Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
We own the bank – so stop the closures
The news that the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is planning to close its branch in Graham Street, Airdrie, along with six others in central Scotland – and a total of 62 across Scotland – is another damaging blow to our town centres.
That is why I have stepped in and asked both governments to intervene and take action to protect high street banking as a public service.
Many people still want to use their local bank branch and it helps bring people into town centres.
Over 70 per cent of RBS is owned by the government on behalf of us, the people, yet bankers are being left to make decisions based on profit and not people.
If we, the people, own over 70 per cent of RBS, the bankers should not be allowed to simply close lifeline branches – an act of social and economic vandalism – and the Chancellor should veto these closures.
It is a great honour to have been elected as leader of the Scottish Labour Party and I am humbled to have received the support of members and trade unionists across the Labour movement.
Working people need a political party that listens to, represents and works for them – not for the chosen few.
That is why the Labour Party was set-up here in Lanarkshire by Keir Hardie and the trades union movement.
Under my leadership, the Labour Party will be bold and radical and we will develop a vision for Scotland based on transforming the economy, reducing inequality, eradicating poverty, properly funding our NHS, education, social work and other public services.
That is the Scotland and the society I want to see – a society for the many, not the few.
The SNP Government has proposed a budget that will see North Lanarkshire Council cut by a further £22million.
It is clear that the SNP do not value important local services like education, social work, environmental services and even our roads.
They could have chosen to use the powers of the Parliament to stop the austerity agenda of Theresa May’s Tories.
However, they are proposing a different approach – to magnify the cuts and pass these on to local services.
I was delighted to join supporters of the Save Woodhall and Faskine Greenbelt Group, along with representatives of Planning Democracy and the Woodland Trust, to protest against the plans to build 3000 houses between Calderbank, Cairnhill, Sikeside and Carnbroe.
The local council want this area to remain in the greenbelt and to stop the developers, but the money-led interests behind it are determined to press ahead with their plans.
A large number of protesters, from the very young to the not so young – and even some pet dogs – gathered on a cold and icy morning to demonstrate how important this land is to them.
Once land is lost to development we cannot get it back and that is why we need to protect it for future generations.
I hope everyone had a peaceful and merry Christmas and my very best wishes go to Advertiser readers for a great new year; I hope 2018 brings you all that you wish for.
my very best wishes go to Advertiser readers for a great new year; I hope 2018 brings you all that you wish for.