Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
TALKING POLITICS Richard will lead for the many, not the few
Harold Wilson once remarked that “a week is a long time in politics”, which basically means a lot of change can happen in a short space of time in the political arena.
In the past few weeks we have had resignations, suspensions and new appointments.
But it’s the last of those that I want to focus on.
The election of Richard Leonard MSP as leader of Scottish Labour brings an opportunity for real change both in my party and the country.
Whilst Richard is relatively new to elected office, he has a wealth of experience in the Labour and Trade Union movement and is well known in Monklands.
He stood as a candidate in Airdrie & Shotts, previously represented members of the GMB in this area and shares a regional office in Coatbridge with Monica Lennon, Mark Griffin and I.
I nominated and supported Richard, not only because he is a genuine and committed lifelong socialist and friend, but also because I believe that he is the best person to revitalise our party and work in partnership with Jeremy Corbyn to deliver a Labour Government, a Labour Prime Minister and a Labour First Minister.
Richard will now take the Labour party forward to, in his own words, “once again become a party of real change, offering people a sense of hope out of despair”.
Labour will focus on making the case for a country that is run for the many, not the few and tirelessly take that argument to the SNP Government.
After all, we have a government that’s been in power for over a decade but we still have a deeply divided society where poverty and inequality blights the lives of too many.
Let’s remind ourselves that the richest one per cent in Scotland today own more personal wealth than the bottom 50 per cent.
When I voted for a Scottish Parliament with tax-varying powers 20 years ago, I expected it to be a buffer against any future Tory austerity and not a means of passing it on to our communities.
It’s shocking that, in 2017, in Scotland, one million people are living in poverty, including more than a quarter of our children.
It’s not good enough to sit back and blame the Tories for this – guilty though they are for much of it – and wait for the election of a Labour Government to put an end to poverty and inequality. We can, and must, use the extensive powers of the Scottish Parliament to stop poverty and inequality: ensuring that the burden of taxation falls progressively on the broadest shoulders and that a wealth tax makes our society fairer.
A warm, affordable home, free education, enough food, good health and an end to in-work poverty should be basic expectations.
Scottish Labour, led by Richard Leonard, will hold the SNP Government to account on their failure to deliver and put our positive case for a fair and equal society: for the many not the few.