The Declaration of Scotstoun

Transcription

1 The Declaration of Scotstoun 6 April, 2007 It is not for honours, nor for riches, but liberty alone for which we are fighting. Here in Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland, on the sixth day of April in the year two thousand and seven, we declare our support for these ten democratic reforms: 1. We believe there are 5 million members of the Scottish Parliament. We hence want the term "Member of the Scottish Parliament" ( MSP) abolished and replaced with the term representative - all an elected politician ever should be. And we will need fewer of them down 21 from the current number: With genuine member participation, this will be sufficient to run the business of Holyrood. 2. An end to perks. We an immediate end to the corrupting and indefensible accommodation allowance system plus an independent review of representatives' salaries and all other allowances. 3. A full time parliament. Holyrood should meet for 46 weeks per year, with representatives having only six weeks holidays - just like the rest of us. 4. An Accountable Bureaucracy: We believe senior public servants should be appointed on 5 year fixed term contracts. 5. Democratic Education: We want an urgent and well-funded schools and adult education initiative centred on democratic rights and how to participate. And for the first time ever, all school students in Scotland will learn about their own country's history - just like every other country in the world. 6. No whips. Party discipline that prevents representatives acting in the interests of the members of the Scottish Parliament should be outlawed. 7. Right of Recall: Allegations of the underperformance should be investigated by voters via a right of recall. Through this, individual representatives could be recalled by a citizens' initiative by a set number of designated number of votes. 8 Members' right to initiate parliamentary debate: via a citizens' initiative supported by 50,000 voters. This would be facilitated by a new Scottish Parliament citizens rights unit, which would, amongst many things, embrace phone votes, text votes, and voting. 9. Votes at 16: All young people in Scotland should have the vote at 16 - a tangible vote of confidence in our future. 10. A referendum on Independence: Let the people of Scotland decide, not the political elites. We further believe the term the people of Scotland includes everyone who is currently living here. We hence call for an immediate amnesty for all legacy case asylum seekers, families who have been in Scotland for a year or more and now rightly regard it as their home - the new members of an outward looking, enterprising, and democratic Scotland. We call on all the people of Scotland and our many friends abroad to support these aims, and specifically upon all candidates at the forthcoming elections to the Parliament of Scotland to pledge their support. In proposing these 10 specific reforms plus an amnesty for legacy case asylum seekers, we have one fundamental goal:

2 people = citizens = members As long as 100 of us remain alive.. signed 06/06/ Signatories Lin Anderson, author and screenwriter, Carbridge, Invernesshire John William Andrews, TV Director/Producer. Glasgow Sandy Arnott, IT support, Glenrothes Amal Azzudin Student, Central College of Commerce, Glasgow Eddie Barnes, tour organiser, Edinburgh Charlotte Boyce, pensioner and Kingsway Heath and Welfare Centre, Glasgow Alistair Brand, support worker, Galashiels Jack Bingham, Plasterer, Dunblane David Black, Architectural writer, Edinburgh Sally Brown, Accounts Assistant, Haddington Guje Borgesson, Ethnologist and Historian, Tibro, Sweden Kate Burton, Public Health Practitioner, Edinburgh Neill Bunett, IT Systems Manager, Melbourne, Australia David Chapman, Golf Sales Manager, Hawick

3 Emma Clifford, Student, Strathclyde University Christine Cloughley, finance assistant, Edinburgh Brian Dewar, TV technical supervisor, Strathkelvin Allan Donnachie, hospital domestic, Glasgow. Eddie Donnachie, Caretaker, Glasgow Jean Donnachie, housewife, Glasgow Johnny Dunn, Car Sales Executive, Stirling Bruce Denholm, IT Manager, East Lothian Jane Denholm, Public Policy Analyst, Edinburgh Robert Dow, retired, Tranent Sarah Edwards, childminder, Edinburgh Rob Ellen, Music Promoter, Dingwall Keiren Elliot, actor and TV and radio presenter, Airdrie Kevin Fagan, Lawyer, Washington DC, US Rosco Fairbrother, Musician, Falkirk Caitriona Feat, Mother, Kingston, Surrey, England Gary Gillfilan, Retail Entrepreneur, Glasgow

