T-shirt competition

Win a Nelson Mandela t-shirt.

Nelson Mandela t-shirt from Philosophy Football

27 years in captivity, it was twenty years ago on 11 February 1990 Nelson Mandela was finally released from prison by the Apartheid South Africa regime. The new T-shirt from Philosophy Football celebrates South Africa's two decades of freedom in the year the country also hosts Africa's first World Cup. We have 5 to be won in our February competition. To enter simply answer the following question: On which Special AKA album did the track 'Free Nelson Mandela' originally appear?

To enter simply email your answer with name, addres and preferred T-shirt size to here. Entries close 28 February, no purchase necessary to enter.


Congratulations! To Steve Allan,  Patrick Black, Pam Currie,  Charles Pottins and Robert Richard. All winners of Robert Burns T-shirts in our January competition, also available from Philosophy Football.


Frontline Magazine


Emancipation & Liberation


Scottish Socialist Voice


Wee Red Bookshop

Glasgow's Wee Red Bookshop

137 London Road, Glasgow
Open Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Books, t-shirts, ideas to change the world


Socialists & capitalist recession

New book co-authored by SSP activist Raphie de Santos is avaiable from the Wee Red Book Shop  in Glasgow, Wordpower in Edinburgh and Amazon.


 

Local campaigning

Aberdeen SSP Public Meetings
End the Occupation of Afghanistan

Wednesday 17th February

Meeting 1: Aberdeen University, NK10, 2pm
Speakers: John McAllion, Joan Humphreys

Meeting 2: Aberdeen Trades Council Social Club (Adelphie Lane), 7.30pm
Speakers: Colin Fox, Mohammed Asif


Aberdeen SSP

Dundee SSP

East Dunbartonshire SSP

East Lothian SSP

Edinburgh North SSP

Edinburgh South SSP

Glasgow Maryhill SSP

Taycoast SSP

Jim Bollan's blog

Fight SNP cuts !

Jim BollanThe ruling SNP council in West Dunbartonshire have a nasty Christmas present for the people.
Scrooge’s National Party want to hammer local people with rent rises, service cuts, increased charges, and new charges on vital services. Up to 10% cuts across the board.
And they want to rush their cuts through in December and on April Fools Day!
Nobody is safe! They are attacking the most vulnerable people - with callous cuts from the cradle to the grave.

Read West Dunbartonshire Socialist Voice (PDF file) here...

Education

Keep Burdiehouse School Open !

Colin Fox campaigning against schools closures

Parents in Burdiehouse, Edinburgh, have been betrayed by SNP and Liberal Councillors elected in May 2007 to oppose cuts in services but who now plan to close 4 city schools including Burdiehouse Primary.
After 20 years of Labour cuts people across the city voted for change. SNP and Lib/Dem councillors were not elected to close Burdiehouse Primary or any other school.

Read Colin Fox here...


20's plenty

Glasgow Save Our Schools organiser Richie Venton champions the cause of smaller class sizes to stop school closures...


Kevin McVey

Kevin McVey, SSP candidate for Glasgow North East: Vote for education not Labour school butchers...


East Dunbartonshire SSP branch respond to council review of Primary School, Nursery and Special Schools Estate...


Glasgow Save Our Schools campaign

Wyndford occupation ends

Read Richie Venton and people who took part in the occupation here...


Kids learning with less

Richie Venton in the Morning Star on the Save Our Schools struggle in Glasgow...


See our special section on the Glasgow Save Our Schools campaign here..


Free Public Transport

Free Public Transport

Sign our petition for free public transport on the website here...


Stop Royal Mail Privatisation

Campaigning materials
(PDF files)

Poster | Petition | Leaflet


Scrap VAT on fuel

Pamphlets

Economic crisis pamphlet

Download a PDF of our pamphlet on the economic crisis here...

[There will be a new edition of this pamphlet shortly]


Rural Scotland pamphlet

A PDF file of Rural Scotland and socialism in the 21st century is available here...



Two Worlds

A PDF file of Two Worlds Collide is available here..


