SFA Warn Linesman and Part-Time Tory MP Douglas Ross Over Gypsy Comments

Football Chiefs Join Boys' Brigade in Taking Firmer Line on Prejudice than Tory Leader
Double-jobbing Tory MP Douglas Ross has been warned by his employer the SFA over his call for a crackdown on gypsy travellers – despite Ruth Davidson’s refusal to discipline the MP.

The SFA has joined the Boys’ Brigade in taking a firmer line on prejudice than Ruth Davidson’s Tories, after the Boys’ Brigade disciplined Tory councillor Alastair Majury following his derogatory remarks about Catholics – only for the Tories to readmit him to the party after a short suspension.

When asked in an interview what his priority would be if Prime Minister for a day, Douglas Ross answered “tougher enforcement against Gypsies and Travellers”. He was criticised for his remarks by Amnesty International.

Now the SFA have warned Mr Ross that he should “give careful regard to the association’s rules while under its jurisdiction” and warned the MP about his use of language.

Commenting, SNP MSP Christina McKelvie said:

“Part-time politician Douglas Ross has been a constant embarrassment to Ruth Davidson since being elected – choosing to run the line at football matches instead of turning up for his parliamentary duties.

“But now it seems the SFA take his offensive and divisive comments about gypsy travellers more seriously than the Tory party.

“This is beginning to look like a pattern – with the Boys’ Brigade taking more serious action than the Tories over their disgraced councillor Alastair Majury and his sectarian tweets.

“Ruth Davidson clearly thinks her party can do and say whatever they want and get away with it.”

UN Condemn Tory Cuts as "Human Catastrophe"

Scottish Social Security System Praised
- But Tories Damaging Living Standards
The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has praised the Scottish Government for their inclusion of disabled people in designing the Scottish social security system; their Fairer Scotland for Disabled People and the adoption of the Accessible Travel Framework whilst criticising the Tory Westminster government for a range of policies that led to the head of the Committee saying the UK Government had created a “human catastrophe” for disabled people.

The final UN report has been published following a long investigation after the Committee last year found that the UK government’s welfare cuts had led to "grave and systematic violations" of disabled people's rights. The report highlights numerous concerns on the impact on disabled people including “the impact of austerity measures and antipoverty initiatives”; the “detrimental impact of the Employment and Support Allowance’s conditionality and sanctions” and the “negative impact on living standards of persons with disabilities” due to reductions in social support, unemployment allowances, Universal Credit, PIP and the introduction of benefit sanctions.

It specifically calls on the UK Government to “conduct a review of the conditionality and sanction regimes concerning the Employment and Support Allowance and tackle negative consequences on mental health and situation of persons with disabilities” and to “Repeal the Personal Independent Payment (Amendment) Regulations”.

Commenting, SNP MSP and convener of Holyrood’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee, Christina McKelvie, said:

“The UK Government should be totally ashamed that the pursual of welfare cuts and an austerity agenda at all costs has led to this damning criticism from the United Nations Committee. After a wealth of evidence and reports from people with disabilities and the organisations that represent them that have shown the damage Tory policies have had on vulnerable and disabled people across the UK people, they have carried on regardless. Now the UN is telling them to change the sanctions regime and Personal Independence Payments will they finally listen?

“The UN’s report needs to act as a wake-up call. The UN could not be clearer – UK ministers’ record on disabled rights is shameful, whether that is over Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payments, sanctions or reductions in social support has led to ‘grave and systematic’ violations on disabled rights and must be changed.

“Their dangerous policies stand in contrast to the action the SNP Scottish Government is taking to support persons with disabilities – and the UN’s report welcomes action we have taken to include organisations of persons with disabilities in shaping our social security system, our incorporation of the Convention on the rights of disable people and the adoption of the Accessible Travel Framework.

“The Tories must urgently rethink their disastrous welfare cuts, which have driven people into poverty, caused an exponential rise in the use of foodbanks, lowered living standards of vulnerable people across the country, and has now been condemned, yet again, by the United Nations.

