Colin Fox on abolishing the council tax.

Time To Abolish The Council Tax - Not Freeze It

The opinion polls suggest Labour and the SNP are neck and neck in the race for Holyrood 2011. Interestingly both parties now support a freeze in Council Tax bills for the next year. They arrived at this 'freeze' via different routes however.

Like the Scottish Socialist Party the SNP are opposed to the Council Tax in principle, believing, as the majority of Scots do, that it is unfair and hits the less well off disproportionately hard. The Council Tax is indeed a regressive tax that bears no relation to a person's income. Consequently the least well off are hit hardest as the wealthy pay coppers. Since they have not been able to replace it with an income based alternative, the SNP have settled for second be stand 'freezing' the current charges.

Labour on the other hand has no principled objection to the Council Tax. They argue for a freeze on the grounds that they purportedly want to 'help hard working families in this time of austerity'. Most people believe that it has more to do with avoiding being politically outmanoeuvred by the SNP. Either way freezing the Council Tax does nothing to address it's fundamental unfairness. Indeed it may be argued a freeze helps the rich most of all.

As things stand the wealthy in Scotland pay a tiny tiny percentage of their income on this bill. For example,Stephen Hestor (the CEO of RBS) was just awarded a £7.7 million pay package for the coming year. Living in Edinburgh his Council Tax bill will again be frozen at £2,338 or 0.03% of his salary whilst some pensioners are paying 25% of their income on theirs.

The Scottish Socialist Part believes this is utterly unacceptable and this week we will highlight our fully costed proposals for a local income tax to replace the Council Tax. Our plans would mean the burden would be lifted from the shoulders of of pensioners, low paid workers and the poor and at the same time force the wealthy to pay their fair share for a change.

Here's how it works. Each individual in Scotland will pay towards the funding of local services but the more you earn the more you pay. So, for example, if your income is less than £10,000 you are exempt. That's too low to force people to contribute. Thereafter, on incomes over £10,000 and up to £30,000 you pay 4.5%. So if you are on £200,000 your bill is £450 [4.5% of the earnings over £10,000] If you earn more than £30,000 you pay nothing on the first £10,000, 4.5% on the next £20,000 and 10% on the earnings over £30,000. The next incremental step is to 15% on earnings over £50,000 and 20% on earnings over £100,000. This graduated rate (which the SNP opposes) is fairer and ensures that as your income goes up so does your tax obligation.

Economists at Paisley University who scrutinised these figures found that 77% of Scots will be better off compared to now. Furthermore, using the latest Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs figures, they are able to demonstrate that these proposals would bring another £1.5 billion into Holyrood's Treasury.

So, not only would this tax be fairer and redistributive, it would also halt the need for any cuts to public services in Scotland. And that's a freeze we DO need.

Taken from Colin Fox's blog @ http://sspcolinfox.blogspot.com

SSP MANIFESTO LAUNCHED

Colin Fox on SSP manifesto launch.

The Scottish Socialist Party launched our manifesto for the 2011 Holyrood elections yesterday at a press conference in Glasgow. With me at the launch were the other top of the list candidates from across Scotland. Frances Curran (Glasgow), SSP Councillor Jim Bollan (West of Scotland), and myself briefly outlined the main points in our magnificent manifesto [which can be downloaded from the SSP website] for the assembled press pack.
We gave the people of Scotland a cast iron guarantee that if they elect SSP MSPs on May 5th we will not vote for cuts to public services, to jobs, wages or conditions. This is a very important commitment because this will be the first Parliament faced with a reduced budget so MSPs will either vote for cuts or fight them.
The SSP has never, in twelve years, voted to cut public services or the standard of living of working people and we have no intention of starting now.
Second we stressed that we are committed to scrapping the hated and unfair Council Tax. We intend to replace it with an income based alternative which sees the wealthy pay more and the poor exempted.
And last, but by no means least, is our support for an independent socialist Scotland, a modern democratic republic. Whilst other parties dilute their commitment to independence we remain passionate about it. And as we will endure the sycophants cooing over a Royal wedding in the last week of this election campaign we felt it important to restate our commitment to a modern democratic republic for Scotland.
The press conference was well attended as the picture shows. As well as the BBC and STV film crews, several other photographers and journalists were present and their questions reflected their growing recognition that support for the SSP is increasing noticeably.
The coverage of our manifesto launch has, as usual, been patchy; some good, some bad, some non-existent. STV news carried a full interview and the greatest column inches were found in the Aberdeen Press and Journal. So, hats off to them for fair coverage and Dunces Caps to the BBC, The Daily Record and the other tabloids for ignoring us once again.

