Students from across the UK are in the fifth day of a six day protest at Coulport as part of the ongoing Faslane 365 blockade.
On 28th June, 150 students created an alternative to the hedonistic summer festival circuit near Faslane nuclear base. They established the Strident TentState to interrogate the concept of nuclear deterrence with experts from NGOs, thinktanks, pressure groups and parliament. Throughout the week, these informed students will also take direct action at RNAD Coulport, where Britain's nuclear warheads are stored.
The decision to renew Trident, made on 14th March in the House of Commons, means that nuclear weapons and their attendant threats will remain a reality until today's students are in their fifties and sixties. The camp represents a new form of creative protest, bringing together students and experts to explicitly link intellectual arguments and creative discussion to direct action against Britain's nuclear weapons system.
Jo Tyabji, one of the national co-ordinators, and a student at St Catherines College, Oxford, describes the camp's approach:
“Everyone will have a voice. There’s a lot we can learn from the experts working in this field, but the student-led discussions and workshops are just as important. Yes, many of us are frustrated with the decision rushed through on March 14th, frustrated enough to risk arrest at Faslane and Coulport, but what we are doing goes beyond that frustration to instigate real change. We are equipping ourselves with the skills needed to make that change a reality”
Katie Ulrick, a participant in the Strident Tent State and student at Leeds University says
“I want my presence to bear witness to the threat nuclear weapons pose. We are the generation who will live alongside these proposed new nuclear weapons – I am not prepared to let my life be overshadowed by such an apocalyptic presence.”
Solidarity condemns unreservedly the attack which took place at Glasgow Airport yesterday. If successful it would have resulted in the mass murder of innocent civilians of every background, ethnicity and religion, including children. It follows recent events in London, again with the intention of causing maximum carnage, and we join all right thinking people in condemning any and all such indiscriminate attacks.
However, we remain in no doubt that at the root of such attacks is the government's culpability in the ongoing carnage and slaughter which is now part of daily life on the streets of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. Last week, Tony Blair left office accompanied by a standing ovation in the House of Commons, only to leave Downing Street with his family a few hours later accompanied by jeers of "murderer" and "war criminal" from antiwar protesters. It was a contrast which served to underline the extent of the disconnect which now exists in British society -between a government and a parliament and the vast majority of people over which it governs.
Pat Smith stood as a Solidarity candidate in the Scottish elections and is on the national steering committee of the Stop The War Coalition. She said: "Blair and Brown have only succeeded in helping to make the world a much more dangerous place with their support for the illegal US invasion and occupation of Iraq. Iraq is in flames, in Afghanistan civilians are being killed on a daily basis, yet at home the vast majority of people are against the war, including the troops. It is time to bring them out."
Solidarity Co-Convenor, Tommy Sheridan, said: "Newly appointed Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has warned the public to be vigilant as there could be more attacks. Our message to him is that there will inevitably be more attacks as long as British troops are engaged in the Middle East and as long as he remains committed to US foreign policy and strategic objectives around the world."
Solidarity Glasgow Councillor, Ruth Black, said: "This incident has really brought home the enormity of the polarisation and extremism which exists both at home and abroad as a direct result of this New Labour government's policies in the Middle East. It was random and indiscriminate and I would make a plea for calm in the days and weeks ahead."
This attack will no doubt be taken as a green light by racists and fascists, such as the BNP, to push their agenda of hate and division across Scotland. Let them be in no doubt, however, that Solidarity will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim community, immigrants and asylum seekers come what may. They are not the enemy of working class people. The true enemy of all working class people are the millionaires, the corporations and a government that governs on their behalf.
Solidarity on the Rise
Members of Solidarity, Scotland's Socialist Movement, gathered in Glasgow yesterday for our Summer Conference.
Co-Convenor, Tommy Sheridan opened the day with a tribute to what has been achieved by the membership so far, establishing Solidarity as the largest left party in Scotland, electing our first councillor, Ruth Black, and our continuing work in the anti-war movement and trade union action.
National Treasurer Gordon Morgan reported the growing membership of the party, with more than 100 new members since the election.
