SP sends solidarity to the SSP in Scotland
On Thursday June 30th all 4 Scottish Socialist Party representatives present in the Scottish Parliament stood up in protest at the repeated failure of the First Minister Jack McConnell to give an assurance of the right to peacefull protest at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, as agreed by the Scottish Parliament in a motion passed on 3rd March 2005.By the end of the day on 30th June, Parliament had imposed some of the most draconian sanctions taken against protesting parliamentarians in post war Europe.
The 4 MSP’s are to be suspended for the month of September, their wages and allowances stopped for a month and all contact with the public blocked. All of this was imposed without any hearing of the MSP’s and without any right of appeal. The SSP has already started legal action.
Below is a letter written to Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament from SP Councillor Stephen Jolly.
Dear George Reid
The right-wing Howard Government is Australia is attacking democratic rights in the name of the ‘War on Terrorism’. This is also occuring in the US, Britain and other members of the Coalition of the Willing.
However we in the socialist and trade union movement in Australia are surprised to see all parties other than the SSP in your parliament also revert to anti-democratic methods to stiffle dissent. Banning MSPs and fining parties for non-violent protest must be condemned internationally.
You will now be remembered as a very minor footnote in history as an official who cut the wages of socialist leaders to please his right-wing masters.
We call on you now to reverse your decision.
Stephen Jolly, Socialst Party Councillor, Yarra City Council, Melbourne, Australia
on behalf of Socialist Party (CWI Australia)
The Socialist Party would also call on our supporters to click on the link below to sign the on line petition defending the right to peaceful protest.
click here
