People’s Assembly Scotland: Greens top pledge against austerity followed by Labour then SNP

#GE2015 Most of Scotland’s election candidates who responded to the People’s Assembly Scotland’s petition against austerity have also signed up to it, pledging “to commit themselves to oppose all Austerity Cuts.”
   Top pledgers were the Greens (14), next came Labour (11) and surprisingly in third place was the SNP with only 9 of its 22 responders agreeing to sign up to oppose all austerity cuts while the others issued a statement which included “We believe we can manage the deficit down, but without destroying the social fabric that holds us together.”
   Phil McGarry, Chair of the People’s Assembly Scotland, said: “With austerity right at the front of so many parties’ election campaign, we are surprised more candidates didn’t take the chance to publicly confirm their opposition to austerity. Given the public campaigning, we are even more surprised at how few SNP candidates were willing to actually pledge to oppose all austerity.”

People's Assembly calls on Scotland to unite for more powers to defeat austerity

The People's Assembly has called for the energy both sides put into the referendum campaign to be channelled into ensuring that powers are delivered for Scotland that can be used to "reverse the austerity agenda".

The call was made as community activists, trade unions, trade union councils, politicians and other campaigning groups met for the People's Assembly Scotland AGM in Glasgow on Saturday 4 October 2014.

Another anti austerity demonstration, another media blackout

Over 50,000 attended yesterday’s London demonstration organised by the People’s Assembly against austerity and speakers included media celebrity Russell Brand. Once again a protest against government cuts received minimal coverage from national broadcasters. Last September’s Manchester demonstration in defence of the NHS received the same censorship treatment even though news organisations were in town in force to cover the Tory Party conference.

There is a long history of structural bias in the UK media against trade unions and the left. It will not change unless unions work together to confront it argued Tom O’Malley at the recent UCU Congress: ‘all unions, in all sectors, have to work together to formulate communications policies that are coherent and workable and which can gain widespread popular support as well influence in mainstream politics.

 

'I also think that all unions should, even in these economically exacting times, support campaigning organisations such as the CPBF. History therefore tells us that we should work together to challenge the structural biases in the media, and seek a much more inclusive, open and accountable. In so doing, we will be building on the thoughts and struggles of women and men in the movement, who for the last 100 years have been forced by necessity to confront and challenge the media, and work for something better.’

If you do one thing today, sign the petition for a #PeoplesBudget

There is an alternative to the George Osborne austerity budget. The People’s Assembly has launched a petition calling for a budget for the majority, not the minority. The petition states;-
“Sign the Petition: For a #PeoplesBudget
The Government should reverse damaging austerity, and replace it with a new set of policies providing us with a fair, sustainable and secure future. We will no longer tolerate politicians looking out for themselves and for the rich and powerful. Our political representatives must start governing in the interests of the majority. We, the undersigned, demand:

Fair demands for a fair society – Launch of the People’s Assembly Scotland

There was standing room only as Shrewsbury 24 campaigner Ricky Tomlinson joined trade unionists and community activists in Glasgow on Saturday to launch The People’s Assembly Scotland.
   Building on the National People’s assembly, launched in London in 2010, the People’s Assembly Scotland will bring together unions, trade union councils and local and national campaigning groups to fight the austerity driven policies of the UK Government.