The redistribution of wealth is necessary for good of society

THIS time last week, voters in Linn went to the polls and elected a new local champion.

I am so proud to welcome the newly elected councillor, John Carson, to the ranks of the Glasgow Labour Group.

He will be an excellent addition to our strong and diverse group of councillors and will be an excellent advocate for his new constituents.

The by- election was not one that anyone wanted. But I hope that by helping to get John elected, we did Malcolm proud.

It was clear while I was out knocking on doors that Malcolm was a highly regarded and well- respected councillor ¬ – the community that he represented will miss him.

Now the baton is passed to councillor Carson and to his ward colleague, councillor Catherine Vallis, to make their own mark on those communities and to bring their own skills and talents to bear.

And one of the issues that they will undoubtedly be dealing with over the next few weeks, like every other councillor, will be the consequences of the dropping temperatures.

These pages are filled every day with stark warnings about the difficulty that the coming winter will bring for families and households across the city – something not helped by the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

And for proof, you simply need to look at the growing queues under the Hielanman’s Umbrella at Glasgow Central Station at the Homeless Project Scotland kitchen.

As the weeks go by, the queues grow longer and longer – a reflection of the growing demand in our city and the struggle for more and more people to make ends meet.

As if further proof were needed, I would point to the crisis currently enveloping our National Health Service as it struggles to keep up with demand.

Waiting times for A& E are at record highs, and NHS chiefs are openly discussing the fact that unscheduled care is going to fall over in the near term.

When it comes to us discussing budgets – whether at Westminster, Holyrood or in the Council Chambers – these are the vulnerable people that we need to keep front and centre in our minds. Public services are there for a reason. They are the safety net for those who have been left behind and who are unable to realise their full potential for reasons outwith their control.

But public services are under real pressure – and it’s only likely to get worse. Look at the major groups of public sector employees currently due to strike – nurses, ambulance workers and teachers – over low pay.

The solution is simple, though not easy. It should not be on the shoulders of public sector workers or the most vulnerable in our society. The interests of these two groups are the same, and attempts by some to present it as otherwise is shameful.

Ensuring that pay rises prevent inflation from destroying takehome salaries should not then be used as a justification for failing to properly fund local authorities, the NHS and other bodies. The solution is the redistribution of wealth, and bringing that wealth to bear for the social good.

It’s a simple principle, though it brings with it its own choices. But those choices would be fairer and more sustainable – and would better help those queuing up under the Hielanman’s Umbrella night after night.