A series of debates on political perspectives and the way forward heard reports from activists across Scotland discuss the ongoing attacks on public servants, the need to link domestic issues to the war in Iraq and the Middle East, and criticism of the pro-business agenda of the SNP led Executive in Holyrood.
Gary Clark of the CWU no.2 branch reported from the postal workers dispute, highlighting the shameful new conditions of workers on one-hour-per-week contacts with extra hours at less than 24 hours notice, and some postal workers having to even share shoes to cut costs.
Tommy ended the Conference by reinforcing that we are a bottom up party with branches now established in every area of Scotland.
Solidarity Conference
Solidarity, Scotland’s Socialist Movement Summer Conference Saturday 30th June 2007 GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY ALL MEMBERS WELCOME
Comrades,
Whilst the elections of last month were of course a disappointment for Solidarity we have no need to be despondent. Thanks to the hard work and effort of our members we came from nowhere just 8 months before the election to become the biggest party of the socialist left in Scotland. We thank every one of you for that tremendous feat.
In Glasgow, we had the fantastic news of our first ever Solidarity elected representative – comrade Ruth Black who we know will be a fantastic representative of our cause in the city council.
The Scottish elections of May 3rd saw a massive rejection of the New Labour establishment and their record of war, privatisation, the colossal wealth gap and low pay. Labour deservedly suffered their first defeat in a Scottish election in over 50 years. Hundreds of thousands of people, including some who would otherwise have voted for Solidarity, used the SNP as a vehicle to give Labour a deserved kicking.
The SNP were seen to be against war and Trident, promising to scrap the hated council tax, extend the availability of free school meals and end the use of private finance in our schools and hospitals. Sound familiar? These are policies that the socialist movement have championed both inside and outside the parliament for years.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, however, early indications are that Alex Salmond and co intend to put the interests of big business first. This has been clearly shown by the SNP’s immediate decision to cut taxes for business while the abolition of the council tax is likely to be delayed by years. For hard pressed low paid workers and pensioners this is far too long to wait. Alex Salmond has promised to deliver a “vibrant and dynamic economy” - with higher growth and bigger profits for the fat cats. But that is only possible by making cuts and encouraging big business to hold down wages. Nicola Sturgeon has now imposed an effective pay cut on NHS workers in Scotland against the wishes of the trade unions.
With Gordon Brown set to continue with largely the same pro-war, pro-privatisation and pro-poverty policies as his partner in crime Tony Blair, there is a burning need to build a bigger and better socialist movement in Scotland. A party that will stand on the side of working class people and their families.
In every part of Scotland from Elgin to Edinburgh, from Dundee to Dumfries from Glasgow to Gretna it is Solidarity that now clearly represents the only viable, principled socialist party in Scotland.
Both of us as co-convenors and the hundreds of trade unionists, anti-war campaigners and fellow socialists that make up Solidarity are determined to build that alternative in the months ahead.
On Saturday 30th June in Glasgow we will hold a one-day conference to debate and discuss the best way forward for Solidarity.
Come and join us in Glasgow and add your voice to the debate.
Yours in Solidarity,
Tommy Sheridan Rosemary Byrne
Human Rights Group Call for End to Rendition Flights
Human Rights group Scotland Against Criminalising Communities (SACC) has written to Holyrood Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill calling for an investigation into fears that Scottish airports have been used illegally in connection with CIA "extraordinary rendition" flights. SACC is also pressing for urgent action to close the loopholes that have allowed suspect flights to land without any checks being made on them. Copies of the letter have been sent to First Minister Alex Salmond and to Jamie Hepburn MSP (SNP), who write to Kenny MacAskill last month to ask for an inquiry into rendition flights.
The group says that there should also be a criminal investigation by the Scottish Police. It says that the investigation carried out in England and Wales under the auspices of Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) hasn't "even come close" to meeting this need. Shami Chakrabarti, the Director of Liberty, recently criticised ACPO for rushing out "cursory" findings" as part of a "spin" operation.
The government and the police have repeatedly said that there isn't enough evidence for them to take action. But SACC says it is "very likely that important evidence is already known to members of the British intelligence agencies." It says it "would expect that any police investigation or other inquiry into rendition would find it necessary to interview officers from MI5 and/or MI6."