 

Socialism - Independence - Internationalism

SSP 1999-2010

The SSP is Scotland’s socialist party that stands for the transformation of society. We fight to replace capitalism with socialism; an economic system based on social need and environmental protection rather than private profit and ecological destruction.
Read more about the SSP here...
Contact the SSP here...


Frances Curran and Colin Fox

SSP co-spokespersons Frances Curran and Colin Fox. Read Colin Fox's blog here...

Support the SSP

If you want to show your support for the Scottish Socialist Party you can join our rapidly expanding groups on social networking sites Facebook and Bebo.

SSP Trade Unionists

Court ban on BA strike action is outrageous...

 

The unfinished war over postal service future

 

Postal workers fight for survival

Postal Workers Voice, 4th November (pdf file)...

(this leaflet was unused after the Interim Agreement between management and the union)


Socialist Womens Network on the posties picket line

The witches of the Socialist Women's Network take the message of solidarity to the Royal Mail picket line in Irviine, delivering copies of the the SSP's postal workers leaflet (PDF)...


Postal workers picket line

Colin Fox joins the picket line in Edinburgh

Read Colin on his blog here...


See also..

Fighting for the survival of the postal service. Read Willie Marshall, CWU Scotland no 2 branch secretary...

Royal Mail managment have systematically broken their promises by Tam Dewar..

SSP leaflet for strike (PDF file)


Defend our door to door posties

Kevin McVey"If ever evidence was needed of Labour's capitulation to Thatcherism look no further than their disgraceful complicity with Royal Mail management in their provocative attempts to break this week's national postal strike."

Read Kevin McVey, SSP candidate for Glasgow North East, on his blog here...


Previous postal workers material

Landslide vote for national postal strikes...

Vote 'Yes' in national strike ballot against Royal Mail bully-boys

SSP leaflet for strike ballot (PDF file)...


More postal workers material on our SSP trade unionists pages here...


Cut hours not jobs or pay

Read Richie Venton here...


Diageo: Time for action

Read more here...


Thousands march for Johnnie Walker jobs

 

Read SSP national trade union organiser Richie Venton here...


SSP leaflet for Kilmarnock march & rally (PDF)...

Deageo wants to walk away from Ayrshire...



Vestas campaign

Occupation blog...

Sign the petition to Gordon Brown using the UK government website...


New Labour's wind power drive is just hot air

Read Ken Ferguson here...


Fighting back against redundancies

Richie VentonAs a minimum first step, the STUC, TUC and national unions should call national demos and rallies against unemployment; in defence of jobs; for a 35 hour week without loss of pay to create jobs; and for an increased minimum wage.

The combination of big united rallies, and fighting policies that point to a different alternative, would begin to turn the tide against the working class being made to pay for the capitalists’ crisis.

Read more here...


See also;

The challenges facing the trade union movement in 2009...


Miners Strike 1984 -85

The Heroes Within, the UK miners strike 25 years on...

Re-writing the miners strike, book review...


Unofficial strike action at Lindsey Oil Refinery

Game set and match to Lindsey workers as bosses hoist white flag...


Sackings spark new battle at Lindsey site...

Militant Trade Unionism An Inspiration...

SSP statement on Power Station strikes...


 

Elections

Vote SSP Glasgow North East

Photo's of SSP Glasgow North East campaign launch here...

17th June 2009, Glasgow SSP decide to contest by-election


Colin Fox on the Euro election here...

See our European election archive here...

 

Jim Bollan suspended for 9 months

Free speech on West Dunbartonshire Council is a thing of the past if you try to protect Council worker's pay and conditions.

Read Jim Bollan here...


Letter of support for Jim Bollan from Clydebank TUC...

Campsie branch blog on campaigning for Jim...

Building socialist unity

Social Forum on climate change and peak oil

Joanna Dind on the Social Forum on Climate Change and Peak Oil...


Ken Ferguson on Convention of the Left success...


Colin Fox on the RMT's conference on working class representation...


