At the start of the year we bring you an article by Iain Lawson. Many of you will know him. He explains who he is if the first part of the piece. I write this in the last few days of 2015 which has been a brilliant year for those of us who support Independence. We deserved it after the enormous disappointment of the referendum where despite a great campaign and the conversion of hundreds of thousands of our fellow Scots to Independence, we narrowly failed to win. Unionists I am sure hoped that was the end of it but as we all know nowRead More →

The SNP has today welcomed the Scottish Government receiving a Living Wage accreditation – the first government to receive this accolade. The news was welcomed by Peter Kelly, of the Poverty Alliance, who said: “The Living Wage is an important tool in helping lift people out of poverty and we are celebrating that The Scottish Government has chosen to lead by example.” Commenting, SNP MP Bob Doris, said: “The SNP Scottish Government has sent out a real signal of intent today in becoming Living Wage accredited – the first government on these islands to achieve such status. “The SNP is totally committed to fairness andRead More →

The SNP is today highlighting further expert evidence on the ‘devastating’ impacts of sanctions on women – amidst further backing for powers over the sanctions regime to be in Scotland’s hands rather than Westminster’s. Ahead of this week’s meeting of the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee, a series of expert submissions have underlined the appalling impact of sanctions on single mothers, survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, disabled women and refugees in particular. Close the Gap, One Parent Families Scotland, the Fawcett Society, Inclusion Scotland, the Scottish Refugee Council, Child Poverty Action Group and the Scottish Women’s Convention all submitted written evidence highly critical ofRead More →

  The SNP has welcomed the Scottish Parliament’s unanimous passing of Stage One of the Reduction of Voting Age Bill, following the debate at the Scottish Parliament today. The progress in Scotland is in stark comparison to Tory plans to exclude 16 and 17-year-olds and European Union nationals from voting in the EU membership referendum, which have been criticised. Rob Gibson MSP said: “I am delighted that MSPs from across party lines unanimously voted in favour of extending the right to vote in Scottish Parliament and local government elections to include 16 and 17-year-olds. “One of last the greatest achievements of year’s independence referendum wasRead More →