Labour Link News July 2009

Articles:

• Your views count!
• Making Scottish Labour policy
• Want to be a Labour candidate?

The Scottish Labour Party is consulting on its first stage policy process that will lead to the manifesto for the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections.

Labour Link Scotland aims to make the UNISON voice heard.

And that means we need to hear from you...

Big ideas
The consultation paper 'Ideas for a Fairer Scotland' seeks views on the full range of devolved issues in four separate papers:

Prosperous and sustainable Scotland - covers finance and the economy including the living wage; training and skills; enterprise and regeneration; energy and climate change; rural areas and tourism; transport; local government. Click here to download PDF

Caring and healthier Scotland - covers health inequalities and NHS Scotland; housing; sport. Click here to download PDF

Safer Scotland - covers crime, drugs and the justice system. Click here to download PDF

Scotland of opportunity - covers schools; poverty and inequality; discrimination, children and young people; culture; higher and further education. Click here to download PDF

The full documents can be viewed and downloaded at the Scottish Labour Party website:
www.scottishlabour.org.uk/what_we_believe

Core policies
UNISON Labour Link Scotland will be feeding in UNISON's views to the manifesto process through its members on the Scottish Policy Forum, and by responding to the consultation papers.

UNISON Scotland is developing a number of core policy positions for the 2011 election.

These will cover broad themes including: the role of public services; fair treatment for staff; and public finance.

Below that level there will be specific proposals covering most of UNISON's membership groups.

Send us your top three
If you have a view on what should be in Scottish Labour's 2011 manifesto, let us know. We would like to know what are the three most important actions the next Scottish Parliament could take to create a fairer Scotland.

Please email your ideas to d.watson@unison.co.uk by 15 September 2009.

(article published in UNISON Scotland Labour Link News July 2009)

The road to the 2011 manifesto started at this year's Scottish Labour Party Conference in Dundee. It will stretch over a three year cycle, with the Scottish Policy Forum producing documents for each stage.

Scottish Policy Forum
The Scottish Policy Forum (SPF) is made up of 87 Scottish Labour Party members, elected by all wings of the party including the trade unions. UNISON has several members.

The SPF has made a number of changes to the way it makes policy - and is reaching out to the wider community like never before.

It has established sounding boards of independent experts to support the work of its four policy commissions. These commissions consider the four policy areas which are covered by Ideas for a Fairer Scotland.

Prosperous and sustainable Scotland
(Economy and environment - Click here to download PDF)

Caring and healthier Scotland
(Health and housing - Click here to download PDF)

Safer Scotland
(Crime and justice - Click here to download PDF)

Scotland of opportunity
(Education - Click here to download PDF)

The policy commissions are responsible for drafting consultation papers and considering submissions. However, the final reports have to be approved by the SPF.

Consultation process
The first year documents - Ideas for a Fairer Scotland - ask wide ranging questions and urge blue sky thinking. The second year documents will start to focus on the more detailed policies needed to face the big challenges. The final year documents will shape the manifesto for the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections.

The final policy programme that becomes the definite statement of Scottish Labour policy has to be passed with a two-thirds majority at the 2011 Scottish Labour Conference - which will probably be brought forward to the autumn of 2010.

(article published in UNISON Scotland Labour Link News July 2009)

Have you thought about being an MSP - standing for election as a Scottish Labour Candidate in 2011?

Scottish Labour will start the process for selecting candidates for the 2011 elections this autumn. The process starts with the re-selection of sitting MSPs. This will be a little more complex this year because of boundary changes to the Scottish Parliamentary constituencies and list areas.

As usual UNISON branches that affiliate to CLPs with a sitting MSP will be asked if they support the re-selection of their MSP. Sitting MSPs that receive majority support from Labour Party branches and affiliates automatically become candidates.

The next stage is the selection of candidates for the remaining constituencies and places on the list. Nominations are sought from trade unions that are affiliated to each CLP and that includes UNISON.

Candidates are then short listed and a vote takes place amongst all Scottish Labour Party members in the constituency or list area.

Wanted: candidates who share UNISON values
It is important to UNISON that Scottish Labour candidates share our values and understand the services our members deliver.

We also want Scottish Labour MSPs to represent all sections of the community, so we would particularly like to see more women, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities standing for parliament.

UNISON already has a strong group of Scottish Labour MSPs and they make an important contribution to our parliamentary work on behalf of UNISON members.

To support members who want to stand as Scottish Labour candidates in 2011 we are establishing a panel of candidates.

Members of the panel will receive support from UNISON Labour Link at national and local level with training and other practical assistance with selection and as a candidate.

If you would be interested in being on the panel the only qualifications are that you are a UNISON member who pays the Labour Link levy and of course is also a member of the Scottish Labour Party.

An application form can be obtained from Dave Watson at UNISON House. Email d.watson@unison.co.uk

(article published in UNISON Scotland Labour Link News July 2009)