Scottish Communists

Election 2007

You can choose on May 3rd

Tony Blair's legacy to Scotland will be to saddle us with Britain's nuclear weapons for the next 50 years. Latest estimates put the lifetime costs of the new system at £100 billion. Scotland's share of this money would be £85 million a year on procurement costs plus £153m a year on maintenance. Yet this money is entirely wasted. Today Britain faces no significant significant military threat from any nation. And nuclear weapons are useless against terrorists. Our nuclear arsenal did not stop the attacks in London. But a new generation of British and American nuclear weapons will trigger a new round in the arms race, and will encourage other nations to go “nuclear”. And it will pose a new threat to to the people of Scotland, especially those who live near nuclear bases or on the routes of nuclear convoys.

Choose health not war

While billions are spent on new weapons, pensioners have wait 2 years for a hip replacement and 1 year for a hearing aid assessment. Hospitals, A&E departments and bed numbers are being cut almost daily and waiting lists for many operations and special investigations remain unacceptably long. Vital services such as catering, powering and cleaning have been privatised and wages, staffing levels and quality of service have plummeted.

It's all about choices. The government chooses to spend £100 billion on Trident and to have a second rate health service. We, of course, can choose a different government in Scotland who will prioritise health and tell Blair and Brown that we don't want their weapons. Scotland's share of the Trident expenditure is £238m a year - more than enough to provide all the hospitals, diagnostic facilities and well paid jobs for thousands more health workers as well as investing in Scotland's productive economy, particularly in the area of renewable energy.