The local Scottish Socialist Party has selected COLLETTE BRADLEY, a prominent trade union activist from South Lanarkshire, as its candidate for the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election.
SSP Election Campaign Organiser Richie Venton said:
“We are delighted to announce that Collette Bradley is the Scottish Socialist Party candidate, pledged to be a socialist MSP living on no more than the average worker’s wage.
“As the elected chairperson of her Scotland-wide Further Education support workers’ union branch, Collette has a proven record of standing up and fighting for fellow workers. She has battled with the Scottish government and FE college bosses for improved pay, equality, job security, in defence of Further Education, and is determined to do the same for the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse if elected as their MSP.
“For far too long, politics has been surrounded by the stench of careerism and corruption. Voters in this by-election have the opportunity to reject careerism and corruption, by electing a principled, working-class socialist who is not in it for the money.
“It’s a matter of principle for the SSP that our MSPs will live on the average Scottish workers’ wage, to help make them accountable, in touch with the people they represent, and incorruptible.
“As a life-long trade unionist and socialist myself, I have every confidence Collette would be an outstanding socialist MSP, standing up for the working-class majority against poverty, inequality and wars”.
Scottish Socialist Party candidate Collette Bradley said:
“I have no hesitation in publicly pledging to the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse that if elected as your MSP I will remain on the average worker’s wage, not a penny more.
“MSPs have just been awarded a pay rise of £2,311. The low to average-paid workers who elected me as one of their union leaders would give their right arms for such a pay rise, as would millions of other workers.
“This puts MSPs on £74,507 basic salary. That’s like living on a different planet compared with workers having to use foodbanks, pensioners unable to heat their homes, sick and disabled people suffering savage cuts by Labour to their incomes.
“How can an MSP on £74,507 understand the problems of everyday life, paying the bills, feeding our families?
“I am issuing a public challenge to all the other candidates from all the other political parties: are you prepared to do as I and the SSP are doing, by living on the average worker’s wage?
“Will you do the same as me, reject the full £74,507 MSP’s salary, and stay in touch with working-class families, by living on their average income, all the better to fight for improved conditions for all?
“I think the choice for local voters in this by-election is stark: let another career politician enjoy this grossly inflated income while ordinary people struggle to survive the cost of living – or elect a socialist MSP who will live on the same wage as the average worker”.