SSP Executive statement on left unity, 28/06/09


The Scottish Socialist Party was founded on the principle of left unity in Scotland.
We continue to have that as our goal.
In 2006 a split from the SSP fractured that unity.
Once all of the legal obstacles have been cleared from our path we intend to initiate a full, open and democratic discussion around left unity in Scotland and the role that the SSP can play in achieving it.

International

Iran Protest

Uprising in Iran...


Justice for Palestine

Justice for Palestine

Boycott Israel Now !

Read about trade union solidarity with Palestine...

Pictures of 10,000 march in Edinburgh here...

For latest info on protests and meetings;

Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign


SSP Cuba delegation success

SSP Cuba delegationOn the 1st of February 2009, 9 members of the Scottish Socialist Party travelled to Havana to take part in a 15 day programme of meetings, visits and cultural events organised by the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party. The Delegation consisted of 3 members of the Executive Committee, two of which were also on the international committee. Members were from branches in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Rutherglen and Fife.

Read the interim report here [PDF file]...


Equality

Commemorating women's sufferage

The Scottish Socialist Party joined thousands of people in Edinburgh to commemorate the struggle for women's sufferage. Photos from the day here...

SSP marching to commemorate women's sufferage

Read Kevin McVey, SSP candidate for Glasgow North East, writing about the march on his blog here...


Scottish Gypsy Travellers


The Forgotten experiment. A documentary examining the plight of Scottish Gypsy Travellers, focusing on the Bobbin Mill site in Pitlochry, Perthshire. Produced by 4th year students from Stirling University School of Film and Media Studies, in Spring 2008.

Colin Turbett reports on a victory for Scottish Gypsy Travellers in the fight for equality and human rights...

See also:

Scottish Traveller community marginalised...

Labour MP targets Scottish Travellers...


Latest

Scottish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign 5 on trial for protest

Allan Armstrong on the 5 campaigners facing charges of ‘racially aggravated breach of the peace’.


New SSP branch established in Gordon Brown's constituency

The Scottish Socialist Party held another successful public meeting against the war in Afghanistan on Monday 1st February with 5 new members joining the party in Kirkcaldy. Two others rejoined having been members until 2007.
On a dreadful rainy evening the meeting heard Joan Humphreys, John McAllion and Colin Fox outline the case for withdrawing British troops.
The new Kirkcaldy branch will be inaugurated in 2 weeks time.


Colin Fox takes on Chancellor Darling in General Election challenge

SSP will look to target 10 seats across Scotland


Labour's war against public services in Glasgow

The Labour council in Glasgow have launched a savage war on jobs, services, its own workers and many of the most vulnerable people in local communities. Read more here...

Glasgow Council Workers Voice (PDF) here...


Strike to stop driver only trains

The SSP gives full and unqualified support to RMT members in dispute with Scotrail over their attempts to impose Driver Only trains.
Scotrail want to drive a whole fleet of trains through the franchise contract with the Scottish government – which insists on two staff on every train.
Everyone knows that the higher level of training required for a Conductor/Guard is to ensure they can deal with any safety or operational problems at any point on the route, including potential disasters - as well as at stations.
It is not just an issue of who opens and closes the doors, as the mainstream media have sneeringly alleged.Download Railworkers Voice (PDF file)...

 


Read Colin Fox on politics in 2010 here...

Afghanistan

SSP Afghanistan poster


'Socialist and Afghan leaders join forces for anti-war talks' Edinburgh Evening News story...


Time For Peace

Each week the toll mounts and another family watches the coffins unloaded to promenade through Wooton Basset while grubby politicians mouth platitudes  and squabble as to who can best run the war.

But there is another story.

Across Scotland, from Aberdeen to Edinburgh, the SSP has been campaigning against the war and finding the growing mood of opposition to it and support for a withdrawal.

Read Ken Ferguson, 'Time For Peace' here...


Grandmother of Dundee soldier killed in Afghanistan joins SSP

Joan Humfries"I am delighted to welcome Joan into the party and can promise her we will redouble our efforts to end UK involvement in this senseless occupation and in favour of creating jobs at home and securing a sustainable future for everyone." Colin Fox


Do you support the SSP's call for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan ?

