Glasgow North Labour Party

Remembering Anne Frank

Signing the pledge

I believe that educating young people has a crucial part to play in the ongoing battle against prejudice. I was therefore proud to pledge my support to Anne Frank Scotland, a new education programme launched by The Anne Frank Trust UK.

The centrepiece of the programme is the travelling exhibition Anne Frank; A History of Today.

Currently touring schools, churches and community centres across the country, the exhibition features excerpts from Anne’s famous diary; recounts the wartime experiences of Anne and her family; and describes the persecution suffered by various minority communities during the Nazi era.

It also includes a series of workshops designed to link Anne’s opinions and experiences with those of today’s young people, allowing them to express their own thoughts, feelings, and anxieties regarding prejudice in a safe and non-judgemental learning environment.

The campaign is one of a number which highlight the danger of prejudice. I have supported similar campaigns which seek to tackle racism, sectarianism and bigotry such as Nil by Mouth and Show Racism the Red Card.

I campaigned to ensure that Red Card’s “Islamophobia” package was funded by government as an educational resource in all schools.

I also helped secure £20,000 of funding for the Iona Community’s rehabilitation project for offenders convicted of religious hate crimes.

Thanks to the ongoing work of these projects  we can continue the progress made the fight against religious and racial prejudice.

Filed under: General Issues Tagged: Anne Frank Trust UK, Nil by Mouth, Show Racism the Red Card

Posted in General Issues | No Comments »

Boost for Damages Fight

My efforts to improve damages legislation have received a boost after MSPs backed my bid to cut out lengthy legal wrangling over victims’ earnings.

My proposed Damages (Scotland) Bill seeks to improve rights to damages in respect of personal injuries and wrongful death.  In order for the bill to move forward I required the support of at least 18 of his colleagues – including at least one signature from an MSP of another party.

Now 34 Labour, SNP, Conservative, Lib Dem and Green Party MSPs have backed the proposals which gives me the green light to present his bill to Parliament, Last year, my consultation on the Bill produced overwhelming support for the proposals with 64% of respondents supporting the Bill’s provisions without qualification. I am delighted that colleagues from across the chamber have united behind these proposals.

The Scottish Parliament should always be on the side of victims and their loved ones. I am hopeful that this cross party support will continue as the bill makes it way through the parliament and allow us to change the law to help bring these cases to a swifter resolution.

The move has also been welcomed by victims’ campaigners ;

Joe O’Neill, Treasurer of Clydebank Asbestos Group said:

 “This is welcome news for the people we represent. Too often protracted legal proceedings place undue strain on families and I would urge all MSPs to get behind these proposals and ensure that justice can be accessed as quickly as possible.”

Filed under: Damages Bill, General Issues Tagged: Clydebank Asbestos Group, Damages Bill

Posted in General Issues | No Comments »

Labour Exchange Centenary: 100 years of Jobcentres

Local MP thanks staff for dedication and commitment to jobseekers through recession 

Ann McKechin MP has visited Maryhill Jobcentre Plus to celebrate 100 years since the first Labour Exchange – the precursor to today’s Jobcentres. 

The first Labour Exchanges were opened by Winston Churchill on 1 February 1910. In those days, Labour Exchanges had separate entrances for men, women, children and employers, and advertised for ‘girl confectioner packers’ and ‘piano regulators’.  

Since then, the service has transformed. When Labour came into office, job seeking and benefits support were brought together in one place: Jobcentre Plus. There are now 750 offices across the country, helping customers into the right job from 10,000 new vacancies received every day. No more Full Monty-type screens and queues – but an integrated, personalised service that provides one-to-one advice, training and financial support to help people back into work.  

Ann thanked the Maryhill Jobcentre Plus team for their dedication through this recession.  Despite the recession, Jobcentre Plus continues to help more than half of new claimants off JSA within 3 months and around 70% within 6.  

She also praised the hard work of the team in light of the statistics showing that unemployment in the area is significantly lower than in the 1990s recession. In Glasgow, unemployment figures in the 1990s reached around 50,000 people (or 12.7 per cent of the population). Recent figures show that this time round it has been held down to 23,500 – or 6%.  

Speaking after the event, Ann McKechin MP said:  

“I am paying tribute to Jobcentre Plus staff on the centenary for their determination and hard work during this recession and during the recent difficult weather. The staffs of Maryhill Jobcentre Plus and across Glasgow are dedicated to helping people secure their entitlements and get back on their feet.  

“It is essential that Governments take policy decisions which keep unemployment down during a recession. Extra investment by the Labour Government has helped keep unemployment rate in Glasgow down to 6 per cent, half what it was in the Tory recessions of the 1990s.  

“People here remember that back then the Tory Government simply walked away, saying that 50,000 unemployed was the price our city had to pay.   

“And they have proven would do so again – by refusing to back our £5 billion investment in getting people back into work and by making cuts that would risk the recovery and double unemployment.  

