in Fort William where he completed his education and later worked in the fish processing industry, where he was involved in fighting for the rights of low paid workers through trade union activity. Drawn into politics through a desire to see independence for Scotland, Andi has been active in politics for over 21 years, standing up for the rights of low paid workers and for an end to inequality in our society.

The Scottish Socialist Party got its campaign off to a flying start today at Crianlarich, gateway to the Highlands and the southernmost point of the constituency on the (diabolical) A82. Much bumpiness later, we arrived in Fort William to start the campaign for real, with a street stall in the town centre, leafleting and canvassing in a rather soggy Inverlochy. While mainstream parties like the SNP promise year after year to upgrade the A82, it's hard to see how they will deliver this at a time when every mainstream political party is determined to slash public spending. Public spending on roads - not building 10-lane motorways like the M74 extension in Glasgow, but basic maintenance on vital routes such as the A82 - saves lives.