Well, we all need to take some time off!
But I was so glad to be back in the swing yesterday, Saturday 25th January and the Scottish Women's Convention: Referendum Conference in Glasgow: http:/www.scottishwomensconvention.org
A well planned and well delivered event, so all thanks to Agnes Tolmie and her team.
So, what does the coming referendum mean quite particularly for women and families?
The event certainly proved informative, engaging and challenging not least between the delegates themselves and the net working, but greatly through the opening statements and the Q & A session!
We had Nicola Sturgeon MSP (YES Scotland) and Margaret Curran MP (Better Together) opening, with backing from two supporting contributors each: Elaine C Smith and Ruth Wishart featuring with Nicola S, and Soryia Siddique and Susan Dalgety along with Margaret C.
What would independence mean?
Wouldn't it mean our parliament, our decisions, our choices?If so far,we have just two examples of what parliament here has protected : our NHS , and higher, university education(freedom from fees) what more could we do with power over our own affairs?
One area that appeals to me is that independence would provide us with responsibilities for equalities, still a reserved area.
And in relation to yesterday's event, it was quite obvious that gender inequalities still feature large on the agenda. As was pointed out, it's 44 years since the Equal Pay Act, but we still have that "pay gap" Did the Act achieve what it set out to do? Obviously not, but it's clear that an Act is an 'instrument' and unless implemented vigorously, with political and social backing, what change?
44 years appears to mean : insufficient change. So where was the determination to support women, specifically, in this area? Which government succeeded? Which ones tried harder? Or perhaps like the old school report...could have tried harder!
Wouldn't independence create opportunities with a Scottish focus, enabling us to use all the economic levers to the max?
Wouldn't independence enable us to prevent cuts, more in line with needs, aspirations and the future?
We know already of future cuts coming our way.....housing benefits removed for the under 25's, but what more is still to come?
Ofcourse there will never be enough money to do everything, but prioritising is essential, especially with regards to the future, that of our children and grand children.
So are we content to continue with a Westminster government that doles out that block grant to us any way they care, whilst we have no determination of the taxes we remit....other than remitting them?
Couldn't we, as a mature nation, with regards to its people, raise and spend with probity?
We appear to have done so already with regards that block grant, (we haven't gone bust) so why wouldn't we equally diligent with independence?
I don't believe that Scotland has deserted its core, shared attributes...based around the principles of socialism....shared across communities and to a degree, across some of the political parties, if not whole manifestos and agendas.
I do believe that the core values of the labour party (the one that I joined) are no longer the prime focus of the current party/party leadership.
The labour party wants back in power...great, something I would always want.
But we know that irrespective of our tribal voting patterns here, (our returning a majority of labour mps) we are not guaranteed a UK labour government.
It's self evident then that to win power, there's a need to win votes elsewhere across the UK, and means the south, the south of England, and yes, London.
Their needs, requirements, are not ours.
Well, last time I looked, they don't have trident on their door step.
OK, that's a 'small' matter in the great scope of things,but that's more important to me than the myth of losing Dr Who!
Perhaps then, following on from an independent Scotland, we may vote in a (changed) Scottish labour party to govern: a party that shares the values of the majority of us but is currently neither prepared to commit to delivering not able.
Perhaps in an independent Scotland, the labour party will rediscover its routes into communities that deliver that which we need here.
Afterall, the SNP doesn't expects to be in power for ever...does it?
http://www.nicolasturgeon.org/
http://www.elainecsmith.com/
http://www.heraldscotland.com/ruth-wishart/
http://margaretcurran.org/
http://glasgowsouthlabour.org.uk/in-glasgow-city-council/
http://susandalgety.com/
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/
