Kevin McVey stands for socialism in Glasgow North East - 2nd July 2009
The Scottish Socialist Party has selected Kevin McVey as
candidate for the Glasgow North East by-election.
A civil service trade union representative for 20 years, Kevin was brought up
in the constituency, in Ruchazie.
Kevin joined the Labour Party Young Socialists in 1984 and was expelled from
the Labour party 5 years later for being a socialist.
Kevin has a long track record of fighting the poll tax, against school closures,
and for taxation of the rich to improve public services.
Kevin McVey said this evening:
“At a time of daily news bulletins on the stench of corruption arising
from Westminster, I am proud to publicly pledge that I will reject
the £64,000 MP’s salary and live instead on the average skilled worker’s
wage – not a penny more.
“After the mainstream parties have been caught fiddling expenses for
food, furniture, second homes, and Michael Martin was booted out for
trying to cover up these crimes against people struggling to pay the
bills, Labour now wants him promoted to the unelected, undemocratic House
of Lords.
“That’s an insult to ordinary hardworking people. Where I have worked
you would be sacked for doctoring expenses or for failing to act against
fiddles if you were in a manager’s post!
“The people of Glasgow North East deserve a socialist MP who will fight
for them, not another chancer who pockets the obscene salary and then
grabs even more in expenses.”
SSP Glasgow Regional Secretary Richie Venton said today:
“We are proud to put up a candidate with such a long and principled history
of fighting for the working class.
“The SSP has been at the heart of fighting to save several local schools
and nurseries from Labour’s butchery. We have helped stop the ambitious
councillor Gordon Matheson becoming the Labour candidate, because even
the out-of-touch Labour hierarchy knew he would be a complete liability
in an area blitzed by school closures, which he was at the heart of.
The SSP will make Save Our Schools a major issue in the by-election,
demanding class sizes of 20 or less for all kids, to give them a decent
start in life and to hire more teachers and nursery staff.”