Taken from Colin Fox's blog. original article

Letter sent to local media on prescription charges.

Scottish Socialist Party national spokesman Colin Fox today
welcomed the abolition of Prescription Charges in Scotland after 50
years and insisted it would not have happened without the SSP.

After his election to Holyrood in 2003, SSP MSP Colin Fox launched a
Private Members Bill to to scrap prescription charges.
He told us
'The SSP's Bill won the backing of hundreds of health groups, unions,
and patients groups across the country and even the Scottish Parliament's
own Health Committee. But it was voted down by an unholy
alliance of Labour, Lib Dem and Tory MSPs. Otherwise this double tax
on the sick would have become law 6 years ago.

'I am delighted nonetheless that at last our visionary idea has been realised
and that a great injustice has been eradicated. The NHS promised back in
1947, rightly, to provide healthcare free at the point of need and paid out
of general taxation. But prescription charges broke that promise to patients.
Without our Bill, and the SNP Governments decision to pick it up,
prescription charges would be £7.40 per item today as they are in England.

Ally Hendry (List candidate for the Lothian region) added

Colinf Fox and Ally Hendry.

'This achievement shows the people of Scotland what a difference SSP MSPs
at Holyrood makes to their lives and in particular to those of the low paid, sick
and vulnerable. I urge people to remember this on May 5th.

Won’t Get Fooled Again or Imagine

Letter from a comrade

George Mackin

Is it just me - or have you felt angry this week? Enraged. Just under third of a million deprived of all benefits this year and worse to come, much worse. What planet are these people on? Tories: lower than vermin; add to the pile the unctuous and venal Liberals. Back to the workhouse, back to the soup kitchen. Targets to be met, after all it is only common sense. George Bush on the perils and joys of water-boarding; a royal wedding; red poppies; student tuition fees; and a certain criminal and less than civil case which shines a whole new light onto the phrase the personal is political.

Never mind I’m not in the Scottish Socialist Party any more. I have done my bit. Thirty years of that political stuff. What thanks do you get? Anyway some of the Left are just bonkers.: one party states and would be little Napoleons handing out truth on high in condescending three hour rants. Gerry Healey and… make your own list of snake oil salesman … Want to know the truth? Read this book. Look no further. The stories I could tell of people on the Left treating other people like feudal underlings.

Never has political quietism been so appealing. Rock Guitar anyone? Hurry up Harry come on, were going down the pub. Dah Dah Dah.

So why do I feel enraged? A soon to be fifty year old whose best days are over. Winter’s breath upon me, not much time left, best to enjoy every sandwich.

There is a big neo-liberal train that has been a rolling all my adult life, like the Terminator it never stops. It is inexorable and loathsome. Vote Labour? Nah! Just a slower train but the same direction and let’s not forget Jim Murphy. Set Scotland Free vote by voting tweedle dee SNP. Nah just a different flag ( mind you I do detest the Butcher’s Apron).

The Labour Party; The SNP; The SSP, I have been in all three. In fact let’s not forget Militant Tendency I was a supporter/ reader of that party/ tendency/paper many years ago.. Another story, comrade. World Prospectus 1981 anyone ? SWP: the non-thinking man’s millenarian cult. That’s the problem with Capitalism : too much choice.

Which party are you in now? Not a question but a sneer riddled with guilt None. None?

Yet out off all the groups left standing which party to I most identify with ? Easy: The SSP. I’m Pleased that the Greens won a seat in England, though. Political parties, not the battle but the echo of the battle as James Connolly used to say.

How do you feel about that? Not being in a political party? Great. Shite. Relieved, Bereft. Depressed. Happy. Bitter. Angry. Enraged. Sad, so sad, what a waste. numb so numb.

Mind you if you think some of the Left are bonkers you should see the SNP.? Another story, comrade.

Imagine or Won’t Get Fooled Again? Which sentiment suits me best?

A credible Left, a Republican Left, a non-patriarchal Left, a smash up the hated British State Left, a radical Left; not content to live within the confines of capitalist Left, a non-neo-Stalinist Left, a Green left, a non-sectarian Left, an anti-nuclear Left, a non-primate dominance in any form Left. A humanist and sceptical Left..

