ITS TIME TO TACKLE TAX AVOIDANCE

The European Commission estimates that the costs of tax evasion are 1 trillion euros a year – more than the combined debts of each EU member’s state.

Let’s consider that shocking statistic for a moment, and reflect that if it were not for tax avoidance or evasion then these times of austerity may not have been necessary.  All the pain and suffering could have been avoided if some unscrupulous companies had acted in a proper fashion.

  For that reason, I support a Financial Transaction Tax in which the money raised in that country goes to the member state.

Tackling Tax avoidance and evasion rather than making some of the poorest in our society suffer through so called welfare reforms should be among the top priorities of the EU.

 

ITS TIME FOR BETTER WORKERS RIGHTS

As someone who started working when Thatcher was Prime Minister the EU was looked upon as the saviour of public sector workers as TUPE provided a degree of protection against Thatcherism, however conversely Europe took a rightward shift.

As austerity has kicked in an assault on workers’ rights has taken place, most notably by an ideological right wing government at Westminster who have removed health and safety protection and cut the statutory redundancy notice period to 45 days.

As casualisation increases the EU need to protect working people in Europe.

We need to create a set of core standards that apply to all workers.  We also need to address the EU Posted Workers Directive to ensure that migrant workers are paid the same rates of pay, thus closing a loophole in which companies choose migrant workers to drive down wages.

 

ITS TIME TO CHANGE PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS

One of the major bugbears for public sector workers and elected parliamentarians and councillors seeking to secure jobs with decent wages and conditions is EU Procurement Regulations.

They must be changed.

My own experiences of these regulations came about in 2000 when the then Scottish Executive outsourced the maintenance of Trunk Road contracts citing EU Rules , and then more recently when Glasgow City Council outsourced its glass recycling service – bizarrely the Council claimed at Committee that this service was not being delivered in-house, only to admit to the Trade Unions that it was months later.

 

 

Both these experiences bitterly exposed the lack of protection of workers transferring from one body to another, and the lack of social clauses of these contracts.  In the recent glass recycling case there was no provision to adhere to the Glasgow Living Wage, making it much easier for a private contractor to claim the contract. 

In addition to this, Both Central and Local Government appear hamstrung to use Procurement to support local economies to strengthen communities, by ensuring contracts are given to local firms.

That’s why I believe Procurement Regulations need to be changed, to introduce social clauses protecting workers, and their wages, and to allow Procurement decisions to be taken in a way that can consider local economic factors.

 

 

Its Time to End Austerity

This will be first of four blogs over the next few days articulating what I believe to be the main issues facing the EU at the elections next year, and where I believe I can play a part as an SNP MEP.

It truly is time to end austerity, why? It has failed.  It has failed to reduce debt, as debt is rising; it has reduced living standards across the continent causing economies to remain stagnant, and has failed to deal with tax avoidance and evasion.  Common sense alone dictates that repeat doses of harsh medicine that obviously isn’t working is certain to maintain the economic malaise afflicting Europe rather than affect a steady recovery.

As STUC research has shown in Scotland 70p in every £ of public money ends up in the private sector economy, I see no difference in that happening elsewhere.

To grow the economy we need investment.  We need the EU to spend in infrastructure across Europe, providing incentives to those receiving that investment to provide jobs, skills and training to young people aged between 16 and 25 years of age.  Youth Unemployment is a scourge in our society which needs to be dealt with.  The Scottish Government rightly invests in Modern Apprenticeships and Europe must use this example.  Youth Unemployment in some parts of Europe is over 50%.  We can provide further opportunities here and abroad to tackle youth unemployment, and provide the infrastructure required to grow the economy.

With Balls and Miliband’s recent U-turns by suggesting austerity will continue, it is left to the Scottish National Party to fight to end austerity measures – and surely now only             Independence can now deliver the real opportunity to deliver a better way and a better society.

Austerity is merely an excuse to drive down living standards and wages, to reduce the states capacity to affect real positive changes to our economies, and to drive us at the mercy of market driven choices.

