Conference, we have so many insightful resolutions on our agenda, touching issues from education, to children’s rights, poverty, climate change, justice, to housing and equal pay.
All of these issues involve local authorities and local councillors as decision makers in them.
This motion is entitled Parity of Esteem for local councillors and you have just heard how Pay is one of the single biggest issues in that and the effect in particular that financial barriers have on diversity within local councils –This is as concerning for the future of my brand new adorable baby nephew Dylan, as it is for his 97 year old Great Grandmother May, now in full time care.
Conference, like becoming a new parent, there is no manual for becoming a councillor (though at ANC we are trying!) and you have no idea what you are getting yourself into until you are several months through the door. Every council, every ward, every situation is different but there are some common truths.
Firstly, you will never ever get to the bottom of your case load, the briefing and committee papers to read next week, the calls you have to make, the research you have to do to learn enough to make informed decisions, the meetings you can’t possibly all attend, the community events you know it will look bad that you don’t turn up to, or indeed the endless enquiries, comments and jibes on social media from people you can’t really ignore, because they actually do “know where you live”.
– but there is only one of you – and as Heather outlines – you have to do all those things and much more besides – by yourself.
As well as more pay and more respect for the role, Councillors also need to see changes to guarantee a consistency of support to do our work and that will take national change.
I mention respect because, I think it is crucially lacking at times, even sometimes internally, and while we must work to find common cause with all parties on this, we must also lead as a party and not be afraid to do so.
Councils and Councillors should never be an afterthought in the development of policy, because we are at the heart of delivery and will take the heat for it too, in very direct and inescapable ways.
Conference:
We will not solve the climate crisis without bold and brave decisions from local councillors
We will not deliver quality education for our children from early years to further education partnerships, without them
We will not bring the economic change and upskill our workforce without them
We will not deliver vital housing
Plan our communities
Revolutionise our transport network
Protect our children
Care for our elderly, deliver social care,
Empower our communities
Protect our citizens
Or survive another pandemic, without them.
Do we want the vital decisions on these matters and their delivery only in the hands of those who can afford not to work, are in privileged working positions to be allowed to take time off, or are so overworked and stressed about their finances and letting down their families, that they are constantly exhausted and can barely function, purely because they want to do their best for their communities.
Is that really any way to run a vital branch of government that delivers so much for our citizens?
Being a councillor is a role but we are workers too. Hard workers, Vital workers. We should not be afraid or ashamed to say so, nor that we deserve a fair level of pay for the work we do and the responsibilities we have.
Conference, we have so many talented councillors, and you have heard many of them speak this weekend. Please support this resolution and send a signal to them that you value them and that we will work as a party to get them the parity of esteem they deserve.
INDEPENDENCE – Eyes on the prize… Let’s remember we all have the same goal… Unite for Indy…it doesn’t matter how we get there, or who delivers it….
Really?
Sorry – no. It actually does matter.
It matters an enormous amount, because in order for Independence to be delivered, we don’t just need people to vote for it through the back door, we need people to believe in it and be prepared to stand by our Parliament to deliver it and see it through.
Trying to manipulate an electoral system for one end, and one end alone, is exactly the sort of sleazy, underhand skulduggery that the public hate. Electoral game playing might be fun for analysts, single issue campaigners and political hacks but the public will not be impressed with this approach in the slightest.
Yet these “calls for unity” have been bandied about endlessly by those splitting off to Scotland’s newest pro-independence party – Alba – and those supporting them, over the past few days.
We are to unite in the quest for a “Supermajority” for Independence in the Scottish Parliament, embrace tactical list voting and strategise to get as many Pro-Indy MSPs in as possible, no matter if the public may ultimately rile against that.
But, hang on…. I seem to recall that we already had a majority for Independence in the Scottish Parliament in the last term. That we already actually held a vote, during that same parliament, in favour of a referendum….and funnily enough, won that vote.
Balance of Pro-Independence Parties after 2016 Holyrood Election
Whatever superlative you want to stick next to the word “majority”, combining SNP & Green support in that parliament, meant we already had one.
What we didn’t have, as a party or as a movement, was the pressure that came to bear from one party having an outright majority. A “system breaking” majority, that conferred the ultimate, unequivocal decision, of the Scottish people to unite behind that one party & one vision. The power & momentum that, when the SNP broke the system in 2011, helped to deliver the referendum of 2014.
Parliament voting for IndyRef2 in March 2017
We cannot forget that the reason we were able to return so many SNP MSPs in 2011, was through an unprecedented amount of the electorate giving their “Both Votes” to the SNP. That enabled the election of a large group of additional members on the list vote, to achieve a majority.
Over and above the tactical & the political however, there is an even more important reason for me, in the question of how we get there.
To be clear – I want Independence.