The group also urges the Scottish Executive to ask the US administration for information. They point out that the Westminster government has so far refused to do this.
SACC is dismissive of suggestions that the controversy is enough by itself to deter the CIA from using Scottish airports in connection with rendition. It says "we think that the comprehensive stonewalling by both the Westminster government and the police would suggest to CIA personnel that there are few safer places in Europe for them to break their journey."
SACC is calling on the Scottish Executive to press the police to take action to stop this happening. Campaigners accept that there may be difficulties in setting up a watertight system and that some of the steps required would fall outside the powers of the Scottish Executive. But they say "the Scottish Police could readily make arrangements that would give them a good chance of obtaining advance notice that a suspect plane was on the way." They point out that a suspect plane that landed earlier this month at RAF Mildenhall "was easily tracked and logged by amateurs."
SACC has also taken up a suggestion from Jamie Hepburn MSP that the Scottish Executive should pay particular attention to airports belonging to the Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), a company wholly owned by Scottish ministers. Suspect aircraft have been logged at Inverness and Wick - airports owned by HIAL. SACC suggests that the Scottish Executive could put in place a policy similar to one adopted recently by Derry City Council. The Council has agreed an 'anti-rendition' policy drafted by Amnesty International for use at the council-owned City of Derry Airport.
More information:
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07936432519
MSPs today voted against the renewal of Trident at Faslane. In an overwhelming rejection of Blair's nuclear legacy, SNP, Green, Lib Dem and Labour MSPs voted for a motion that rejected the renewal of the WMDs and congratulated the majority of Scots MPs who voted against Trident at Westminster.
Solidarity Co-Convenor Tommy Sheridan welcomed the vote:
"This is a clear message to Gordon Brown. Even your own party members who abstained demonstrated that they couldnt vote 'for' up to £100billion wasted on these weapons. There is still more than three months left for the Faslane 365 year long protest. Scotland should get to the gates during that time and hammer home the message that Trident is not welcome here."
The motion was tabled by Green MSP for Glasgow, Patrick Harvie, and was supported by 71 MSPs, 16 voted against and 39 abstained. High profile Labour MSPs like Malcom Chisholm voted for the motion.
International Red Cross have warned that situation for civilians in Afghanistan is worsening as fighting between the occupying UN forces and Taleban intensifies. They highlighted the increased level of aeriel bombings by the US.
Pierre Kraehenbuehl, director of operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said:
"The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is worse now than it was a year ago, Civilians suffer horribly from mounting threats to their security, such as increasing numbers of roadside bombs and suicide attacks, and regular aerial bombing raids."
The statement came on the day when seven members of the Afghanistan Police force were killed by US airmen in a "friendly fire" incident.
Solidarity Co-Convenor Rosemary Byrne repeated the calls for an end to the wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan:
"Solidarity deplores the worsening situation in Iraq and Afghanistan and urge the government to take the only step that can improve things for civilians, withdraw all troops from those countries. We will be in Manchester on June 24th as part of the Stop the War Coalition's campaign to get the troops out. I hope people who oppose the occupations will join us outside the Labour leadership conference."
Solidarity have called on the Home Office to release all detainees at Dungavel Detention Centre in South Lanarkshire.
At the weekend, 100 detainees have refused food in protest at conditions and treatment at the centre. Those involved are angered at the way tribunals are handled, lack of attention to detail by solicitors representing them, and the brutal treatment of one particular detainee.
Ruth Black, Solidarity councillor in Glasgow, said:
"It is time that the government released these people and allowed them to live as free citizens in Scotland. It is Scotland's shame that we treat people who come to this country for safety in such a shabby manner. Solidarity give our support to the detainees in their struggle and call on the SNP led executive to act urgently in ending this nightmare by letting the detainees go and closing Dungavel."
Solidarity with Postal Workers
by Gary Clark
Solidarity member and Sub Area Rep. Scotland No.2 CWU
CWU members across the country have massively voted in favour of strike action to defend terms and conditions and the postal service.