“If they are not prepared to change course, then they must give the Scottish Government the full powers to make different choices and allow us to support rather than neglect communities across Scotland.”

House of Lords Try to Put Roadblocks in Way of Votes at 16

UNELECTED PEERS TRY TO LECTURE YOUNG PEOPLE ON DEMOCRACY
The democratic absurdity of the House of Lords has been highlighted again today – after unelected peers argued in favour of putting roadblocks in the way of allowing 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote in Scotland.

A new report by the House of Lords Constitution Committee has argued that they should have a role in scrutinising the decision to devolve powers over the franchise to Scotland – and expressed concern that lowering the voting age in Scotland will “lead to pressure to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote in other elections across the UK.”

The Scottish Government’s decision to extend the right to vote to 16 and 17 year olds during the referendum was extremely successful – seeing around 90 per cent of 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland registering to vote.

Commenting, SNP MSP Christina McKelvie said:

“The fact a Tory former Scottish Secretary and a group of unelected peers want to put roadblocks in the way of Scotland’s young adults being given the vote speaks volumes – it is utter hypocrisy and shows how out of touch Lord Lang and his House of Lords colleagues are.

“The involvement of 16 and 17 year-olds in the independence referendum was a huge success and contributed massively to the democratic engagement Scotland witnessed.

“These unelected peers believe that giving young adults the vote in Scotland will ‘lead to pressure’ for it to be extended to 16 and 17 year-olds in other parts of the UK – they are quite right, but that is something to be welcomed, not condemned.

“The bottom line is that Westminster must transfer the powers needed for younger people to vote in next year’s Scottish Parliament election – regardless of what the House of Lords thinks. The referendum showed it can be done, in a way that doesn’t create data protection issues, and Scotland’s 16 and 17 year-olds must be given the chance to vote at Holyrood in 2016.”

MSP Warns of 'Disastrous' Tory Attack on Scotland's Vulnerable

  TORIES CALLING FOR WITHDRAWAL OF EU SOCIAL CHAPTER   Plans by the Tories to heavily water down the UK’s commitment to the EU could be a disaster for women and the vulnerable, a leading MSP has claimed.

Christina McKelvie MSP has slammed a Conservative Party paper which endorses the Westminster government abandoning the EU social chapter – a move which would see Scotland lose key employment protections.

The Tory Fresh Start on EU document, with the foreword by Foreign Secretary William Hague, would see people deprived of equal pay, maternity leave, pension rights and human rights guarantees.

The document states that the UK could opt out completely from the ‘Social Policy’ section of the EU agreements - the principal part of the treaties used to protect social and employment rights.

The Tories are attempting to re-negotiate the UK’s role in Europe in advance of the in-out referendum on the country’s membership in the EU they now plan for 2017.

Last night Ms McKelvie, the SNP MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse and a long time campaigner for social rights, warned:

“These Tory plans are potentially disastrous for some of the most vulnerable groups in our society.

“William Hague and his chums are either fools because they haven’t thought the consequences of their plan through - or they’re knaves because they simply don’t care.

“The Social Chapter is one of the main benefits people in Scotland get from being in the EU. It is a hugely valuable measure which protects low-paid workers, people with disabilities and women in particular.

“However, the Tories would happily sweep it away in an instant if they could. To even think of opting out of this critical piece of European legislation is a disgrace and an affront to those in Scotland who most need help."

She added:

“Social rights and protection of the vulnerable are vital, which is why they are now embedded across Europe. Now this Westminster Government wants to turn the clock back and return us to the labour and social values of the Victorian age.

“Never has it been clearer that a Yes vote in next year’s referendum is vital to the future of Scotland and its people. Only with independence can we be assured of Scotland’s continuing place in the EU and the security for all which our membership offers.

"To keep the benefits of these important social protection measures, Scotland needs to be in the EU club as an independent country - not governed by the Tory Bullingdon Club."

The "EU Fresh Start" document can be accessed at http://www.eufreshstart.org/