Who will you be voting for on the 3rd May 2007?

[deirdreh]

Getting a fair settlement from the Executive for Argyll & Bute (and from Argyll & Bute for S Kintyre) will be essential, working towards this will be my first priority. If we have an SNP led council, an SNP led executive and Jim Mather as our MSP that will be a heck of a lot easier.

Are you suggesting that an SNP led Executive in the Scottish Parliament would block or hamper a fair settlement if it was not an SNP led Council? Is that not what has been happening for years and is a criticism of leveled against the current Scottish Executive? Would that make the SNP a fit party to lead?

[deirdreh]

Not read the whole of this thread due to the lack of time on my hands so apologies in advance if this has been asked and answered already but here goes,

How importantly do all the prospective council candidates feel about getting the road from Kennacraig to Campbeltown upgraded to Trunk Road Status.

I genuinely believe that would be a major achievement if that were to happen, don't know a lot on that subject but I think it is something well worth doing. :)

Regards

The Hitman

Hi,

As Jack McConnell has acknowledged - the infrastructure of a country is the responsibility of the Government. I have written to national newspapers about this issue over the years. I know that the Council have already tried several times to get trunk road status for the road from Kennacraig to Campbeltown and I would hope that the new Council would try again. If unsuccesful then I think that a Public Petition to the Scottish Parliament would be in order. I think that this is vital for several reasons. One on a practical note it would free up much needed Council funds to replace rather than just patch roads around the area. Secondly, it would show that the road goes to somewhere of importance - its lack of trunk road status speaks volumes about decision makers in the Scottish Executive. Thirdly it would be safer for driving as the current road has no cat's eyes and when it is dark and misty it is sometimes hard to see the road markings.
I would also like to see other roads around Argyll advocated for for trunk road status as there is a lot of large freight on the main roads that wear the roads out quicker.

On another issue, I know that the Council have in the past tried to get Island Status for Argyll. Again I would like to see that pursued again.

[deirdreh]

.....for the Can't be Bothered to Read The Whole Thing Reader

SOLIDARITY would put forward the following bills if MSPs were elected in each region of Scotland:

 Abolish the Council Tax in favour of an income based Scottish Service Tax (again as none of the other parties backed it a year ago)
 Reduce Class Sizes
 Free School Meals for all state school children(again as the other parties did not support this)
 A Carer’s Allowance
 Keeping Scottish Water Public and abolishing domestic water rates
 Building 30,000 affordable homes for rent as campaigned for by SHELTER
 Increased Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Services – taking the problem of drug related crime off of our streets
 Ban Air Guns
 Bringing Scotland’s Railways Back in to Public Ownership
 Scrapping Prescription Charges
 Creating a Publicly Owned Renewable Energy Corporation
 A New Deal for the Fishing Industry – bringing fishing communities and scientists together, and setting minimum landing prices
 Farming for the Future – offering protection for tenant farmers, family farms and crofting
 A Referendum on Independence
 Free University Education for both full and part time students
 Jobs for Scotland – Abolishing Scottish Enterprise to create jobs through Councils (who can give grants) and apprenticeships
 A Public Sector Finance Bill to eradicate privatisation in public services
 Trees for Life – bringing the privatised Forest Enterprise back in to public hands and planting more trees
 Reduce Re-Offending by emphasising rehabilitation and restorative justice
 Local Food from Local Farms for Local Communities – supplying public services with less travelled, fresh food
 Further and Adult Education – bringing colleges back under Council control
 A Massive Increase in Dentistry Provision
 Road Equivalent Tariff – pricing ferry journeys for cars so that the cost is based on the fuel cost equivalent of travelling a road the same distance as the ferry distance. E.g. Islay would be about £8 each way by car instead of £44 and a person would be £2.50 instead of £14.50.


In addition…

We would advocate for reinstating worker’s rights by pushing for the policy of the Trade Union Freedom Bill. A policy voted on two years ago at the Labour Party Conference but not acted upon

We would push for a nuclear free Scotland

We would advocate an £8.50 minimum wage and a universal entitlement of £160 per week per pensioner, as identified as the minimum rates by the Low Pay Unit

[John S]

Getting a fair settlement from the Executive for Argyll & Bute (and from Argyll & Bute for S Kintyre) will be essential, working towards this will be my first priority. If we have an SNP led council, an SNP led executive and Jim Mather as our MSP that will be a heck of a lot easier.

Are you suggesting that an SNP led Executive in the Scottish Parliament would block or hamper a fair settlement if it was not an SNP led Council? Is that not what has been happening for years and is a criticism of levelled against the current Scottish Executive? Would that make the SNP a fit party to lead?

