Tommy Sheridan spoke of the welcomed Gould Report recently.

"Solidarity Co-Convenor Tommy Sheridan today welcomed the report by Ron Gould, the Canadian academic who reported on the Scottish Parliament elections.

"Labour at Westminster and Holyrood have been found guilty of attempting to rig the elections to their advantage in a manner which would fit with a tin pot third world dictator. We in Solidarity have always argued for separate ballot papers and separate days for local government elections, we have now been proved correct by Ron Gould's report. Solidarity were deprived of at least one seat in Glasgow by Labour's gerrymandering of the election, people voted for us but were deprived of their vote. We are confident that, if the Gould report is implemented, we will be elected next time.""

Solidarity - Scotland's Socialist Movement

The deal discussed by the union’s postal executive on Monday and Tuesday would sweep away crucial rights, steal pensions, clear the way for more bullying, and give managers even more power to order workers about.

It is a threat to all and to the public service. Crucially it is silent on key issues like what happens over disciplinaries and mail centre closures.

Does this really measure up to the sacrifice workers have made? Does it match the fighting spirit of the strikes, or the courage of those who have stood on picket lines – officially and unofficially?

It doesn’t, and they should be rejected. Some of the proposed deal’s main points are:

Pensions

Pension age to rise to 65. Present scheme members could still retire at 60, but would have to accept “actuarial reductions” in their pensions amounting to thousands of pounds.

The present scheme would be closed to new members from next year, leading to a two-tier workforce. Because the new scheme would be vastly inferior, it would lead to fewer workers joining it, and therefore demands for more cuts in the future.

The deal says postal workers will be consulted on all these changes, but the union is required to say it supports them in principle.

Flexibility

Royal Mail wants trials of flexible working in every area. And bosses are demanding workers accept variation of hours by 30 minutes a day on a ‘swings and roundabouts’ basis.

That means workers can be asked to do 30 minutes extra today, and won't get paid any overtime. Instead workers will get 30 minutes back (when traffic is light) some time in the future.

Workers can also be asked to go to ‘nearby offices’, and to do ‘other work outside their normal duties’.

A delivery worker could be asked to do processing, or a driver to do deliveries. Even more changes will come if this is accepted.

Start times

Delivery start time will be between 6am and 6.30am. That will affect other functions (some changes are already happening by executive action). As the flexibility scheme beds in, workers will be required to cover for each other’s holidays and sickness. Hidden away in the deal is the abolition of most of the local agreements that have been won in the past.

Pay

Don’t believe the hype about a rise of 6.9 percent. The rise offered is 5.4 percent over two years – almost exactly 2.5 percent a year.

The £175 one-off payment on top is money from the ESOS scheme – money already earned, and that scheme will now be closed. The 1.5 percent on top of the 5.4 percent is triggered only when full flexibility has been totally implemented.

There is nothing, which guarantees no sackings. There is nothing on mail centre closures. Those who back this deal are giving up despite the members’ fury at these changes, and despite a clear willingness to keep fighting – look at the evidence of the unofficial strikes. Kick out this deal and restart the action.

What is going on?

On Tuesday the majority of the postal executive voted to call for amendments to the deal. Some voted to reject the deal even if the amendments were passed – and they were right to do so.

Dave Ward will go back to Royal Mail and ask for changes. The postal executive will then vote again on the deal. They should throw it out.

The real problem is that the Labour government is backing management all the way. Labour has billions for wars and the rich, but cuts for public services and those who work in them. This is a typical example of the way Labour are heading - Right, Right and further Right. End this swing!

I was talking to a fellow student about voting and the UK Government. She told me that she did not bother to vote because whether it be Labour or whether it be the Tories, she is worse off. I told her that if she felt this way why didn't she make her vote count and vote for a party that would make her life better. She replied by stating that it was a waste of time for her to vote as she didn't want to bother with it and just see if the Government could improve anything at all. I think this is a good example of working people who feel that it does not matter who gets voted in and that they cannot make a difference. If Labour made voting compulsory i think it could actually help the UK in a major way. It would help working people get involved in the way their country is run. It could even get working class representatives elected to parliaments whether it be Westminister or Holyrood. The country needs a working class voice in parliament or parties such as that of the right winged Conservatives and New Labour Parties will benefit the rich.

In Venezuela, if you say the name Hugo Chavez, mass debate will erupt. The country is split down the middle on opinions about him. His loyal supporters say he is the first Venezuelan to defend the rights of the poorest. Rivals and opponents accuse him of trying to emulate Cuba's communist system.

The U.S is a country that appears to get involved in other countries uninvited and try to force their ways of life on other countries like Cuba, Iraq, Afghanistan etc.

Terrorist

A person who uses violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.

Does this not mean that George Bush and his Administration are terrorists? Chavez accused Bush of being behind a coup to overthrow him in 2002. One of the major issues, internationally, with Venezuela is their huge oil reserves. Of course, the US would never, ever, get involved in a plot to get rid of the leader of a country that has opposite policies and is left winged.

One group that spoke out against him was a group of old liars - the Roman Catholic Church.

"They do not walk in... the path of Christ,"

The country is largely Catholic and this outburst did cost him some votes but not enough as some would have thought.

One other thing about the US is when Chavez accused them of "fighting terror with terror".

The large oil supply currently in Venezuela is probably one of the only things stopping the US from imposing international sanctions against them like them have with Cuba. Can the US and other Right-winged political parties not accept that some countries do not want the same things they do and that is a world dominated by Americans.

Feel free to comment on all issues in this blog or if u do like reading them subscribe!

This is a letter that was written to the editor of The Herald yesterday. The credit must go to Mr Bob Thomson from Glasgow, also ex Chairman and Treasurer of the Scottish Labour Party.

