Unemployment in Scotland up by 19,000; local government needs reform, its time to stop talking about potholes and dog shit, Glaswegians want solutions

Dear All

We all know that we are in the middle of tough economic times, but actually we are just at the start, just skimming the surface of the vast amounts of cuts that will be coming down the pipeline.

People, a record number of people are out of work in Scotland.

In the last 3 months unemployment has risen by 19,000.

The total number of people unemployed in Scotland stands at a shocking 231,000.

Councils are cutting budgets which will see jobs and services cutback to levels that people will scarcely think possible.

Council elections are looming, but so far the debate hasn’t started on local government reform, we are living through an Obamaesque people were people in political parties think if they mutter the word ‘change’ that will replace substance.

Currently there are moves by some people to down play this election by lowering it to potholes and dog shit.

Glasgow has real financial problems, unemployment problems, infrastructure problems, facilities problems, housing problems and other social problems too numerous to mention.

Who gives a fuck about dog shit?

The labour market statistics put the Scottish unemployment rate at 8.6% - higher than the UK average of 8.4%.

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore said the figures are a clear signal that focus must be on getting the economy "back to health".

He also said:

"We have to get Scotland back to work and it is imperative we keep making the right decisions to support and grow our economy. Restoring confidence and stability will require work across every sector and I will continue to meet with a wide variety of businesses and organisations in the coming weeks and months. Tackling youth unemployment continues to be a major focus and I will chair a major national event on the issue in March to build on the seminars held throughout Scotland over the last year”.

Adding:

“We are taking practical steps through the UK Government's Youth Contract, a 1 billion initiative backed by business and aimed directly at helping the young unemployed into work. There is no doubt it will take the committed efforts of both of Scotland's governments to overcome the scourge of joblessness among our young people and I will work with the Scottish Government, agencies, civic Scotland and anyone else to get people back into jobs. There has been a lot of interest in the constitution and the uncertainty surrounding Scotland's future in the last few days but Scotland should know nothing will divert this government from the challenges we face in creating long-term, sustainable jobs."

This is a lot of talk about doesn’t address the core problems of the economic; we can’t grow our way out of this problem because there is a massive black hole of debt.

There needs to be a whole industrial scale overhaul of the entire economy and the banking system sits at the centre of everything that is wrong.

We need the creation of a City Banks scheme much in the same way as savings and loan, this idea isn’t new but it is essential to reconstruct the country along a different model that see the building of liquidity and surplus.

A while ago I blogged on the idea of a City Sovereign Fund City and Town, the idea is turn local government into a more commercial focused entity while still have the public sector base. Rather than just accept their ‘giro’ from the Scottish Government, revenues streams would be developed.

The current local government set up helps no one, everyone is complaining about poor services, delays and a ‘can’t do’ attitude.

Scotland has to reform local government; unfortunately no one has articulated a vision beyond soundbytes.

Spouting the word ‘change’ when for the last five years you have sat on your arse and achieved nothing isn’t a track record.

Who gives a fuck about dog shit?

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University