It hasn’t worked – it’s time for a better way.

 

THE FOLLY OF UKIP

Possibly due to being a largely English electoral phenomenon, I have not really encountered UKIP until recently, and only saw them register in the margins in canvassing and survey returns.

My first real engagement with them was last month at a Strathclyde University debate where I was on the side of the UK remaining in Europe - which won handsomely in a vote at the end.

During the debate the UKIP spokesperson in answering what was a reasonable point on the success of ERASMUS - a body which enables higher education students to work and study abroad as part of their degree stated that this body was designed to "enslave today's students to be part of the EU bureaucracy."

A rather dangerous and eccentric view to put it politely.

There is something deeply troubling about their rhetoric on immigration, their outlook to our partner countries in Europe, and their simplistic approach to leaving the EU.  Indeed it appears to have passed them by that joining the European Free Trade Alliance would result in them having to sign up to their pet hates of European Regulation to be part of that body too.

UKIP are on the side of those who see workers rights and hard fought protections such as the Social Chapter (deemed too left wing incidentally, by Major, Blair, and Brown) as troublesome regulation, whilst opposing a financial transactions tax and the capping of bankers bonuses.

On your side? No chance.

The mutual talking up of a Conservative/UKIP arrangement in a future UK election demonstrates that the electoral survival of Tory MP's is more important than being part of a rational debate about our relationships in the world and having a positive vision for our future.The case being put forward to leave the EU is based on a fantasy of turning back the clock to 1973 without consequences - a fanciful delusion.

The case for staying in an institution that has improved the lives and working conditions of millions of working people in Europe, now needs to made in a concise, clear and positive way.

The case for leaving the EU, is a classic case of the race to the bottom.

THE RIGHT TURN

As much as I've been entertained by the farcical 500 questions from the Better Together campaign (providing light relief for a holiday weekend) , the matter of the English local elections and their potential significant bearing on Scotland's decision in September 2014 has been the hot topic this weekend.

Two immediate thoughts spring to mind.  Firstly,  on this showing, Labour will not be elected as the next Westminster Government in 2015.  The rule of thumb from considered political experts is that they needed approx 500 gains to be in a position at this stage of the political cycle to be heading in that direction.  Labour gained half that total.

This fact will no doubt worry Labour activists, and will I am sure lead to some debate as to whether they continue the Tory-lite approach favoured by the Westminster Front Bench , or do they start to provide a clear narrative articulating their differences with the Tories? 

Secondly, and perhaps related was that the rise of the UKIP vote demonstrates that Scotland and England are becoming two, distinct, political countries.  As a regular delegate to the UNISON UK Conference, the reaction from Scottish TU colleagues listening to the challenges faced by TU members elsewhere in the UK, is met with support but also relief that some of the attacks facing public sector workers - for example the abandonment of the two tier workforce agreement by the Tory led Government - are not being faced here in Scotland.

Whilst the defeat of the BNP in Burnley is most welcome, the results indicate a move to the right.  The UKIP agenda of playing to prejudice and grievance, of trying to blame someone else for the country's problems rather than the Government plays into the Tories hands.

The sight on Friday afternoon of Simon Hughes of the Liberal Democrats discussing anti-immigration measures is testament to that.

But perhaps the harshest lesson is that the rise of the UKIP vote, and the pandering to it by the Tories, is that the biggest threat to Scotland's place in Europe, is not an Independent Scotland, but by staying in the UK.

Lets consider this, there is no doubt that Cameron will veto measures such as, a financial transactions tax, limits on bankers bonuses, and extensions to social protections. Are these not policies that a Scottish Government and most Scots find favour with?

WESTMINSTER FAIL - WORKERS RIGHTS

Blogging has been lighter than I would have liked with the touring of Constituencies around the country, which I have found enjoyable, and the good camaraderie with the other Candidates.

It is to my complete astonishment that I read this week, that the Labour Front Bench abstained on a vote to remove from 2500 PCS members, the right to strike in Customs and Immigration.

