[AlanG]

Harvey Duke, SSP

1 In capitalist governments, coalitions are cobbled together from time to time for 2 main reasons: (a) because there is no overall ‘winner’ and there is a need to put together a government to run the existing system; or (b) there is some social crisis ( war, revolution, economic slump ) which forces big business parties to band together and protect their system. The SSP is not in favour of any coalition put together for any of these reasons – as we are for changing the social and economic system to socialism. We are not interested in helping any other parties prop up a rotten system. We have, in the Scottish Parliament worked with others – eg the Greens – to put forward policies like free school meals – but there’s no plans for any coalition !

2 We oppose PFI and PPP in Tayside schools and hospitals, it is privatization of public assets and forces all of us to pay more for capital projects. Many of our members are public sector workers and trade unionists who fight against these schemes. We stand for scrapping these schemes, and their tartan versions put forward by the SNP. Public services should and could be expanded greatly by wealth redistribution through nationalization of North Sea oil and other major companies under workers control.

3 The SSPs Scottish Socialist Youth website states our position drugs clearly: Whether or not a drug is considered legal has nothing to do with how toxic or Where serious problems with drugs occur, it’s those living in poverty who are most affected. Heroin addiction is most frequent in areas of high unemployment and a lack of facilities for young people. Prohibition can’t solve these problems. Only government investment into communities, and the treatment of addiction as a health issue, not a criminal issue, can provide a solution.

We're fighting for:
· Immediate legalisation and licensed sale of cannabis.
· Decriminalisation of all other illegal drugs.
· Freely available testing kits.
· Funding for advice and education instead of wasting taxpayers’ money on huge scare campaigns.
· A complete ban on tobacco and alcohol advertising.
· Major resources to help heroin addicts break their addiction, including making heroin available free on prescription to registered addicts, and an expansion of rehabilitation, counselling and detox services.
· A radical social program to tackle the roots of drug abuse including a huge expansion of cultural and sporting facilities at community level.
· Drug workers, addicts, ex-addicts and users to work with communities and schools in providing effective drug education.

4 The SSP in Tayside has not discussed these issues in any depth. My own feeling is that these decisions should not be imposed on areas but should be the result of full and open public consultations.

5 Opposition to these on the basis that they cause adverse health effects. Full support to community campaigns demanding an end to the positioning of these masts within communities who clearly do not want them. This is yet another example of big business seeking to trample on the rights of ordinary people.

6 Again, many SSP members are directly affected by these issues and fighting to change the situation. We oppose fees and loans. Why should Labour MP’s who benefited from grants be allowed to impose such a heavy burden upon students today? We fight alongside student campaigns for a living grant.

7 There are a proliferation of short-term dead-end training schemes for young people. Young people are also used as cheap labour. We propose extending a new minimum wage of £7.80 an hour to cover young people and begin to end the scandal of low pay in Scotland, and elsewhere.

8 I do not believe there is enough information yet to predict every result but – I think that Labour will win with a reduced majority but not so low as they require to form a coalition. The SNP will not do particularly well but may win in Dundee East. The SSP will hold on to tens of thousands of supporters, win some more voters, and pave the way to win MSPs and councilors across Scotland in 2007.

9 I do support the lowering the age of voters. I believe however that the best solution to youth voter apathy is to get as many young people as possible in trying to change the world we live in. Elections are only a part of that. The G8 demos, anti war protests, and fighting low pay are all very important to tackle apathy by blowing it apart through purposeful, exciting mass activity. Oh, and socialist ideas!

10 In order: yes (Stem Cell); no(vivisection); very dodgy and therefore no(Criminal DNA Profiling); this is an issue that requires public debate (choosing sex of babies). Whilst I am not in favour of banning parents from choosing the sex of a baby, sensitive advice and counseling should be made available so that parents are making a choice which is in the interests of the child and they are not responding to any pressures which they may later regret.

11 My position on the war is the one I have stated at anti-war demos, on radio and TV, and in articles I have written : the war was fought for oil and the troops should be withdrawn now. Blair and his mates have proven that they are liars, they lied about Weapons of Mass Destruction, they are lying when they say there is no alternative to ongoing carnage. I look forward to seeing Rose Gentle getting a good result to boost the anti war movement in Scotland. The anti-war movement internationally was huge, magnificent, and will be a factor in any decision by Bush to pick a new target. Another, delaying factor is the costs of Iraq, Afghanistan and the wider ‘war on terror’. Bush and his minions would love to attack another country in the interests of US imperialism but the strength of organized opposition of millions can stop him in his tracks. We will all have to keep fighting this battle however against wars and the threat of wars until a mass movement for socialism can be built and the SSP is part of the urgent, global task.

12 The SSP will work with trade unionists and others in the areas affected to ensure that the real issues of the tsunami are not forgotten – including the fact that thousands of lives could have been saved had there been an early warning system. I helped to organize a visit from a Sri Lankan socialist who asked for solidarity action which we took to trade unions, raising money.

13 We would suggest this kind of problem should be dealt with by raising these issues at a parliamentary and council level, but more importantly we would support any direct action by students against unscrupulous landlords. The SSP is fighting for investment in house building and improvements which would include taking student accommodation into public control.

14 There are many aspects of changing society which the SSP is engaged in and we would welcome input from students and young people generally to discuss and put forward fighting socialist policies. A key issue for me is putting forward international solidarity action youth for workers fighting the system – whether its in Iraq, Palestine, Sri Lanka, the USA, or anywhere else on the planet. Side by side with this, we need to challenge racism by uniting workers and youth around socialist policies to eradicate the conditions which breed racism : exploitation, poverty and war. We urge you to vote SSP and join us – for an independent socialist Scotland, and for a socialist world.