No, as if I would. I'm suggesting that a council which is not a laughing stock throughout the country, would have more credibility with government and that the shared principles and priorities of Council and Government would make for ease of implementation.

[A Horse called Juan Face]

Spiderman 3

[Sweltered]

DeirdreH

You forgot the moon on a stck, and the free unicorn for everyone with a back garden.

[Trapper]

John s,
Thanks for the reply, it cleared a few things up or me.

Derdrie H,

I fully support everything you say about fairtrade. However on an international level the problem is that even if the people producing the goods are getting a fair deal as far as wages etc. are concerned, the people bringing the product to our shores are not. By this I mean the seafarers working on the ships bringing this produce to Britain. 8 times out of 10 the people working on theses ships are working for well below a decent living wage and quite often aren't getting paid at all but are stranded on thier ships as they have no way to repatriate themselves to thier own country. I only point this out as it something that very few people seem to know about and I think it should have more coverage than it currently does. After all 90% of everything imported into this country comes by ship, making it about 78% of everything available to buy in the shops!
So would you support some kind of legislation to ensure that ships bringing stuff into this country must have seafarers who are working to an I.T.F. minimum wage structure?

[Sweltered]

Interesting statistics, I'm guessing this includes British flagged ships.

[Trapper]

Aye it does sweltered, but a british flag doesn't always mean decent pay and conditions anymore unofortunately. In fact the lot of organisations are threatining to label the red ensign a flag of convenience unless things improve!

[general jack o'niell]

far be it for me to ridicule anyones political viewpoint, but ach the hell with it as somebody said on another thread "but i am right?" here's my lowdown on the candidates.

no names no packdrills, whatever that means? honestly, i've no idea?

one has no credibility, never had before, change of shirt or coat won't make a difference

one has no brain, going purely for the farming vote, good luck with that then!!

one well. this one takes on the mantel of a previous media whore, and if elected will turn up at the opening of the first available envelope, having had some practise already.

one, might mean well but from what i hear lays claim to successes they have no right to and regarding certain things lacks backbone, tho i did only hear that from my doorstep while the were harangued for failed promises by a neighbour.

one who's time has been and gone and might yet believe just turning up for an attendance allowance is all thats required

and one, who i've voted for as my number one, unlike others i did place them one to six, thought it only fair, nobody except the counter will know, won't know its my vote but i know, so this one is my one and if they don't follow through as one would wish then one won'y be voting one for this one should one not put ones selve up when next we are asked to pick one.

vote one, you know it makes sense

[deirdreh]

John s,
Thanks for the reply, it cleared a few things up or me.

Derdrie H,

I fully support everything you say about fairtrade. However on an international level the problem is that even if the people producing the goods are getting a fair deal as far as wages etc. are concerned, the people bringing the product to our shores are not. By this I mean the seafarers working on the ships bringing this produce to Britain. 8 times out of 10 the people working on theses ships are working for well below a decent living wage and quite often aren't getting paid at all but are stranded on thier ships as they have no way to repatriate themselves to thier own country. I only point this out as it something that very few people seem to know about and I think it should have more coverage than it currently does. After all 90% of everything imported into this country comes by ship, making it about 78% of everything available to buy in the shops!
So would you support some kind of legislation to ensure that ships bringing stuff into this country must have seafarers who are working to an I.T.F. minimum wage structure?

Yes. And you are right to point out the hidden poverty created by our trading systems.

[general jack o'niell]

is that creaking the sound of a high horse being mounted?

[deirdreh]

DeirdreH

You forgot the moon on a stck, and the free unicorn for everyone with a back garden.

Strangely that is not in our manifesto. Unlike all our costed policies.

[general jack o'niell]

theres no room for wit in politics sweltered, keep it satirical or sarcastic, but none of this wit business, your just belittling the political proccess, and we won't stand for it, or will we?

no, we won't lets just have a good healthy dose of communism, everyone equal, me more equal than you, ok? but the rest of you are all equal, i'll look down on all of you, since i know what is best for you.

ooops sorry i was supposed to be speaking about a party there and had a sudden attack of the megalamanias, i'll be all right on friday, when we storm the barricades brothers, oops there it goes again, like a sick taste in the back of your throat

anyone got a wee sweetner to get rid of the taste?

[Hadrians hiring!]

Drearie,

With the split from SSP why ''solidarity''

It makes me think about Poles.

Brother Tommy makes me think Pole dancer.

Drop the sun tanned git and your policies might get a few more votes. (though not fae me -as soon as they made the remedial schools a ''university that was it - dont hire students no mare, every buggers a graduate)

Mon the winners