Scottish independence: Johann Lamont says ‘rich man’ Alex Salmond puts the interests of big business bosses ahead of workers, Better Together need to tap into a positive message which Salmond and Sturgeon cannot deliver, pull the rug right out from under the SNP leaving them with no public support

Dear All

All the way through-out this Scottish independence campaign I have said repeatedly, this is a rich man’s campaign, it has nothing to do with ordinary working class Scots.

I do acknowledge that many working class Scots are being used a form of cheap labour by the Scottish National Party.

That being said, it seems that Labour leader Johann Lamont is coming round to the George Laird view on how the workers are being treated,

She says that Alex Salmond acts in the interests of big business bosses rather than their workers.

Recently the SNP refused to back a living wage proposal by Labour for workers.

Whether you live in an independent Scotland or remain part of the UK, the same people who discriminate against the working class will still be in power.

Independence doesn’t mean a fairer progressive society.

That is just a lie by the Nationalists.

In homing in on Salmond4bigbusiness,  Johann Lamont said:

"I get angry about the notion that we can have a fairer, more progressive Scotland simply by changing the constitution. Whether decisions are made by Scots, English or our European friends, that does not make them more likely to be the right ones."

Lamont correctly identified those SNP policies geared to helping people like Jim Ratcliffe, chairman of Grangemouth refinery owner Ineos, and airline chief Willie Walsh.

And she scored a great goal by saying:

"After all it was a Holyrood government which handed £1.2 million of our money to a debt collection agency to expand its operations, and that's not my idea of a fairer Scotland."

Adding:

"It was a Holyrood government which has pledged to cut taxes for big business and millionaires while stripping £1 billion out of anti-poverty projects. That's not my idea of a fairer Scotland. That might be Jim Ratcliffe or Willie Walsh's idea of a better Scotland, based on low wages and tax cuts, but it is not my idea of a fairer Scotland. But that's the prospective that's being offered now and for the future by a government in Holyrood. Alex Salmond is proof that just because Scots make decisions, they are not necessarily more fair or just."

Recently we were made aware of the fact that Alex Salmond like an African despot loves to shower himself in luxury.

Who pays £2,900 a night to sleep in Egyptian cotton sheets?

You do!

You pay for it in taxes and Alex Salmond spends your money on him.

The word you are searching for in your anger is greed.

What fuels your anger is that the SNP leadership meet in church halls to ‘sell the scam’ they are all for the people and then in private they are grabbing everything they can lay their hands.

Johann Lamont was speaking at the STUC and highlighted that:

"Creating splits within the trade union movement has been the aim of successive Tory governments like Margaret Thatcher in the 80s."

Something that Alex Salmond also does, in common with Thatcher, his hero!

STUC general secretary Grahame Smith said Ms Lamont gave a strong and confident performance.

He added:

"However, it was notable that her answers to referendum questions on reserved Westminster policy such as Trident, employment rights public spending cuts and Labour's support for the Coalition's Benefit Cap, appeared insufficient to convince our delegates that the current policies of the UK Labour Party will be sufficient to achieve our social justice ambitions for Scotland should there be a No vote in the referendum”.

Plainly she has to up her game.

Although Salmond went with fantasy regarding choice:

"It's true of employment, foreign affairs, the economy, welfare reform, the bedroom tax, and it's true of the removal of weapons of mass destruction from Scottish soil."

He isn’t in a position to deliver any of it now, especially on employment, a wish list is nice, we would all want whatever we want but the reality is that we have seen is that Salmond will U turn if it suits his needs, not that of the ordinary people.

Better Together have to adjust their message to include more a positive vision that will be delivered, Salmond like the Emperor has no clothes, no substance and no narrative.

A positive narrative based on deliverable promises jointly endorsed by Labour and Conservatives leaders would leave Salmond and unpopular Nicola Sturgeon ‘high and dry’, their support is based on grudge, grievance and malcontent.

It is time for a new social justice agenda, not just for Scotland but for the entire UK.

Finally, recently Hamish was having ago at me for 'sneering' at Salmond and co meeting in a Church Hall, how he must have regretted that since he found out Salmond was playing everyone for a mug rolling around on Egyptian cotton sheets costing £2,900 a night.

Was I right Hamish?

Was George Laird right again?  

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University