Glasgow North Labour Party

War Memorial Restoration Secured

Bill Butler MSP — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:17:13 +0000

A memorial to the fallen of two World Wars has been restored after a campaign by myself and John Robertson MP. The memorial, located in Victoria Park, had fallen into a state of disrepair before a local branch of the Royal British Legion alerted John and I to the situation. We subsequently convinced Glasgow City Council of [...]

Off And Running For The North Glasgow 5k

Patricia Ferguson MSP — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:07:14 +0000

Patricia Ferguson MSP joined school pupils from primary schools in Milton for a 2k fun run at the start of March. The event is one of a number of fun runs for school pupils in the north of Glasgow to promote the North Glasgow 5k on the 25th April. NG5k mascot, Active Andy, helped the pupils from St Monica's, Miltonbank and Chirnsyde Primary Schools through a warm up routine before they set off on the 2k run round the Milton pitches. Patricia Ferguson, Willie Bain MP and Councillor Ellen Hurcombe cheered the children on their way along with staff...

Maryhill CAB Project Visits Parliament

Patricia Ferguson MSP — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:19:09 +0000

Patricia Ferguson MSP has welcomed a group from the Maryhill Citizens Advice Bureau Asylum Seeker & Refugee Project to the Scottish Parliament. The Maryhill MSP gave the visitors a tour of the Parliament building, including a look round the Debating Chamber, and enjoyed a cup of a coffee and a chat with them before they watched Question Time from the Visitors' Gallery....

Patricia Ferguson Calls On The Scottish Government To Back The Regulation Of Property Factors

Patricia Ferguson MSP — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:09:22 +0000

Patricia Ferguson MSP has called on the Scottish Government to back her bid to regulate property factors. Leading a debate in the Scottish Parliament the Labour MSP highlighted cases from her Maryhill constituency as evidence of the need for statutory regulation. Patricia Ferguson said: "I am delighted to have had the opportunity of discussing my proposal to introduce statutory regulation of property factors and the introduction of accessible and legally binding dispute resolution and I appreciate the ongoing cross party support in this respect. "Today I highlighted examples from my own constituency of homeowners being pursued...

Fair Trade Debate

Bill Butler MSP — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:48:54 +0000

Bill meets members of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum Following my recent parliamentary motion, I am pleased to say that I was successful in my efforts to secure a debate on the future of Fairtrade in Scotland. In recent years, Scotland has made great strides towards attaining Fairtrade nation status. I am proud to say that, through [...]

Consultant Outrage

Bill Butler MSP — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:18:36 +0000

I have obtained evidence from the Scottish Government which reveals that the expenditure on consultants by the SFT, a body which has yet to build a school or hospital after being launched by the First Minister in 2007, has nearly quadrupled over the past six months. Despite spending over £2000 a day on consultancy fees its [...]

Shoppers urged to swap for Fairtrade by Glasgow North MP

Ann McKechin MP — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:20:51 +0000

Ann McKechin MP is encouraging shoppers in Glasgow to buy Fairtrade products during this Fairtrade Fortnight (22rd February – 7th March).

Ann welcomed the Labour’s plan to boost funding for the Fairtrade labelling system and urged local shoppers to look for the Fairtrade Mark on food, gifts and other products in the shops.

Over 4,500 products have been licensed to carry the Fairtrade Mark and there are over 460 producer organisations selling to the UK, representing more than 1.5 million farmers and workers in developing countries. Labour’s latest investment will bring another 1 million producers into the scheme and enable 7 million more people in poor countries to benefit from a better deal offered by Fairtrade.

Ann McKechin said:

“Small changes in our shopping habits can make a big difference to the world’s poorest people. By buying food, gifts and other products from developing countries we will help grow their economies and reduce poverty.

“When consumers and retailers act together to promote and buy goods from developing countries, we can make a real difference to the lives of some of the world’s poorest people.”

Douglas Alexander, Labour’s International Development Secretary, said:

“Ann has been a passionate campaigner on fair trade. I hope shoppers across Glasgow will join Ann during Fairtrade fortnight and take the chance to swap their usual shopping for Fairtrade products.“

“Small changes in our shopping habits can make a big difference to the world’s poorest people. By buying food, gifts and other products from developing countries we will help grow their economies and reduce poverty.

“When consumers and retailers act together to promote and buy goods from developing countries, we can make a real difference to the lives of some of the world’s poorest people.”

Cashing In On Lottery Funding

Patricia Ferguson MSP — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:01:59 +0000

Patricia Ferguson MSP has hosted a special information event to make sure community groups and organisations in her constituency get their fair share of cash available through the Big Lottery Fund Scotland. The Maryhill MSP brought together representatives of over 30 organisations from the communities of the north of Glasgow to hear from representatives of Big Lottery Fund Scotland about how they might be able to access the funds available. Patricia Ferguson MSP with representatives of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland and Glasgow North MP, Ann McKechin Speaking after the event in Possilpark on the 19th February Patricia...

Factors Bill Gets All Party Support

Patricia Ferguson MSP — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:05:21 +0000

A bill that would give people more say about the services they receive from factors is one step closer. The legislation proposed by Maryhill MSP, Patricia Ferguson, received support from more than 40 MSPs from all parties represented at Holyrood by the deadline of the 19th February 2010. Welcoming the support receieved, Patricia Ferguson said: "I am delighted that so many colleagues have recognised the need to legislate so that factors can be properly regulated and I am grateful to them for their support. I am looking forward to being able to bring forward the legislation and to give MSP...

Victory for ‘Shine on Scotland’

Bill Butler MSP — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:22:43 +0000

Victory was confirmed at the last meeting of the Public Petitions Committee (of which I’m a member) for Drumchapel teenager Ryan McLaughlin and his ‘Shine on Scotland’ campaign. Over the last year I have been supporting Ryan’s campaign to tackle the threat of MS. I was delighted to learn that Ryan’s petition had been successful and [...]