SSP names Glenrothes by-election candidate
The Scottish Socialist Party has named local activist Morag Balfour as our candidate for the forthcoming Glenrothes Westminster by-election
Morag is the SSP’s national co-chair, vice-chair of Scottish CND and
a member of the Iona Community.
She has lived all her life in Glenrothes, apart from three years as a
youth and community worker in Camden, New Jersey, one of America’s most
dangerous cities.
On return to the UK – forced by the onset of disabling illness – she facilitated a support group for chronic pain sufferers. She is a disabled person with a positive outlook on life, and thrives when helping others.
Morag joined the SSP in 2000 and has been involved in defending workers’
rights, the SSP’s campaigns for Free School Meals, Free Public Transport,
and Free Prescriptions.
She fought the Glenrothes seat for the SSP at the 2005 general election.
Morag has actively opposed nuclear weapons at Faslane. She was also part of the campaign that successfully halted the development in Fife of what would have been one of the largest landfill sites Scotland has ever seen.
She is currently a volunteer in a befriending scheme which reaches out to young people recently released from Polmont Young Offenders Institute. Where such schemes exist, reoffending rates have been shown to drop.
A practicing Quaker, Morag is committed to developing structures and policies to bring about peaceful, nonviolent and environmentally sustainable answers to the difficulties facing the world today.
Speaking at the SSP’s National Council in Perth Morag said;
“I am honoured and delighted to be selected as the SSP candidate in the
by election.
“Voters faced with soaring prices, war in Iraq and Afghanistan
and gathering economic gloom are looking for an alternative which taxes
fat cat profiteers and gives real help to the vulnerable.
“The SSP will
offer that real alternative.”