A TUC animation tackles some of the media and political myths about the benefits system, with the aid of a talking dog.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/the-benefits-system-exposed
The STUC has cancelled the St Andrew's Day anti-racism march in Glasgow today due to the tragic helicopter crash. The march would have passed close to the scene. A statement from the STUC says: "As a mark of respect to all those affected by the tragedy at the
Clutha Vaults last night and in view of the pressure which has been placed on the resources of Scottish emergency services, STUC has decided to cancel its annual St Andrew's Day anti-racism march. The march which had been due to leave from Glasgow Green at 11am will now NOT take place, but participants are invited to attend a short rally at the Glasgow Film Theatre at 12 noon as planned".
Our thoughts are with those affected and the public service staff working tirelessly to deal with the incident.
http://www.stuc.org.uk/campaigns-and-external-events/st-andrews-day
Tropical nights in Central America,
with moonlit lagoons and volcanoes
and lights from presidential palaces,
barracks and sad curfew warnings.
Public support for private firms providing services falling markedly, according to a poll conducted by Ipsos Mori. 1009 people were asked if they agreed with the statement 'as long as health services are free of charge, it doesn’t matter to me whether they are provided by the NHS or a private company'. There was net agreement of -5 per cent with the statement, with 42 per cent agreeing and 47 per cent disagreeing. When the same question was asked in 2011 there was net approval of 5 per cent:
http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/attitudes-harden-against-private-providers/5065645.article
You only have till 14 December to sign the
Shrewsbury 24 paper petition calling for the release of government documents that pertain to the Shrewsbury trial in 1972. A request to release these documents has been
denied on grounds of “national security” and this decision is not due to be reviewed until 2021.
The Independent reports that Government spending cuts have hit the poorest parts of England and Scotland much harder than more affluent areas. Research published today by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) confirms that the North and Midlands are suffering more than the south, with deprived areas left about £100 per person worse off. The JRF analysed the 30% real terms cut in local government spending between 2008 and 2015:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/spending-cuts-hit-poorest-parts-of-england-and-scotland-much-harder-than-affluent-areas-8968273.html
The fanatically pro market Austrian School economist Ludwig von Mises famously stated that 'inequality of wealth is the cause of the masses' well being, not the cause of anybody's distress.' Once the province of right wing cranks, such thinking has become today's neo liberal orthodoxy. The December 2013 issue of the IMF's quarterly magazine "Finance & Development" has an article summarizing recent reports produced by the Fund's research department showing that austerity ("fiscal consolidation") and capital account liberalization policies increase income inequality:
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2013/12/furceri.htm
The Environment Agency in England, where UNISON organises 3,500 workers, is slashing its staff by 15% in the next year. Over 1,700 jobs will be lost as a result of Government funding cuts. Veerle Heyvaert writing for The Conversation blog warns that the ‘environmental and related economic costs of this scale of layoffs at the Environment Agency should be taken seriously. By themselves they are unlikely to sway a government that, regardless of its claimed green ambition, pursues an agenda of environmental deregulation. Yet there are other significant legal and political costs that may have escaped the government’s attention so far but are significant’
http://theconversation.com/environment-agency-staff-cuts-risks-economy-and-reputation-20584
We have got the best part of a year to analyse the White Paper on Scottish Independence so any attempt to do the debate justice at this stage would be a bit previous. However, a Holyrood Magazine has thrown up some key cross border issues that will have to be adressed whatever the result.
Slave Masters
justified slavery by claiming that slaves 'were perfectly contented with their condition, and on the whole a much better race without education than with, as they were now faithful, kind-hearted, and attached to their masters, whereas education would destroy all their natural virtues, and make them as vicious as the lower orders in other countries.'
