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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Scottish Socialist Party ![]() ![]() The Scottish Socialist Party was founded in 1998 from the Scottish Socialist Alliance. The party said it is putting forward candidates for the Scottish Parliament elections in both the constituency and regional list contests. At the launch of its manifesto on 12 April, the party said it was fighting for the creation of a democratic socialist Scotland, unshackled by Westminster.
Essentials It says its policies aim to redress the balance in favour of the working class and poor. Core policies include a call for a minimum wage of £7 an hour, abolition of private finance initiatives, an end to prescription and check-up charges and the cancellation of "Scotland's £4bn Housing debt". The party says Scottish Socialist MSPs would donate half of their salaries towards the fight for socialism in Scotland.
Health
It says private health care, prescription, dental check-up and eye test charges should be abolished. The party is calling for the establishment of "community-run supermarkets" providing cut-price, healthy food aimed at improving diet in deprived areas.
Economy
It opposes what it terms the "free market, profit driven" economy. The party wants to see the creation of an independent, democratic socialist Scotland which would have the recources to go it alone. It says the Scottish Parliament should have power over all taxes raised in Scotland, including corporation tax and VAT. The SSP says the income could then be redistributed from big business and the wealthy to the working class and poor.
Transport
It wants the reopening of disused railway networks, cheap fares for all and the abolition of tolls on the Sky Bridge. The party is also calling for a halt to new motorway construction, with the money used to repair existing roads.
Environment
The SSP calls for a five-year moratorium on genetically modified foods and a programme of securing toxic waste sites. It wants the setting up of democratic national and local bodies charged with enforcing environmental protection measures and a conservation policy which protects the environment from industrial development.
Law and Order
It says the community service programme should be expanded to reduce the prison population and legal aid extended to those involved in employment or consumer disputes. The party wants a new system of accountability for sheriffs and judges and the creation of community police committees. It also advocates a Scottish Human Rights Commission to monitor rights and anti-discrimination procedures. Housing
It says money could then be used to launch a Scotland-wide programme of house building and renovation. It wants public sector rents to be reduced by 25 per cent and tenants to be allowed to live rent free after 25 years tenancy. Other proposals include a call for the winding up of Scottish Homes, which the party says is an unelected and unaccountable quango.
Education
It wants a mass programme of teacher recruitment aimed at getting all class sizes down to 20 pupils or less. The party also advocates provision of nursery education for all pre-school children and talks with teachers' unions over bringing pay up to "reasonable standards".
Nationalism
The party wants the Scotish Parliament's powers to be extended to cover those matters currently reserved at Westminster.
Europe
Miscellaneous
It says TV licence charges and standing charges for utilities levied on pensioners should also be abolished. The SSP says the assets of multinationals who close factories in Scotland should be seized.
It advocates a new "fairer" system of local authority taxation.
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