The honourable John McDonnell probably puts it best when he says

"This is the first time in the Labour Movement - the first time ever in the history of the Labour Party - that his party has supported in Parliament the removal of trade union rights for trade unionists"

Had it not been for John McDonnell's intervention the Labour Front Bench would have supported the measure!

News also reaches me that the Labour front bench are likely to abstain in tomorrow's vote on Workfare.

What on earth is going on?

Have we really reached a point for no return where the Labour Party at Westminster now see the rights of workers and Trade Unions as expendable? Are they so cautious and sensitive to accusations of "Red Ed" being held hostage by the unions that they are prepared to sit back and let those self same members who actively support the Labour party (by choice and opt-in)  through the trade union levy go to the wall ?
This is the enduring mystery at the heart of the Labour party - significant sums of money and resource support the party and individual MP's, MSP's, councillors and constituency parties - cheques written from political funds established though the political levy from the wages of many low paid workers. And what exactly do they get in return for all this support - other than warm words ("Comrades .. as a democratic socialist of course I support you..But...) and cool distance when councils set budgets, and parliamentarians cast their vote.

This ideological right wing Coalition Government must be laughing all the way to the bank.

Who do working people support now.

Westminster has failed working people.  If the Government and the main opposition cannot protect workers, then surely only Independence can.

Only the SNP support the removal of anti-TU laws, with the rights of workers to begin on day one of their employment.

Surely now, only Independence can protect workers in Scotland through the European Social Chapter, which the Tories are desperate to ditch.

I would encourage everyone to sign up to Trade Unions for YES - facebook page up and running.

Westminster has repeatedly failed in the protection of working people in Scotland.

WHY I'M RUNNING FOR EUROPE

Thanks to the support and encouragement from a number of colleagues I am indicating that I’ve been nominated by a number of constituency associations to be considered as one of the six candidates for the European Elections.  It’s a positive sign of the party’s engagement with Europe that a number of colleagues have decided to do the same, and to them best wishes and good luck.
 
I gave this decision a lot of thought, consulting colleagues, as well as the two MEP’s.

I have decided to seek nominations for a number of reasons, and feel that the following issues are where I can make a contribution to the healthy debate we’ll be having about our country’s future in a 21^st century Europe.

Firstly, austerity at home and abroad.  I take the fundamental and principled view that cutting public spending not only increases deficits but harms the private sector economy.  With 70p in every £ of public money going into to the private sector economy, ideological decisions to cut public spending are just plain wrong.  The examples of so-called smaller countries ( I prefer the term normal sized nations), who have dealt with the financial crisis without attacking public spending or welfare programmes is a useful tool to bring into political debate in 2014.

Secondly, I want to ensure the Social Chapter is protected and enhance it if we can.  I have a real suspicion of the Tory led Government agenda – when they say that Europe needs reformed they mean dumping the Social Chapter, as well as EU Human Rights legislation.  The social chapter has improved the lives of millions of working people, and the Tories wish to opt out will only serve to increase short term employment, and a low wage economy.  The example of European Governments who have better employment protection is in stark contrast to Westminster, and the recent move to reduce the statutory notice of redundancy will only make it easier for multinational companies to close UK workplaces, at the expense of those elsewhere.

Thirdly, I feel due to successive UK Government negligence, we need to do more to access EU funds. It is utterly negligent of the UK Government not to apply for funding that can help small and medium size enterprises, and structural funds have helped alleviate long term unemployment – for example the City Centre Rep service in Glasgow.  Indeed our farming communities would benefit by the tune of £150 million in an Independent Scotland.

Fourthly, we have an opportunity to support our current group on reviewing EU procurement rules.  It is correct that clauses should be inserted to allow local and central government to take procurement decisions which would assist their local economies.  This will allow local economies to grow.

This brings me to the last reason.  2014 is the year we determine Scotland’s future, and I believe I can make a contribution articulating why an Independent Scotland in Europe will benefit our fellow citizens, rather than the increasingly insular attitude we see at Westminster.  Political reality says that Scotland will be welcomed with open arms inside the European Community.

I will over the coming weeks share these views further.