The Scottish Socialist Party is campaigning for action on the cost of living crisis in Glasgow’s Southside Central.
Activists in Govanhill spoke with residents about runaway energy bills and the need for immediate action to tackle fuel poverty in Scotland.
The Scottish Socialist Party is standing candidates across Scotland in the 2022 Scottish local elections, including in Glasgow wards.
Cost of Living Crisis in Glasgow
Scottish Socialist Party election candidate in Southside Central, Paul Donnelly, said:
“We’ve been on the streets in Govanhill, listening to what residents have to say about the cost of living crisis.
“Many of us have already received our new estimated energy costs from 1 April 2022, and people are scared and angry. We can’t afford to pay a £700 energy bill hike. One in three households are already in fuel poverty – and that figure will rise.
“No one should have to choose between a warm meal and a warm home.
“The cost of living is rising across the board – in bills, tax, transport, and food shopping. But our wages, our pensions, and social security are stagnant. That means we’re getting less but are expected to pay more.
“We’ve heard how fed up people are with inaction from both Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government. In 2019, the SNP government set a target that no more than 5% of households would be in fuel poverty. In 2017, Nicola Sturgeon promised a National Energy Company that would slash energy costs for households.
“To be clear, neither of those pledges go far enough – but they have failed on both counts. Fuel poverty is rising rapidly, and the SNP/Green government has abandoned its electoral promise of a National Energy Company.
“Scotland is an energy-rich country, with vast renewable energy potential. We can afford to bring everyone in Scotland out of fuel poverty – but we can’t afford to subsidise profit for big polluters like Shell and BP. The SSP is demanding that the manufacture and distribution of energy be brought into democratic public ownership – creating thousands of skilled, well-paid, unionised green jobs.
“Residents in Govanhill told us how energy-inefficient housing is driving their bills up. That’s why the SSP is calling for public funding to retrofit every dwelling in Scotland up to the highest environmental standard, without cost to tenants – to fight poverty and pollution together, while creating 100,000 new jobs and apprenticeships.
“The SNP/Green coalition government is delaying rent controls until at least 2025 – plenty of time to water down proposals, and plenty of time for your rent to keep rising. If the government can bail out landlords at a moment’s notice, then they can implement essential rent controls now. The SSP demands immediate cuts, caps, and controls on rent to keep it at affordable levels relative to income.
“The SSP is standing for free public transport for everyone in Scotland, including a municipal bus company for Glasgow – with expanded and fully-integrated services, accessible travel in all communities, and job creation in renewing transport fleets.
No Cuts Budget, Raise Household Incomes
“Fighting the cost of living crisis also means raising household incomes. That’s why the SSP demands a minimum wage rate at two-thirds of the male median earnings for all workers over 16, rising with inflation.
“It’s why we demand pay rises that compensate for more than a decade of wage stagnation in workplaces like care, healthcare, education, and cleansing – including immediate compensation for Glasgow workers balloting for equal pay justice from the City Council.
“We know that Tory Westminster government has cut into Scotland’s budget, but it’s a myth that Scotland’s government cannot do more. The SNP/Green coalition government is planning £251 million in cuts that they don’t have to make – and they want you to pay for it with Council Tax hikes and a Workplace Parking Levy.
“Councillors are not elected to administer cuts on behalf of the government. They are supposed to stand up for the communities they represent. Every SSP candidate is demanding a No Cuts Budget across Scotland – and only the SSP is refusing to vote for cuts.
“By replacing the unfair, regressive Council Tax with a progressive income tax scaled to the ability to pay, we can lower the burden on working-class households while raising billions more to fund jobs, services, and long-term public investment in the economy. The SNP, the Greens, and Labour have all broken their promises to scrap Council Tax – the SSP will not.
“Scotland is paying £40 billion out of public funds for just £9 billion of infrastructure under PFI contracts. This is robbery, introduced by Labour and continued under the SNP. The SSP calls for these bad deals to be renegotiated immediately, to free up billions for care, the NHS, and education.
“Austerity is a political choice. So too is our cost of living crisis. There is an alternative to price hikes, spending cuts, and job losses. Only the Scottish Socialist Party is standing for action that will immediately improve the quality of life for working-class people.”