“The lesson from previous recessions under the Tories is that we’ve got to support jobs and encourage growth during the recovery and provide out Jobcentres with the resources to help people. That’s why I am backing Labour’s investment more youth jobs and why I am challenging the Tories to back the Future Jobs Fund, which is creating 170,000 new jobs nationwide which David Cameron wants to slash.”  

On Friday 12 February 2010 Ann McKechin MP visited Maryhill Jobcentre Plus for the centenary and to meet the staff helping local people and discuss their strategy for helping local people back into work.  

The Tories have directly voted against and would scrap:

• Labour’s investment in the Jobcentre Plus service which brought 6 thousand more staff into job centres nationwide.
• New jobs for young people being created under the £1bn Future Jobs Fund. 50,000 new jobs are being created for people in areas of high unemployment also under the Government’s £1bn Future Jobs Fund. Unlike the 80s and 90s these new jobs are all paid at least at the Minimum Wage and, if it becomes necessary, the Government will work with delivery partners to determine how participation in these options could be made compulsory as part of our next stages of welfare reform.
• The New Deal which has helped over 2m people into work.
• Labour’s Young Persons Guarantee of a job, training or work placement for young people.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Tackling The Number Of Exclusions In Schools

Patricia Ferguson has congratulated John Paul Academy in Summerston on reducing the number of exclusions from the school and called on the SNP Government to use good practice from the school to benefit other school children across Scotland. Speaking in Parliament the Maryhill MSP recognised the 98 per cent reduction in exclusions that has occurred in the past 15 months and congratulated the headteacher, Vincent Docherty, staff and pupils on their achievements. She went on to encourage the Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning to look for examples of good practice from the school to roll out more widely. Patricia…

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

SNP Budget – A Lost Opportunity To Boost Glasgow

Maryhill MSP Patricia Ferguson today hit out at the SNP for delivering a budget that has ‘failed Scotland and failed the communities of Maryhill’. The SNP’s budget voted through the Scottish Parliament with Conservative support was described as a missed opportunity for recovery despite the Nationalists having a record amount of money to spend. Patricia Ferguson MSP said: “The budget was a missed opportunity for Glasgow and the communities of Maryhill. The so-called money for housing and regeneration was a re-announcement. It was not new money despite Nationalist claims and this response to the economic crisis will costs jobs in…

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Ann McKechin MP Officially Opens New Temporary Maryhill Post Office Branch

GLASGOW North MP Ann McKechin has officially opened the new post office branch in Maryhill.

Post Office Ltd and Tesco relocated the post office branch on Maryhill Road to allow customers to continue to receive a service while redevelopment work is completed at the Maryhill shopping centre. 

The new, modern branch has now been set up at 1401 Maryhill Road to allow customers to continue to use a wide range of post office services and continue to collect their pensions and benefits locally. 

Post Office Ltd and Tesco have worked hard to relocate the branch in a short timescale when the shopping centre and store closed on January 3. 

Ann McKechin MP, said: 

“I’m pleased that the Post Office has committed to moving in to the redeveloped Maryhill Shopping Centre when it is completed. I’m also pleased that I was able to help in ensuring that there will be this important continuing local service while the shopping centre is being rebuilt.” 

Customers will still be able to access the same range of products and services throughout the same opening times as the old post office, which was run by Tesco within the shopping centre.  Once development work is completed and Tesco returns to the shopping centre, the post office branch will also transfer back.

Sally Buchanan, network development Manager for Scotland, said: 

“Post Office services are extremely important for the community and this branch is a vital asset to the local area. 

“We are pleased we have been able to provide a similar sized branch within the new premises for our customers.  We are also grateful to Ann McKechin for the support in helping us to find alternative premises.  We hope that our customers continue to use the branch as they did while it was in shopping centre.”

The branch will be managed by the franchise partner Tesco run by the same staff in the new premises.

Jennifer Duncan, Corporate Affairs Manager from Tesco, said:

“We recognise the important service that the Post Office offers people in Maryhill and are proud of the work done to ensure this key service is available while the new store is underway.  We are grateful for the community’s patience while work takes places and hope they will be pleased to see some familiar faces when visiting the Post Office in the meantime.”

The Maryhill Tesco store and post office branch is expected to re-open in the shopping centre in late 2010. A free bus service is being providing to the Tesco St Rollox store in Springburn while the Maryhill store is closed.

Around 200 new full and part time jobs will be created by Tesco on top of those we already employ at the Maryhill store.

Ann McKechin MP has been a vociferous campaigner on provision and access to local postal services in Glasgow North. In 2008 she collected over 4,000 signatures from local people for her petition which kept both Hyndland and Kelvindale post offices open following the company’s network change programme.  