"Last Week said a lot about New Labour. At the beginning they hijacked Tory policies and gave to the rich and big business. After 10 years in power the statistics show that the rich are getting richer, the poor poorer. The majority of working families have less disposable income because of indirect taxes, massive rises in council tax caused by government under-funding of local authorities, and increases in housing costs. From an economic perspective, one million highly skilled, reasonably paid manufacturing jobs have been lost, replaced by low-paid, insecure service jobs.

I have been in the Labour Party for 44 years. It is at a crossroads. The membership has haemorrhaged and the morale of ordinary members is at a rock bottom. More importantly, as shown in the May elections in Scotland and Wales, we are losing our core supporters. Labour, as the name implies, was formed to protect and advance the interests of working people. Brown and New Labour should cast off Tory clothes and neo-liberal policies, turn left and embrace a progressive agenda of ensuring a level playing field for British jobs, quality public services free at the point of use, affordable housing, decent pensions and a redistributive taz system that rewards the majority. If they go the other road, someone is going to take them to court claiming that their name is misleading and what it says on the tin is not what you get inside."

UK Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell is going to resign after his party showed terrible percentages in the polls.

Suspicions of him walking before he was pushed. Simon Hughes, Party President, has been very sneaky in his comments. A few days ago Simon Hughes made a rather rebellious comment about Ming saying that he needed to "he must raise his game".

Hughes had said on GMTV that "The leader obviously has to do better, get better at getting the message across better, at getting the policy out better."

I think that many should appreciate the issues that Sir Ming attempted to change for the better.

Council Tax and the Iraq War were things top of his list while in parliament. He wanted Scottish soldiers out of Iraq and home where they belong. He also knew the pressures of council tax on the working class and wanted a change

well done Ming

SOLIDARITY WITH those fighting against low pay and oppression

SOLIDARITY AGAINST poverty and discrimination in all its forms

SOLIDARITY FOR an independent socialist nuclear free Scotland

SOLIDARITY AGAINST War and FOR Peace

SCRAP THE COUNCIL TAX,
REDUCE CLASS SIZES,
FREE SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL,
KEEP WATER FROM BEING PRIVATELY OWNED,
QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SCOTLAND,
DRUG TREATMENT AND REHAB NOT JAIL,
BRING SCOTLAND’S RAILWAYS BACK INTO PUBLIC OWNERSHIP,
SCRAP PRESCRIPTION CHARGES, RENEWABLE ENERGY,
A NEW DEAL FOR THE FISHING INDUSTRY,
PROTECTION OF FUTURE FARMING,
ENABLING MORE DEMOCRACY IN HOLYROOD,
FREE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION FOR ALL,
JOBS FOR SCOTLAND - ABOLISH SCOTTISH ENTERPRISE,
WORKERS’ RIGHTS,
HEALTH AND EDUCATION - PUBLIC SERVICES NOT PRIVATE PROFITS,
REDUCE RE-OFFENDING,
LOCAL FOOD FROM LOCAL FARMS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES,
NUCLEAR FREE SCOTLAND,
FURTHER AND ADULT EDUCATION SECTOR,
INCREASE NHS DENTISTRY,
ROAD EQUIVALENT TARIFF

WHAT DOES EVERYBODY THINK OF THESE PLEASE COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW!!!!!!

Hey to all, i dedicate this to those of you who campaign at every given moment to prevent the BNP from spreading their hatred of others around the UK.

In 1997, Nick Griffin wrote a book named Who are the Mind Benders. This was a anti semitism book, trying to prove to readers how people of the Jewish religion controlled the British media and were also able to brainwash white "native" Brits into accepting multiculturalism." He also claims that they have been "providing us with an endless diet of pro-multiracial, pro-homosexual, anti-British trash."

Nick Griffin often refers to the Holocaust as the "Holohoax". He said that "I am well aware that the orthodox opinion is that 6 million Jews were gassed and cremated and turned into lampshades. Orthodox opinion also also once held that the Earth was flat... I have reached the conclusion that the "extermination" tale is a mixture of Allied wartime propaganda, extremely profitable lie, and latter witch-hysteria."
Griffin and his party are also very homophobic. He was quoted in article after the Admiral Duncan pub bombing saying "The TV footage of dozens of gay demonstrators flaunting their perversions in front of the world's journalists showed just why so many ordinary people find these creatures so repulsive."

So who are the REAL British National Party?

They say mainstream politicians, We say invisible cloaked KKK's.

They say "The party of law and order" We say "Large amount of criminal records against current BNP members and politicians?

They say "Community Politics"

We say Lies exaggeration, deception!

On St. George's Day, April 2001, Nick Griffin was a guest speaker in Texas at a private meeting of white nationalists organised by the American Friends of the BNP.

Beside him on the platform sat David Duke, a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan.
Griffin is widely regarded as a neo-Nazi and a fascist, both of which he disputes. Many have also criticised him for meeting with David Duke, former leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

Crime

FACT

The BNP Leader has a racial associated criminal record when he received a two year suspended sentence for distributing material likely to incite racial hatred.

FACT

A large amount of BNP members and voters have criminal records including racial hate crimes and football violence.
The BNP have pledged to crack down on crime and bring the confidence in the police force back. They also want tougher sentences given to all criminals.

Their policy states:
"We support the re-introduction of corporal punishment for petty criminals and vandals, and the restoration of capital punishment for paedophiles, terrorists and murderers as an option for judges in cases where their guilt is proven beyond dispute, as by DNA evidence or being caught red-handed"

I am not in favour of the death penalty as a way of dealing with murderers or terrorists as we would be behaving just like them. Their criminal policies would see half their members put in prison.

Thats all for right now folks but be sure there is more to come!