I don’t want it at any cost though. I don’t want it by “playing the system”, hoodwinking the public, or by stirring up division to get our own way. That is not going to deliver a stable democracy. I certainly don’t want it just to change the flag, the building we make decisions in or what currency we use in the shops.
I believe in Independence, so that we can have a much better society for my children to grow-up in. I believe the only way to achieve the priorities of the people of Scotland, is to have their own Independent Parliament, which reflects their needs, wants and ambitions.
Like thousands of others, I too believe we have everything we need in Scotland to make our country a successful, Independent nation, we can all be proud of.
But I also believe that creating this new, modern, successful country is going to be the most important and challenging task any of our politicians may ever face, this present year, perhaps not withstanding.
The people we elect to take us there are important. The people we trust in that institution, to give an oath to serve their constituents, equally and without prejudice and favour – to give care, thought, analysis and in-depth research and consideration of legislation – that is a vital part of the democratic process.
Nicola Sturgeon has drawn widespread praise for her leadership through Covid
The vetting arrangements for most political parties are long, arduous and very meticulous. These processes have their issues and sometimes wrong decisions are made that we come to regret, especially when they are rushed through.
Transparency from applicants is key in that process. Examining mistakes, reviewing social media, previous history and evaluating the skills, talents, commitment of the person applying, are all essential for the panel making the judgement. A candidate must be a fit and proper person, not only to represent your party but also each and every constituent who comes to them with their often heart-breaking, ultra-sensitive, and life changing issues.
In short, you have to be able to trust them. You have to know they have some basis of integrity, that they understand the requirements of public life, be prepared to live up to ethical standards and in general terms – be beyond reproach.
Nicola Sturgeon continues to be one of the most trusted politicians in recent history
This does not mean that they must be perfect or mistake / gaffe free, even if such a thing were possible, or that they can’t come from a variety of backgrounds, employment, life experience and educational attainment levels. The more representative of the society they will be elected to serve, the better for democracy.
But that’s not what you are getting with Alba – a party led by a man who should never be trusted in public life again, through his utter lack of contrition of the standards he displayed behind closed doors over his term in office. The parroting of judgements about “unfair processes” or being “cleared of criminality” is not a carte blanche to absolve the behaviour admitted to with employees of the government while in the highest office in the land. Criminality has nothing to do with this.
Just one tweet example from Alex Arthur – Alba Candidate
Why would you want people who have ever thought it appropriate to publicly disparage individuals on the basis of their race, ethnicity, body shape, disability or health conditions to be taking on the task of representing our communities in parliament, let alone forging the basis for our new country. Why would you trust a party who can’t even check the recent tweet history of their candidates because they are only interested in what’s in front of their face.
Why, would you want someone of the talent, integrity and potential of Fatima Joji to be overlooked in favour of an ego driven manipulator who has had his day? Why would you want a man who has publicly spread anti-vax msgs, riled against homeless people and fat shamed and teased HIV suffers, in place of the outstanding talent and passionate campaigner that is Graham Campbell? Why on earth would you even look twice at Chris McEleny, whose name is surely out of place on the same ballot as Michelle Campbell after some of his comments on hostile blog sites that have done real harm to vulnerable women, in ways he seems incapable of understanding. That’s without looking at the fantastic Roza Salih in Glasgow or Danish Ashraf in Central, to name only a few of the SNPs fantastic and diverse list of candidates.
Just some of the talented candidates topping the SNP Regional Lists – Danish Ashraf, (Central), Michelle Campbell (West of Scotland) Graham Campbell (Lothians), Fatima Joji (North East), Rosa Salih (Glasgow)
This isn’t building a radical new party with social justice, radical land reform and internal democracy at its heart. This isn’t even, “Independence, Nothing Less”. This is, “we want our own way, no matter what we have to do to get it”.
That isn’t democracy. That isn’t winning over the people. That’s the worst sort of “for the sake of it” nationalism, that has always stopped us winning over the trust of the people, who must not only vote for, but believe in Independence for it to be successfully delivered.
It isn’t that there is no place for Real-politick or considering the greater strategy of how to achieve your aims. There are quite a number of radical environmentalists in the SNP who would probably fit fairly comfortably into the Green party, but who believe that the best way of achieving environmental change in Scotland is through an Independent Scotland – which tactically, they can only see being delivered by a majority SNP Government. No matter how much respect they have for the Green Party, or those within it therefore, it’s Both Votes SNP – all the way – because that’s how to achieve a majority and win Independence.
How to achieve the ultimate aim – a fairer, more progressive, socially just, environmentally world leading, and peaceful Independent nation.
During the 2014 referendum campaign, the Yes movement worked hard to make it clear that the future of our country is not about liking or disliking one man or woman or relying on them to take us to a fixed destination. The same is true now. There is no Political Messiah. There is no place for ego fuelled conspiracy nonsense that lacks even basic scrutiny of motive.
