Co-operate and remedy past failures

Mar 20 2008

Is the Labour Party in Scotland a section of a British National Party with some remaining Labour intentions?

The recent fiasco at the North Lanarkshire Council budget debate indicates the limited powers councils have to spend on additional services.

The Government has for years supplied NLC and most other councils with approximately 73 per cent of the money they spend. Only 17 per cent was provided via council tax.

This year, when there has been no general council tax increases, the Government is supplying virtually all of North Lanarkshire Council’s current expenditure.

The vast bulk of this £751m budget is tied on wages, property charges and other factors, for which there is a very limited flexibility. There was only £24m where the council has any real choice at this budget. £24m of real choice could make little difference to the major problems of education, social work, housing or the special provisions for handicapped people.

The basic problem facing all Scottish councils is that there has been insufficient money available to them to meet the genuine needs of the Scottish people in housing, education, social work, recreation or special needs after years of Labour control of the Scottish people.

Why?

Because a vast proportion of the resources of Scotland is squandered on present or previous foreign wars and nuclear deterrents. These have caused vast destruction to our universe and to the environment, plus thousands of unnecessary deaths and intense human suffering.

Most Scottish people are not in favour of the present wars in Iraq, Afghanistan.

How long are the Scottish sections of the various British National Parties going to sell out the Scottish people to appease those who imagine we are still living as a past major imperial power?

The farce at the Scottish Government budget debate and the equal farce at North Lanarkshire Council debate illustrate how the Scottish sections of the British National Parties — whether they call themselves, Labour, Liberal, Conservative or any other name — have no real answer to Scotland’s desperate social problems until they gain control of Scotland’s resources.

The present political situation calls for all Scottish parties or politicians who believe in the welfare of the Scottish people to work together to ensure that we have a Scottish Government, with full control of all the taxation raised in Scotland. It must also have the power to decide how much of this revenue it will allocate to Westminster for foreign affairs and defence.

If any future British leader wishes extra money for future conflict, he/she must convince the Scottish Government that this is in the best interests of the Scottish people, the environment and the future of humanity.

Labour, Liberal and Tory have all failed us in the past. Now is their opportunity to co-operate to ensure that Scotland’s future can at last move forward to a higher position in the world league of social and economical tables.

Councillor Gordon Murray.