Curfew, fixed fines and electronic tags

Colin Fox, the SSP's Lothians MSP, said: "Of course we have problems on our estates with crime, but most of it is due to the failed drug policies of Labour ... Until we reform our useless drug laws we won't solve the problem.

"Tagging 10-year-old youngsters may make good headlines but, as the National Association of Probation Officers points out, it has had no impact on crime and criminality." The Herald

CANDIDATE'S BID TO FORCE POLL RE-RUN GOES TO COURT

A FORMER Paisley councillor fighting a legal battle to try to force an election re-run will have his day in court.

Iain Hogg is taking action after he lost the Paisley Seedhill seat on Renfrewshire Council to Labour candidate Rayleen Kelly by 10 votes.

But Mr Hogg claims that an election leaflet put out by the Labour Party the night before polling day contained a number of untrue statements about him.

It's the first time ever in Scotland that a losing candidate has challenged an election result on the basis of comments in a leaflet.

A writ has been served on Councillor Kelly and now a court date has been set for the case.

Mr Hogg, who fought the election for the Scottish Socialist Party, said: "We have petitioned the court to find Rayleen Kelly guilty of an electoral offence under Section 106 of the Representation of the Peoples' Act 1983.

"It is our contention that an eve of poll leaflet contained a number of false statements of fact concerning my conduct and character .We believe this leaflet affected the outcome of the election."

He added: "It is a sad day that such an action has to be raised. It is imperative however that character assassination should not be seen as a route to political victory.

"This devalues a political system which is already witnessing low turnouts."

Dr. Nick McKerrell, law lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University and legal adviser to Mr Hogg, said: "We have set the wheels in motion and are confident that we can prove our case before the Sheriff Principal. This would be a legal first in Scotland." Paisley Daily Express

Pipes and protest greet Putin in Edinburgh

The crowd that lined the Royal Mile to watch the entourage pass was quiet and curious, but the Scottish Socialist party hung a large banner protesting against Russia's involvement in Chechnya from its offices. As the motorcade passed through the gates of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a protester shouting about the war in Chechnya threw himself in front of Mr Putin's car before being wrestled to the ground by police. The Guardian

Edinburgh Evening News - Top Stories - From political fringes to the Festival Fringe

SHE caused a stir when she turned up at the Scottish Parliament wearing jeans and took the oath of allegiance with a felt-tip message scrawled on her hand.

Now MSP Rosie Kane is joining a growing band of politicians about to tread the boards at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Edinburgh Evening News - Politics - SSP starts prescription charge fight

SCOTTISH Socialists are ready to launch a summer campaign to harness public support for their bid to scrap prescription charges.

They will run street stalls and campaign with petitions to get across their message that the £6.30 charges are "a tax on illness" which hits the poor, disabled people and the most vulnerable in society.

Lothians SSP MSP Colin Fox has tabled a Bill for free prescriptions and has already won backing from enough MSPs for it to progress to the next stage.

Today, Mr Fox quoted figures from the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux showing that last year, 750,000 prescriptions were not dispensed in Britain because of the charge. And he said the devolved government in Wales had pledged to scrap prescription charges within the next four years.

He said: "Ninety per cent of Scots are already exempt from the charges and it is time to end the unfairness that is visited on the remaining ten per cent.

"The SSP believes that free prescriptions will mean a healthier Scotland.

"If the Scottish Executive really cares about the health of the people of Scotland it should follow the example of the Welsh Assembly and scrap prescription charges."

The Executive has said it has no plans to scrap prescription charges, but is committed to reviewing them for people with chronic health conditions and young people in full-time education or training.

Plans to tag children meet strong opposition

Colin Fox, the SSP's justice spokesman, said: "Labour should concentrate more on social justice and dealing with poverty and inequality which creates the despair among young people, rather than bringing forward ever more draconian measures."

He claimed that tagging had been proved a failure in England. The Herald

Press Release 20.6.03:

SSP To Outline Prescription Charges Plan at Public Meeting

Colin Fox, Scottish Socialist Party MSP for the Lothians region, is bringing forward a bill in the Scottish Parliament calling for the scrapping of prescription charges.

Currently the charge for a prescription is £6.30 per item. Colin Fox and the Scottish Socialist Party say that this is a tax on illness, which especially hits the poor, disabled people and those in our society who are most vulnerable.

We say that if the Scottish Executive really cares about the health of the people of Scotland it should follow the example of the Welsh Assembly and scrap prescription charges.

Colin Fox MSP says:

"The SSP believes that free prescriptions will mean a healthier Scotland."

"If it's good enough for Wales, why is it not good enough for Scotland?"

Colin will be outlining his plans and talking about the SSP vision for Scotland at a public meeting on Tuesday 24th June, 7.30 pm at the Augustine Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, around the theme 'Another Scotland is Possible'.

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Scottish Socialist Party Public Meeting

Another Scotland is Possible

Speaker: Colin Fox MSP

Tuesday 24th June, Augustine Church, George IV Bridge, 7.30 pm.

More details and a copy of the leaflet in PDF format can be found on the branch website at http://www.edinburghcentralssp.org/

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