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?