There is policy, there is progress and most importantly, there are people whose votes deserve to be treated with respect and not like a game or a grand national.
We need to take a clear message to the Scottish Electorate and give them the positive long term vision of the country we want to continue to mould, for all our citizens.
For me, that means, progressive, socially just and experienced leadership. The clear choice is #BothVotesSNP
This year’s theme is “My voice, our equal future” and for the sake of my girls (who are also my mischievous campaign film crew!) I want to discuss why being a mum is an asset to being a politician and not the hindrance that so often gets levelled in quiet whispers and sexists retorts.
I am so blessed – genuinely, despite them being monsters – to have two amazing daughters who I am so utterly proud of, beyond any words I can express here.
When they were wee…. recent ones no longer allowed!!!
The determination I have to make a difference in politics is fuelled by many things, but creating a better, more equal society for them to thrive in, is key.
I have always been open with them about the struggles still before them as girls, and some, if not all, of the challenges I have faced – the choices I have had to make and why the quiet, unconscious bias and sexism present in society needs to be challenged.
Often, it is their voices and opinions, their spirit and determination, which inspires me to keep going.
For anyone thinking that being a mother of growing children is a hindrance to being a political candidate, MSP, MP or Councillor, ask yourself if you would have that thought about a father in the same position.
Ask yourself if it would even enter your mind to question if a male candidate / politician even had children, let alone what effect that would have on their ability to do the job.
Sadly, I have heard it often levelled at candidates who are mums, even in 2020, even in this campaign, and if that’s something, acknowledging with no ill intentions, that has entered your head – before you vote, I’d ask you to challenge yourself on that.
I will never regret the choice I made to step back from politics 15 years ago when I was expecting my first child, it was the right thing for my circumstances and my family and I would not change it. This does not mean that I do not regret being forced into a situation where I felt I had to make that choice, because the options for motherhood and elected office, seemed so utterly incompatible to me.
I became pregnant in the months which followed the Westminster election of 2005, in which I stood as a young candidate in Falkirk. As the National student convener, a member of NEC and holder of many local offices, I was an enthusiastic and determined young woman, ready to take on anyone in political debate and use my energy for change in whatever arena I was in. As an approved parliamentary candidate, I was expected to contest a seat at Holyrood in the coming year and at the very least, add my name to the list vote.
Despite many phone calls and cajoling from party members at the time, and in the subsequent elections which followed, I knew that the options just didn’t exist to allow me to be the kind of parent I wanted to be for my family and stand for Parliament. I am still glad that I made that choice and I will never stop being vocal about how vital a role being a parent is and how undervalued it is by society in general.
Motherhood is very special but we need much more focus on the equal responsibility of fathers in raising their children, if we are ever to get near equality. For me, standing for parliament and in later years, in giving up my teacher training place, these possibilities were not an option.
That is not a criticism of anyone who makes that remarkable decision to juggle early parenthood and Work / Training / Parliament, but not all parents have the same support structures or resources to make it possible. For me, as a young mum, I knew it would be an impossible and unbearable strain, that would lead to misery.
People told me that “it was a shame” and “I was still young” in equal measure and I accepted their sympathies, but now I feel that what I should have been pointing out much more, was why were we all prepared to accept it as inevitable. Perhaps I simply didn’t want to unbalance my own sense of peace in the difficult decision I had made.
There are practical challenges & they need solutions but that is the very reason we need more women at the table because so far in 100+ years of some women having the vote, male dominated Parliaments and councils have done little to deal with it, – not because men don’t care or agree but because the imperative of lived experience isn’t there.
You only need to look at the move to web based and blended meetings during the pandemic. I have worked since being elected to push for this to address equality issues for parents and those with a variety of health / disability needs. I continue to push for more progress but the many excuses I got in denial of requests were mainly to do with it not being possible / workable.
It was always possible and workable, what it was not, was preferable to the majority who did not need those accomodations, but now it is the only option, there is a willingness to adpapt because there is no alternative and there would be mass exclusion.
Though there is more than one strong group of activists and campaigners working to change the environment for women and other underrepresented groups, we see too many good, talented and passionate politicians standing down from council and Parliament because these issues, and .any more besides, have come too late for them in being addressed.
Women & girls have been disproportionately excluded and affected by these issues for too long and I want to make sure that the world my girls enter into as adults, is better than the one I did – and with an example to them that they too can speak up for the things they demand change on….because there will be many more.
They are my greatest passion and inspiration to create a better, fairer, more equal and sustainable Scotland….and as you can hear…they are keeping me smiling as a very helpful film crew and technical team😂.
Thanks girls…you are my constant inspiration. Love mum 💖
Never try and film with them though! Take 26 trying to say “Public Protection Portfolio Holder”
Lift As We Climb 