Join us today !


Troops out of Afghanistan

SSP campaigning for troops out of Afghanistan

Photos from Edinburgh demo for end to occupation of Afghanistan


Afghan war grinds towards defeat

Afghanistan - how many more will die ?

Shameless politicians declare Afghan victory


Afghanistan for the Afghans

Campaigning material, PDF files

Leaflet | Poster | Petition


Paisley tenants defeat housing sell off

The campaign for a ‘No’ vote was led by the SSP in conjunction with Unison, the Scottish Tenants Organisation, Renfrewshire Anti Cuts Committee and other organizations and individuals.

Read SSP Renfrewshire Branch statement here...

See Paisley Daily Express article here...


SSP No Paseran banner

Fascist 'Scottish Defence League' routed in Glasgow, Read Andy Bowden on the SSY blog


Pictures by John Lanigan here...


'Let's all stop the fascists'' by Liam Turbett

Read the SSP's leaflet for the event here (PDF file)

Colin Fox: BBC puts fascists on prime time tv...


Join the SSP in the fight against racism and fascism today !


Youth March For Jobs

Pictures from the Youth March For Jobs in Springburn, Glasgow North East...


Pictures from Nae tae G20 in St Andrews !

St Andrews Students on the march


Read Raphie De Santos on the G20 here...

There is an updated version of Raphie's 'The state of the UK economy' document here. Download a PDF file of it here...


Fighting for a fairer share

Colin Fox letter in the Morning Star...

Independence & republicanism

Tam Dean Burn as the Queen

Tam Dean Burn with Colin Fox and Rosie Kane at the SSP's Calton Hill republican event 2004


Union Jack Gordon bows the knee to House of Windsor...


Thatcher's legacy kept alive by Brown

Thatcher, Blair and Brown

"At the heart of the New Labour project lies its complete rejection of any Socialist politics and endorsement of the Thatcherite view worshiping the free market and the rich." Read Ken Ferguson...


Lordy, Lordy, Lordy

Labour’s government of the unelected

Colin Fox"The Labour Government is a caricature of a Britain long gone, a vivid testament to how Labour has abandoned its founders.

"The first vote passed at the first Labour conference in 1900 was to abolish the House of Lords.

"In 2009 Labour depends on it to rule the people."

Colin Fox on the need for a modern, democratic, republic here...


Voting reform: Brown's timid window dressing

Andrew Weir looks at the different possible voting systems in the wake of the Westminster constitutional crisis. Read more here...


Greedy MPs expose Westminster

"The ongoing crisis over MP’s expenses has unexpectedly holed the British ship of state below the water line. Suddenly, the Mother of all Parliaments faces a collapse of political authority without parallel in its modern history. The first Speaker forced to resign in disgrace in 300 years has quickly been followed by the first Lords to be suspended for corruption in 300 years." Read John McAllion here...


Viva La Repblica ! Read Allan Armstrong on socialism and republicanism here...


Allan Armstrong on the Republican Socialist Convention...


John McAllion"The class struggle in Scotland has always been both nationalist and socialist.
The 1787 massacre of striking Calton weavers by British soldiers is generally recognised as marking the beginning of an organised, effective Scottish labour movement.
The weavers’ banner on that day showed Scotland’s national hero William Wallace striking down the beast of tyranny."John McAllion on socialism & independence ...


Scotland's Hidden History

Tanks in Glasgow

Read Eddie Truman on Scotland's hidden history here...


Economic crisis coverage

Red Star2009 has seen capitalism’s recession bite and cause great hardship for people all round the globe. Socialists have put an alternative to the chaos and crisis of the capitalist system. The SSP campaigns to build the resistance to capitalism’s onslaught against workers and the poor.


Read the Leftbanker blog with regularly updated commentary on the worldwide economic crisis...


State of the UK economy briefing paper (PDF)...

Marxism rises from capitalism's ashes'...

[letter by Alan McCombes in Scotland On Sunday]

'This greed was beyond irresponsible'...