SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 29/04/04

'Despicable' Brankin slammed in Parliament canteen tantrum.

In an astonishing outburst in the Scottish Parliament's posh upmarket 'canteen', Labour MSP for Midlothian Rhona Brankin demanded that Scottish Socialist Party MSP Carolyn Leckie throw out her striking nursery nurses guests. Among the delicacies on offer in the politicians subsidised canteen today were Grilled Salmon Fillet with cous cous for £3.00 and Passion Fruit Fool served with Kumquats, a snip at 70 pence. The under pressure Labour MSP huffily demanded that MSP Leckie throw out the visiting nursery nurses for supposedly breaking an unheard of rule that visitors are not allowed to eat in the high class, low price restaurant.

Carolyn said;

"I am horrified that a Labour MSP would attempt to deny food to workers who have been on strike for nine weeks with the claim that rules bar them from the restaurant. "She clearly has her plate full with the nursery nurses dispute. "Ms Brankin, like all other MSP's, has guests join her at her table in the restaurant for lunch. "The real reason is that she is ashamed of New Labour's backstairs manoeuvres to starve the nursery nurses back to work. "I find her attitude quite despicable and wonder what the many former miners in her coalfield constituency who received this kind of treatment from Margaret Thatcher think of their MSP"

The Herald: Canteen clash over nursery nurses

Give us the dough, say striking cake workers

DEFIANT strikers at Coatbridge’s California Cake Company say they are ready to battle bosses amid claims staff are being forced to work more hours for less hourly pay.

Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan was on the picket line with the workers on Monday to show his support in their fight for fair pay.

And as the face-off enters its third week, the strikers say they are ready to stay out until they get their old pay and conditions back.

Tommy Sheridan said: “I’m here to show solidarity with the workers. This is an imposition of a new contract that means they work more hours for less hourly pay.

“If this company wants to keep its good name and have good products, surely it should pay decent wages. The management didn’t seem to grasp the situation. They said the workers would be getting paid more, but eventually conceded that if they are working more hours to get it then their hourly rate will be lower.”

ic Renfrewshire - Public meeting over school plan

CAMPAIGNERS will speak out against Renfrewshire’s massive schools shake-up at a special meeting in Paisley tonight.

Members of the Renfrewshire Anti-Privatisation Committee are holding a public meeting in the Town Hall.

And politicians from different parties will be there to hit out against the council’s plans to build new schools and refurbish others using a public private partnership deal.

Frances Curran, the Scottish Socialist MSP for the West of Scotland, will be speaking out against the use of private firms to build new schools both in Renfrewshire and Glasgow.

Scotsman.com News - Scotland - Prison ruling paves way for costly claims: "Tommy Sheridan, the leader of the Scottish Socialist Party, experienced slopping-out when he was in Barlinnie and has raised questions on the issue in Parliament.

He said: 'It is an utter humiliation, often perpetrated on prisoners who have not been convicted of any crime.

'How can we hope to reform individuals who are treated like animals in the prison system?'"

Tommy Sheridan:
“The Axe The Council Tax demonstration has been a marvellous success.
“Two thousand people from across the political spectrum have shown that the council tax is hated the length and breadth of Scotland.
“Today in Glasgow members of the SSP, the SNP and the Greens joined forces with trade unions, pensioners groups and the general public to demand an end to the unfair council tax."


Scottish Television News: Thousands Gather for Axe the Tax Demonstration
Tommy Sheridan, the leader of the Scottish Socialist Party, stated: The executive have been in power now for five years, the council tax has been with us for ten years. The idea of a review after five years is not good enough. We want it scrapped. We know how bad it is, we want an income based alternative. Let's tax individuals according to their ability to pay."
Sunday Mail: 2,000 Join Tommy's Tax Protest
Protester John Moffat, 31, said: 'Why should I be paying the same amount as Brian Souter, who has millions in the bank?'
Pensioner Elsie Black, 71, added: 'It is appalling that a large chunk of what little income I have has to be spent on such an unfair tax.'
Scotland On Sunday: 'Axe the Tax' protest takes to streets
Campaigners were opposing the current system of council tax, which they claim fails to take full account of the income of residents by putting a ceiling on what the richest earn.
BBC News Online: Socialists urge tax 'rebellion'
The Scottish Socialist Party has predicted "the beginning of the end" for the council tax.