SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 28/05/05

The Scottish Socialist Party is proud to announce that Rosie Kane, an SSP member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow, has been invited to Cuba to speak at an international conference ‘Against terrorism, for truth and justice’, to be held in Havana from 2nd to 3rd June 2005.
The conference has been called to demand justice from the US government in relation to two men accused of being involved in terrorism including the bombing of a Cubana flight in 1976 that claimed the lives of 73 people.

While she is in Cuba Rosie will seek a meeting with Fidel Castro to convey the Scottish Socialist Party’s solidarity greetings in defence of Cuba and against the US blockade.

Rosie said today;
“I am going to Cuba in the spirit of international solidarity for truth and justice and I’ll be taking the message that the people of Scotland stand alongside the people of Cuba in opposition to the warmongers in the White House.
“From Cambuslang to Cuba the brutality and greed of capitalism can be seen easily with the naked eye.
“The same speeches can be translated from community to community; from motorway to blockade, same problem and same solution.
“I will be seeking a meeting with Fidel Castro so that I can deliver a message of solidarity and unity from the Scottish Socialist Party to the people of Cuba against the US blockade.”
[ends]

SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 23/05/05

SSP: Scottish Power “getting fat on the backs of pensioners living in poverty”

The Scottish Socialist Party today called for Scottish Power to be brought back into public ownership as the company prepares to announce record profits to the Stock Exchange.
SSP national convenor Colin Fox accused Scottish Power of “getting fat on the backs of pensioners living in poverty”.

Colin said today;
“Scottish Power’s obscene profits are an absolute disgrace.
“This is a company making itself and its shareholders fat on the backs of Scottish pensioners living in poverty.
“Every winter Scottish pensioners are dying prematurely because they can’t afford to heat their homes adequately.
“Scottish Power must be brought back into public ownership to end the obscenity of pensioners dying through lack of adequate heating while a private company gloats over its profits.”
“The Scottish Socialist Party fights for the establishment of a publicly owned Scottish national energy company.”
[ends]

Notes
Research for the SSP shows that 134,000 (39%) single pensioners and 83,000 (26%) Scottish pensioner couples live in fuel poverty, which means that they must spend 10% or more of their income to adequately heat their homes.
Poverty is the main cause of premature death among the elderly in Scotland according to a study by Energy Action Scotland.
Between 1997-2002, Scotland registered 16,600 more deaths for over-65s between Dec & March than in the rest of the year.
Premature deaths are highest among OAPs in Glasgow with one-in-36 of those aged over 65 dying during the winter months.

Pro-life extremist to hound top MSPs - [Sunday Herald]: "The Scottish Socialist Party have promised “non-violent direct action” to disrupt Dowson’s campaign by following the trailer around the country, throwing sheets across “offensive” posters and drowning out any high-octane pro-life message"