Union Representative since 1983, RoS Branch Secretary responsible for Pay, Conditions & Departmental Bargaining, Scottish Sector Chair – bargaining in the devolved Scottish Sector, NEC 2007-2022. Scottish Executive Co-Convenor. I’m a Socialist, member of Left Unity, the Scottish Socialist Party and a Democracy Alliance candidate.

Tory Economic Abuse

The Tory Government have broken the UK fiscal model by their accelerated transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich and powerful since lockdown. This is why the economy is not performing as expected and interest rates are still high. From PCS surveys we know low paid members are using credit cards for essentials and this is replicated for all low paid workers across the country. The Westminster Government are not resolving industrial disputes, content to allow these to increase structural failure, particularly in public services (including NHS and transport).

An Electoral Poison Chalice

The Tory’s have wrecked the economy to such an extent that their recent actions, together with a shift in emphasis by corporate media appear to indicate that they want to throw the next election so that a new Labour Government would have to make all the tough economic decisions, including possibly ending the NHS as we know it. Any Government that does that will never be forgiven and will be unelectable in the future, leaving the Tory’s playing the long game to walk back into power.

A Difficult Battleground Requires a Strategic Industrial Plan

Many of our members are still reeling from the Cost-of-Living Crisis, which hasn’t gone away with many Westminster Admin grades sitting on the Legal Minimum Wage. Pointedly, our members are still vulnerable to financial hardship and therefore the continuation of the heavy lifting and heavy hitting of our industrial strategy means a continuing emphasis on effective and sustained, paid targeted action. The current Government and any future Government may say they don’t have money for public services, which makes the next period for PCS and the labour and trade union movement critical, both strategically and industrially. Campaigns will be longer, organisationally and financially PCS will have to change to be on the constant war footing necessary to support members through this period. I believe that the Democracy Alliance Candidates are the best rounded team with an innovative industrial strategy to take the fight back to our employer !