Despite threats of mass arrests, over 100 campaigners occupied BBC Scotland headquarters in Glasgow on Sunday evening to protest against the BBC’s decision not to show the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for Gaza. 

Sunday 25^th January 

Over 100 supporters of Scottish Stop the War Coalition and Palestinian groups including members of Solidarity have occupied the BBC headquaters in Glasgow.  

They say they will not end their occupation until the BBC has reversed its decision not to broadcast an emergency aid appeal for Gaza. The protestors are demanding to meet with a senior representative of the BBC.

An update on this story will appear later.

Today (Sat 24 Jan) marks one year since the death of our comrade, Jim Griffin, following an accident at work at Pennyvenie Open Cast.  Friends and family are gathering at the gates of the site at 12.30 today and a minutes silence will be observed at 12.45.  We ask Solidarity members and our comrades to take a few moments at this time, wherever you are, to remember Jim, Brian French and Colin Ferguson who were killed at the same site a year before, and all of those who have lost their lives in coalfields across the world. 

Coalfields Solidarity 

Genuine ‘people’s’ nationalisation of banks needed now

Solidarity have called for the full and genuine nationalisation of the UK banking system under genuine democratic control, with the current boards being sacked and replaced a mixed management of government nominees and directly elected consumer representatives. 

Campaigning for affordable homes in Inverness

Solidarity and housing campaigners have expressed their disappointment at Highland Council’s decision last week not to build much needed new council housing – despite Councillor Margaret Davidson’s belated admission that new council housing for rent is something a majority of Highland citizens want to see. Solidarity say they have been inundated with support for the building of new quality council for rent as they have campaigned on the issue in the streets of Inverness and throughout the Highlands. 

Solidarity member Brian Smith has been elected branch secretary of Glasgow City UNISON.  

Brian polled 990 votes and this significant victory underlines the base of support that Brian and the left in Unison in Glasgow have built as a result of battles over Single Status and the recent pay dispute.  Glasgow UNISON is the biggest UNISON branch in Scotland with around 14,000 members.

Below is Brian's statement that went out to all UNISON members in Glasgow.

Exposing the True Cost of PPP/PFI 

The folly of successive governments addiction to PPP/PFI schemes is exposed  once again, this time in The Highland Council Region where council tax payers will foot a bill of £621 million over the next 30 years for schools that could have been built for as little as £137 million. The money will go straight into the pockets of the private companies behind the scheme. 

Steve Arnott, Solidarity Assistant National Secretary is from Inverness. Steve said; 

"The taxpayers of the Highland’s will be paying this debt for decades to come. Part of the appeal of PPPs and PFI's we were told was by bringing in the private sector to deliver these contracts because it didn't have to appear on the government's balance sheet. But EU regulations from April demands that they are shown on the balance sheet and only then will we get the true scale of the national debt."

The Gala Demo

Whilst the huge demonstrations against the attacks on Gaza at the weekend in London and Edinburgh dominated news coverage, equally important but smaller events took place in smaller towns all across the UK.

In Scotland, demonstrations took place in Galashiels and Inverness that were well supported. Please click below for photos of both demos and a press release from the Galashiels event.