With an over 77% yes vote we are heading for our first national strike for 10 years and this is despite a huge Royal Mail propaganda campaign where a day never passed without a personnel letter or a workplace “team brief” taken place. At the same time management worked to take down posters from union notice boards and refused the union the right to speak to their members even during meal breaks within Royal Mail buildings.
After the vote was announced Royal Mail upped the anti by sending a letter sent to all employees telling us that “as we have told the union, many times, the board are not prepared to negotiate under a threat of a strike” so it now seems a certainly that we will shortly be on strike.
It’s clear that 130,000 CWU members have rejected not only a cut in terms and conditions but a blatant attack on the service, which will result in 40,000 job losses, latter delivery time’s reduction in collections and weekend working and a complete destruction of the post office network.
And for the ordinary postal worker it is a massive attack on our terms and conditions. Not only do we face a below inflation pay rise of 2.5%, it’s the strings that make it totally unacceptable. We are expected to agree to a massive job losses, and during the summer months to run the service with 20% less staff. Agree to do more of the free leaflets for no extra pay despite Royal Mail expecting to increase their income by £41 million by this. They also want to change start times which will result in a loss of shift allowance of £12 a week.
The Management have stated that there is no more money in the pot but what the don’t say is that the have just had an £1.2 billion investment by the government.
It’s clear this is not just about pay but the future of the service and why its there, is it there to provide a vital service to the public or to make millions for the senior managers in Royal Mail.
It can’t be any more clearer this is a fight the union cant afford to lose and we must be strong in our actions over the coming period.
Red Cross - Afghanistan security is deteriorating
International Red Cross have warned that situation for civilians in Afghanistan is worsening as fighting between the occupying UN forces and Taleban intensifies. They highlighted the increased level of aeriel bombings by the US.
Pierre Kraehenbuehl, director of operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said:
"The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is worse now than it was a year ago, Civilians suffer horribly from mounting threats to their security, such as increasing numbers of roadside bombs and suicide attacks, and regular aerial bombing raids."
The statement came on the day when seven members of the Afghanistan Police force were killed by US airmen in a "friendly fire" incident.
Solidarity Co-Convenor Rosemary Byrne repeated the calls for an end to the wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan:
"Solidarity deplores the worsening situation in Iraq and Afghanistan and urge the government to take the only step that can improve things for civilians, withdraw all troops from those countries. We will be in Manchester on June 24th as part of the Stop the War Coalition's campaign to get the troops out. I hope people who oppose the occupations will join us outside the Labour leadership conference."
Details of the Stop the War Demo on June 24th at www.stopwar.org.uk
Solidarity with Dungavel Detainees
Solidarity have called on the Home Office to release all detainees at Dungavel Detention Centre in South Lanarkshire.
At the weekend, 100 detainees have refused food in protest at conditions and treatment at the centre. Those involved are angered at the way tribunals are handled, lack of attention to detail by solicitors representing them, and the brutal treatment of one particular detainee.
Ruth Black, Solidarity councillor in Glasgow, said:
"It is time that the government released these people and allowed them to live as free citizens in Scotland. It is Scotland's shame that we treat people who come to this country for safety in such a shabby manner. Solidarity give our support to the detainees in their struggle and call on the SNP led executive to act urgently in ending this nightmare by letting the detainees go and closing Dungavel."
Rosemary Byrne Welcomes EIS "army ban"
Solidarity Co-Convenor Rosemary Byrne has welcomed the vote of the overwhelming majority of EIS delegates to ban army recruiting from schools.
At the conference of Scotland's largest teaching union in Perth yesterday, delegates backed the motion from the Edinburgh local branch to restrict forces recruitment in schools. During the debate, members revealed that army visits had risen tenfold in some schools as the forces step up recruitment campaigns.
Rosemary, who was a head teacher before being elected an MSP and plans to return to teaching, said:
"I hope that head teachers and school boards will now accept this decision and prevent our schools becoming a recruiting ground for cannon-fodder in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet another young soldier lost his life in Helmand yesterday, this is never shown in the videos and glossy brochures when the army visit schools."
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