4 Mike Gower, Lecturer, East Saltoun Alan Govan, Student, Glasgow. Peter Gunn, retired lecturer, Glasgow Colin Green, Publican, Falkirk Adrian Hannah, IT Technical Support Manager, Dublin, Ireland Neil Hayes, Marker Researcher, Edinburgh Lindsay Hill, Documentary Maker, Dundee A L Kennedy, Author, Glasgow Michael Lemetti, Director, The National Italian Tartan, Falkirk Calum Lochhart, HGV Driver, Balloch Margaret Lynch, Overseas Aid Worker, Coatbridge Mark Irvine, Action 4 Equality, Edinburgh Colin Izzat, IT contractor, Aberdeen David Jarvie, Deep Sea Diver, Balmaha Sarah Jones, expectant mother, Bristol, England Laurie James Johnston, Teacher, Edinburgh Ruaridh McKenzie, Bar Manager, Drymen

5 Andrew McIlvride, architectural illustrator, Argyll Jennifer McCarron, student, Drumchapel High School, Glasgow Stephen McGarry, office manager, Glasgow Sue McLintock, Researcher, Rutherglen Andrew McConnell, Information Officer, Glasgow Frank MacMaster, Community Worker, Glasgow Donald Maclean, Librarian, Dunblane Karen Maclean, Teacher, Dunblane Dan McGilvary, Operations Director, Buchlyvie John Paul McGroarty, Artistic Director, The Leith Festival Phil McGuire, Financier, Glasgow Roderick MacLeod, Furniture Importer, London Alasdair Maciver, Civil Engineer, Inverurie Andy McKean Portobello, Edinburgh James Mark McDonagh, publican, South Queensferry Tam McTurk, Freelance Translator, Edinburgh Sandy Main, campaigner. cyberspace

6 Raymond Mearns, Actor and comedian Glasgow Hugh Miller, retired, East Lothian Charles Menzies, volunteer youth worker, Glasgow Neil Mochan, Sales Rep, Camelon Agnesa Murselaj, Student, Glasgow Andrew Nicoll, retired Police and Security Consultant, Annan, Dumfriesshire Dawn Osbourne-Dunn, event planner and photographer, Stirling Celestiana Osei Bonsu, Afro-Carribean Hairdresser, Leith Margaret Petrie, student, Edinburgh Nicola Pickavance, fundraiser, Edinburgh Colette Riley, Anaesthetist, Ayr Aki Sakia, Financier, Tokyo, Japan Lynn Scott, water industry scientist, Exeter, England Tim Scott, Accountant, Auckland, New Zealand Andy Symington, Civil Engineer, Barbados Fiona Sinclair, Convener, Scottish Autism Rights, Ayr Roza Salih, Student, Drumchapel High School, Glasgow

7 Fouad Samimy, Student, Strathclyde University Alyssa Savage, Company Director, Tullibody Graham Simpson, retired, Vancouver, Canada Ewelina Siwak, care assistant, centre for older people, Glasgow Faizah Shaheen, student Cardonald College, Glasgow Tommy Sheppard, club owner, Edinburgh and Glasgow Jim Slaven, Secretary, James Connolly Society, Edinburgh Alan Smart, Film and Website Producer, Falkirk Jessica Smart, School Student, Dollar Paul Sneddon, Actor and comedian, Edinburgh Dr. David Stevenson, academic, Edinburgh Pat Stuart, trade union activist, Glasgow Sabina Thomson, retired, Minishant, Ayrshire Bill Speirs, former General Secretary STUC, former Chair, Scottish Labour Party, Glasgow Hans Verhoeven, Company Director, Hilihom, The Netherlands David Weir, Piper and cultural ambassador, Almeria, Spain Sally Welham, retired biochemist, Carnoustie

8 Susan Wilson, education manager, South Queensferry