A big rock fell upon us. Devil and the deep blue sea or A rock and a hard place, call it what you like. Hard choices were made. Ken what I mean? No textbook for those difficult paths. Nobody comes out squeaky clean. There is no one to cast the first stones. But let us not to be too hard on ourselves or on others.: we all could have done things better. We forgive as best we can; we learn our lessons as best we can - we move on. We make history but not to our own making.

The struggle continues; we rebuild. Life is green but the truth is grey as they say and life goes on until the end. No consolation for us materialists. One life and one life only. Do we accept? Or do we act? Do we let people exercise power over us or do we challenge their authority?

A Time to rage; a time to grieve; a time for sadness; a time for hope; a time to regroup.;a time for praxical reflection; a time for optimism and pessimism; a time to talk.

FIGHT THE CUTS

Fight the Cuts ! Demonstrate in Edinburgh, Saturday October 23rd!!

Called by the Scottish Trades 

Union Congress

11.00 am: Assemble East Market 

Street Edinburgh

11.30am: March off

                                             12.30 pm: Rally Ross Bandstand

Colin Fox's letter to The hearld on The war in Afghanistan

Afghans do not want British and American forces to continue occupying their country!!

By party co-spokeperson

Colin Fox

David Pratt is correct when he writes: “We are losing the war in Afghanistan … the mission is lost” (“Now civil war looms for the lost cause that is Afghanistan”, The Herald, September 17).

The reasons for this defeat have been obvious for some time. Uppermost among them is the fact that the US and Britain are occupying a country which doesn’t want us to be there. The majority of Afghanistan’s 33 million citizens now see British and American soldiers as armies of occupation. The origins of this lie in Tony Blair’s decision to invade Afghanistan in 2001, claiming it was responsible for the 9/11 twin towers attacks. He knew then that Afghans were not involved. So Britain invaded a country guilty of no crime, has occupied it for the best part of a decade and some 50,000 innocent Afghan civilians have been killed.

The insurgency is winning in Afghanistan because Britain and the US alienated the population by installing a corrupt, illegitimate and despised puppet regime with Hamid Karzai at its head.

All the polls here highlight the lack of confidence the UK population has in the political leaders as 75% want to see the troops brought home. Our soldiers will continue to die until the discredited Afghan army and police can take over. Yet there is, in reality, no such thing as a national army or police force in Afghanistan – only militias and paramilitaries loyal to warlords who pay their wages.

David Pratt is right to suggest that Britain’s legacy to Afghanistan will be the same civil war which followed the Soviet withdrawal of the 1980s.

If Afghanistan is to prosper as a democratic and stable country, the future rests with people like the remarkable Afghan MP Malalai Joya, one of the few actually elected. She campaigns for a democratic, multi-ethnic Afghanistan and she asks of people who share her vision that we first of all withdraw foreign forces.

Colin Fox,

FREE GAZA MARCH 05/06/2010

Last Monday the 31st of May saw Israeli force attack a flotilla carrying aid to Palestine. At least 19 people were killed and dozens injured when troops intercepted the convoy of ships dubbed the Freedom Flotilla early on Monday, Israeli radio reported. The flotilla was attacked in international waters, 65km off the coast of Gaza.

Following these attacks the Scottish PSC and other Free Palestine organisations organised a whole range of protests and demonstrations to bring this story to the attention of the masses.

The West Lothian branch of the SSP and other branches throughout scotland along with various other groups and organisations took part in a mass demo and march in Edinburgh on the 5th of May. 3000 individuals turned up to let the goverment know that israeli attacks will no longer be tolerated.

click here to read the SSP's statement on the attacks SSP statement on aid flottila massacre

SSP co-Spokesperson Colin Fox speaks to the gathered public on the murder of the flotilla activists

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

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

Conference 2010

The national conference of the Scottish Socialist Party was held on Sunday the 28th of March in Dunblane. The West Lothian branch of the SSP sent delegates to the conference. The conference was a huge success and showed that all the branches in the SSP are on the same wavelength. We understand that the road may be long and hard. We understand that we need to grow. It was discussed that there has been a recent increase in the number of new members and it is obvious that we are a party on the rise. A party that has the working class majority in mind. A party that stands for a Scottish socialist republic. A party opposed to all public sector cuts imperialist wars.