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Local MP joins David Tennant and the Performers Alliance at Westminster

Glasgow North MP Ann McKechin has joined with Doctor Who actor David Tennant and a host of others, writers and musicians for the latest meeting of the Performers Alliance reception.  

The Performers Alliance meets with MPs to discuss matters of particular concern to performers and writers and to engage with relevant bodies such as government and the Arts Councils.

Ann said:

“It was excellent to meet with many of the key players in the culture and broadcast sector and stakeholders in the work of the Arts councils from right across the UK.

“The culture sector is big deal for the local economy here in Glasgow.  Many local people are employed directly in the performance arts and through the media, as well as the ancillary and technical services which make it work day in day out.  That’s why I am keen to work with the representatives who have come together in the Performers Alliance to discuss how the Government can best support the sector.” 

The issues on the agenda included arts funding, the cultural aspects of the 2012 Olympics and spin off benefits for the nations and regions, Performers’ rights and copyright matters which the Labour Government is currently addressing in the Digital Economy Bill amongst others. 

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Drumchapel’s Newest Champion

Bill praises Drumchapel's latest sporting hotshot.

On Friday night (29^th January), David Savage Junior, who boxes out of the Argo Club in Drumchapel, clinched the Scottish super bantamweight title after a thrilling ten round points win over Aberdeen’s Gavin Reid.

The victory was particularly sweet for father and trainer David Senior who was also a Scottish champion. Last year his Argo Boxing Club was featured in the Evening Times after it was nominated for a Community Champion Award.

To mark the occasion I have lodged a motion at Holyrood, signed by MSPs from across the country, praising the father and son team.

I’m delighted David has brought the title back to Drumchapel, he boxed brilliantly.

I’ve known both David and his dad for several years and have been so impressed by their commitment to both the sport and the area that, last November, I nominated the Argo for ‘Team of the Year’ at the Community Champion Awards.

With the Scottish title now in the bag and a place in the British top ten secured I am certain that David will go from strength to strength, secure a shot at the British title and bring a coveted Lonsdale Belt back home.

Filed under: Drumchapel, General Issues Tagged: Argo Boxing Club, David Savage, Drumchapel

Posted in General Issues | No Comments »

Victory for Bus Campaigners

Local bus service is to be restored.

I am delighted to announce a substantial victory in the campaign to have the no 11 bus service, axed last October, restored.

The Monday to Saturday Robroyston to Parkhall evening service, which previously ran through Kelvindale and Knightswood, was withdrawn by First Bus, sparking outrage from many residents who were left without a bus home after 7pm.

The local outrage prompted my colleague Ann McKechin MP and myself to start a petition which gathered over 800 signatures. We also met with Kelvindale Community Council, Cllr Alistair Watson of SPT and the Director of First Bus in an effort to overturn the decision.

Now these efforts have paid off.

Communities will be now served by a half hourly service during the day, and an hourly service during the evening thanks to £23,400 worth of support from SPT.

I am delighted that we’ve won and the Number 11 has been saved.

This decision shows that when we fight back together, we can protect our community when it stands to lose out. I am proud to say that the number 11 is back – thanks to the passengers themselves.

I’d like to acknowledge the role played by SPT in supporting this restored service, the Evening Times in highlighting the campaign and Knightswood and Kelvindale Community Councils for backing the campaign alongside local councillors such as Cllr Paul Rooney, who ran an excellent campaign to restore the service in Knightswood.

Filed under: General Issues

Posted in General Issues | No Comments »

Time to Tackle Cowboy Factors!

I am backing a parliamentary bid to improve the service provided by property factors. 

Labour MSP Patricia Ferguson’s Bill would require all Scottish Factors and Property managers to register and be accredited, and would provide accessible mediation so that people in dispute with their factor have an option of seeking redress other than through the courts.

For too long now some factors have been a law unto themselves.  There are many good factors but there are others who seem to see the job as a licence to print money and simply do not communicate with the people who they are supposed to serve.

The communities I represent have a significant number of factored properties and over the years I have dealt with constituents who have experienced problems with their property factor. 

This experience has convinced me that now is the time to take action.

This bill would provide protection for the home owner but also offer the industry an opportunity to root out bad factors.

Mike Dailly, Principal Solicitor at Govan Law Centre, who is advising Ms Ferguson on her bill has stated:

“Govan Law Centre is inundated with complaints from clients who are unhappy with their property factor. From concerns about poor quality repairs, unnecessary work, poor value for money, serious overcharging, to problems around unfair charging practices and substandard service, nothing has changed in Scotland over the last few years in this sector.

The Scottish Government’s ’self-regulation’ strategy is wholly inadequate in providing consumer protection in Scotland. Scottish property factors are as unregulated as the old wild west, and it’s incredible to think that cowboy companies still have a free hand to rip-off vulnerable households”.

Filed under: General Issues Tagged: Factors, Patricia Ferguson, Scottish Parliament

Posted in General Issues | No Comments »