Politics

image_pdfimage_print

These figures are deeply worrying, and are further proof that seven years of Tory austerity has resulted in abject failure – John McDonnell

John McDonnell, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on the latest retail figures from the British Retail Consortium showing a slowdown in sales, said:

“These figures are deeply worrying, and are further proof that seven years of Tory austerity has resulted in abject failure. Wages are still lower than they were in 2010. The Tories have no plan to tackle the fact that prices are rising faster than wages. This is leading to living standards being squeezed and working families being hit the hardest, with the impact now reaching the high street.

“Growth is slowing, retail sales are down, business investment and wages are falling back. Under the Conservatives the economy is neither strong nor stable. And a vote for the Tories on Thursday is a vote for more of the same, and no solution to the problems their economic policies are clearly creating for our economy, and working households.

“Only a Labour Government will take the action needed to end the Tories’ economic failure by introducing a Real Living Wage of £10 an hour, and by investing in an economy that works for the many, while the Tories are only prepared to protect big business and a wealthy few.”

read more

Labour •

SNP challenged on fishing as all 59 Conservative candidates sign Brexit pledge

  • Home
  • All News
  • SNP challenged on fishing as all 59 Conservative candidates sign Brexit pledge

6 Jun 2017

Duguid, David - Banff & Buchan

The SNP has been challenged to address its “chaotic” stance on fishing and sign the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) Brexit pledge to leave the EU and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

On the eve of polling day, the Scottish Conservatives have confirmed that every one of the party’s 59 general election candidates have now signed the pledge.

The Conservative manifesto made a clear commitment to the fishing industry to come out of the EU, the CFP and the London Fisheries Convention.

The SNP manifesto, meanwhile, said that an independent Scotland would remain in the EU and claimed that the disastrous CFP could be “reformed”.

Only two SNP MPs – Eilidh Whiteford (Banff and Buchan) and Mike Weir (Angus) – have signed the SFF pledge so far. However, both politicians voted against the triggering of Article 50 to leave the EU.

Other senior SNP figures, including Fisheries Minister Fergus Ewing and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, have refused to sign.

David Duguid, Scottish Conservative candidate for Banff and Buchan, said:

“The SNP’s chaotic and confused position on the EU and fishing has been exposed in this election.

“They are trying to face both ways – telling fishermen in our coastal communities that they are behind them, while pursuing plans to drag them back into the EU and the CFP at the same time.

“In contrast, the Scottish Conservatives have been absolutely clear – we are coming out of the EU and the CFP and we are ready to seize the huge opportunity afforded by Brexit.

“Every single Scottish Conservative candidate in this election has now signed the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation Brexit pledge.

“Our fishing industry should expect nothing less after the democratic UK-wide vote to leave the EU.

“SNP candidates – and indeed the First Minister – must now say if they will also back our fishing industry.

“Fishermen know that, after four decades, the CFP cannot be reformed from within. The European Fisheries Commissioner has also been clear that Scotland cannot be a full member of the EU and opt out of the CFP.

“The choice in this election for people in coastal communities is clear.

“A vote for the Conservatives is a vote for a future free from the shackles of the CFP, while a vote for the SNP will drag our fishermen back into the EU and the disastrous CFP.”

The SNP has a long=standing policy for an independent Scotland to be a member of the EU: https://www.snp.org/pb_what_is_the_snp_s_position_on_the_eu

It has been confirmed by the EU fisheries commissioner that any new member of the EU would be tied to the Common Fisheries Policy: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/10/ruth-davidson-nicola-sturgeon-treating-fishermen-utter-contempt/

SNP MPs Eilidh Whiteford and Mike Weir signed the Brexit fishing pledge from the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation: https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/politics/scottish-politics/413072/snp-mps-sign-fishing-pledge-that-would-keep-scotland-out-of-the-eu/

read more

Scottish Conservatives

Green Party: We need to talk about arms sales

6 June 2017

* Jonathan Bartley: “The ‘special relationship’ with Saudi Arabia has to end”

* Event details: 2.30pm, ExCel London, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1XL

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, will give a speech in London about arms sales calling on the new Prime Minister to suspend sales to Saudi Arabia on their first day in post. 

Bartley will say that Britain’s foreign policy cannot be divorced from counter-terrorism and that the UK must end its special relationship with Saudi Arabia – a country which turns a “blind eye while weapons flow freely to D’aesh”.

Saudi Arabia has been accused of causing the vast majority of civilian deaths in the conflict in Yemen, including with weapons sold to the Saudi dictatorship by the UK Government [1]. Since March 2015, when Saudi Arabia intervened in the civil war in Yemen, the UK has licensed £3.3bn worth of arms to the Saudi regime [2].

In a speech to supporters outside ExCel London, where the world’s biggest arms fair DSEI is held, Bartley will ask why no one is holding the Prime Minister to account for the human rights abuses of the Saudi regime, and their regimes complicity with Islamic extremism.

With the UK currently the second biggest arms dealer in the world [3], Bartley will also promise that Green MPs elected this week will campaign to suspend all arms sales to countries which are violating human rights.

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, is expected to say:

“The British Government’s cosy relationship with Riyadh must end. The Saudi Regime is a human rights abuser and turns a blind eye while weapons flow into the hand of terrorists.  In the wake of the horrific and despicable acts of terrorism we have seen in the last three months we need to have an honest conversation about foreign policy and realise it cannot be divorced from counter-terrorism. It is a national shame that the UK sells arms to a regime that looks away while weapons flow freely to D’aesh.

“I appeal to the leader that takes the keys to Number 10 on Friday to spend their first day in office making an attempt to begin righting this atrocity by immediately suspending all arms sales to Saudi Arabia. And I make voters this promise: Green MPs elected this week will always campaign for the UK to suspend arms sales to countries which are violating human rights – this is the absolute minimum requirement of a confident and caring nation.”

1. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/23/uk-in-denial-over-saudi-arms-sales-being-used-in-yemen-claims-oxfam

2. https://www.caat.org.uk/media/press-releases/2017-04-03

3. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britain-is-now-the-second-biggest-arms-dealer-in-the-world-a7225351.html

Tweet

Back to main news page

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

read more

Green Party •