Letter from Ally Hendry Printed in West Lothian courier 29/04/2010

As a socialist, I want the current capitalist economic system to be replaced by a socialist system based on equality and social need rather than private greed. This would involve taking control of the banks, insurance companies and the major industries and placing them in the hands of ordinary working men and women. The creation of a socialist society would help bring an end to poverty, injustice and war.
Socialists wish to see everyone being given the opportunity to fulfil their true potential and not having to spend their lives as ‘wage slaves’ in the capitalist system. How many great musicians, skilled doctors, great scientists and engineers etc have there been amongst children of working class families who were never able to realise their goals because economic constraints forced them to take lesser paid jobs to augment the family income?
If elected to Westminster, I would oppose cuts in Government spending which, it has been reported, in West Lothian would result in a minimum of one thousand compulsory Council job losses and drastic reductions in our vital public services.
To encourage small and medium sized companies to locate in West Lothian (and other areas), I would propose a policy of offering a rates moratorium for a period of 1-3 years and a financial contribution to the wages and training costs of long-term unemployed people given jobs by the incoming companies.
Although a devolved issue, another of my priorities would be to highlight the campaign for the full reinstatement of all services to St Johns Hospital. The reduction in services was part of the policy of the previous Labour-led government in its insidious drive to privatise the National Health Service.

Scottish Socialist Party election broadcast

PARTY ELECTION BROADCAST FOR 2010 GENERAL ELECTION

The Scottish Socialist Party's Westminster election party political broadcast was shown on the 23rd of April on BBC1 and BBC2. To watch the video please click on the link

Scottish Socialist Party 2010 general election broadcast

Ally Hendry on televised leaders debate.

Reflections on the Party Leaders’ Debate on domestic policy

The most striking impression I got from the Party Leaders’ Debate was how similar the so-called ‘major parties’ are when it comes to economic policy. They all agree that there will have to be deep cuts in government spending as a result of the economic recession which will severely affect public services. However, during the debate all three leaders sought to disguise what is in store for families the length and breadth of Britain by putting forward schemes that will supposedly shield the public from hardships.

We in the SSP, unlike the ‘major parties’, maintain that the general public do not have to bear the brunt for an economic recession which was none of their making. There are alternatives to the cuts that would in fact mean an increase in public spending to improve public services and create jobs. These include:

• Taking control of the UK banks assets and capital, estimated to be in the region of £5 trillion and £560 billion respectively.
• Taxing the rich by for example imposing a 90% tax rate on income over £100,000.
• Raising corporation tax which has been cut by successive governments from 45% to 28%. A doubling of corporation tax would yield about £45 billion annually
• Reducing defence spending by withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and scrapping nuclear weapons would save over £30 billion every year.

Scottish Socialist Party launches 2010 election manifesto.

from left to right; Ally Hendry, James Nesbitt, Frances Curran, John McAllion and Colin Fox

Last Tuesday the 13th of April saw the launch of the Scottish Socialist Party's 2010 election manifesto. The manifesto focuses on 5 main points

• Public sector cuts
• Employment (focusing on youth employment.)
• The continued occupation of Afghanistan
• The reform and clean up of the process' of government
• The formation of an independent Socialist republic in Scotland.

Colin Fox party co-spokesperson and John McAllion

Party co-spokesperson Colin Fox said: "After 13 years of New Labour, the thought of a Tory government still sends a shiver up the spine.

"But it's clear to anyone who's watching this election that politics in Scotland is about to be turned upside down.
"Let's be clear from the outset, that if the Tories do return to power at Westminster, the blame for that lies with New Labour and the failure of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown these last 13 years, who have quite frankly exploited working people, with the poorest and most vulnerable being hit hardest."

To read the 2010 election manifesto please follow the link below
2010 General Election manifesto

2010 Election campaign begins.

The West Lothian branch of the Scottish Socialist Party have started their 2010 election campaign. We have been out on the streets of West Lothian posting leaflets in various areas of the county, West Calder, Polbeth, Addiewell, East Calder and Stoneyburn and we had a very successful stall at Livingston centre on Friday the 9th of April.

We will be throughtout the county over the next few weeks and will be holding stalls throughtout the Livingston constituency. All our members are willing to answer any questions anyone will have so please feel free to approach us.

ELECTION CALLED FOR 6TH OF MAY

Today Gordon Brown asked the Queen to dissolve parliament. This signals the start of the election campaign in which at it's penultimate end the country will go to the polls to decide who will next run the country. This is a short statement from Ally Hendry the candidate for the Scottish Socialist Party in Livingston.

This election presents a massive opportunity for the Scottish Socialist Party to present a viable alternative to the current mainstream parties who will once again attempt to solve the problems of capitalism at the expense of the ordinary working men and women. They will once again churn the same old ingredients of tax rises, cuts in public services, increased privatisation and anti-union polices and present it to the people as the only solution that will get the country out of recession.

This election gives the party publicity both nationally and locally to present a vision of a fairer and just society with peoples at the heart of our policies. We will be campaigning on a number of issues from the illegal wars which has placed our troops and civilians in the firing line and has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Afghanis.

Ally Hendry and party Co-spokeperson Colin Fox

The country is currently experiencing the deepest recession in 80 years as a result of the reckless greed of high earning bankers and of neoliberal economic policies designed to benefit the rich pursued by successive Labour and Tory governments.

The response of the mainstream parties to this crisis has been to plan savage cuts in jobs, wages and essential services but the SSP vehemently opposes such action and believes that working people like nurses, postal and council workers did not cause the recession and should not have to suffer the consequences.

Instead, the SSP believes those who have accumulated great wealth as a result of neoliberal policies, including those bankers who bear great personal responsibility, should pay for the economic crisis by means of higher taxes. To cancel the new Trident missile system which has a reported cost of £100million and to collect the lost revenue of tax avoidance and evasion this costs our country a reported £100million annually.

Our vision is for a fair and just society structured to provide for the needs of the many not the greed of the few. This can only be achieved when working people unite and demand change. We would ask you to vote for the Scottish Socialist Party at this election.