Putting Bus Passengers First

This past week marked 30 years since the Thatcher government deregulated the bus industry.

Passenger numbers are now at a record low and the SNP won’t do what it takes to halt the decline and put passengers first.

It is too easy for bus companies to walk away from communities with little or no consultation, as we have seen in Glasgow, Fife and many other parts of the country. Lothian Buses, one of the few remaining publicly-owned bus operators, bucks the trend because it puts passengers before profit.

In an article for STV News, Neil Bibby MSP sets out the arguments for bus regulation, shifting the balance from the owners of the big bus companies to passengers and giving communities more public control over buses in their area.

Scottish Labour's campaign for meaningful regulation of bus services is gathering momentum and you can be a part of it. Sign and share our online petition, calling for bus regulation, here and together let’s put passengers first.

Read Neil Bibby's Detailed Report- Profits before passengers: How the SNP missed the bus on public transport

Education | Kezia Dugdale

Ahead of the elections to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 5 May, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Kezia Dugdale, responds to the question: 

"What would you do to improve education?". 

In 30 seconds Kezia provides an overview of Scottish Labour's priorities for education and the public funding to support these.

Read Scottish Labour's Manifesto for Education 2016

United with Labour Campaigning in The Ferry

United with Labour Campaigning in Forthill Drive

Yesterday, United with Labour was campaigning in The Ferry. 

Jim McGovern MP, Cllr Richard McCreadie, Cllr Norma McGovern and I were on the doorsteps in Forthill Drive and Nursery Road. We were delivering Scottish Labour's case for keeping Scotland within the UK.

There was lively interest in the forthcoming referendum and many declarations of support for Scotland not seeking separation from the other UK nations.

Worrying Claims Higher Maths Exam Was Dumbed Down

Earlier today a former senior examiner at the SQA has claimed that this year’s Higher Maths exam was ‘dumbed down’.

These are serious allegations and they come on the back of the departure of the senior Higher Maths examination team at the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). Concerns were previously expressed that the marking regime would be altered to ensure that pass rates didn’t fall and now we have an experienced examiner saying that standards have been significantly lower and the exam questions have been dumbed down. 

Pupils, parents and carers, employers and universities need to know that standards are being maintained and quality is not being compromised. This is the latest in a series of worrying reports about the Higher Maths exam. Mike Russell, the Education Secretary in the Scottish Government needs to explain just exactly what is going on and give an assurance that there is no 'grade inflation' going on behind the scenes. 

Scottish Labour also believes that the Education Committee of the Scottish Parliament should conduct an inquiry into this when the Parliament resumes in September. We can't afford to be complacent about maintaining the gold standard of our Scottish Higher examinations. 

Election Night Statement by Katrina Murray following her Narrow Election Defeat in Dundee East

Katrina Murray, Scottish Labour's candidate in Dundee East constituency at the UK General Election on 6 May 2010 said:

"I am very disappointed that I have not won back Dundee East for Scottish Labour tonight. But the battle of ideas will continue and I know that my colleagues and I will continue to contest the distracting nationalism of the SNP and the enduring relevance of our agenda of social justice for people in Dundee East constituency and throughout Scotland; a Scotland that draws on and contributes to the mutuality and strength of the United Kingdom.

To all those voters whom I met on the doorstep, whom I spoke to on the phone and to whom I wrote replies to their emails; be assured that your issues have been clearly heard. Furthermore, our very capable Scottish Labour team of Councillors, MSPs and MPs will work with me to pursue the issues that you so obviously feel strongly about and which your have referred to the Labour party for resolution.

I should like to thank my opponents who have fought fairly and with good humour throughout the campaign. I should also like to thank the Returning Officer, David Dorward, Chief Executive of the City Council and his staff for a very well organised and well run election.

Behind my candidature is a hard-working team of unpaid party workers without whom I could not have fought this campaign. In particular, I owe a debt of gratitude to my agent Lorna Ward, to Councillor Brian Gordon the Chairperson of Dundee East Labour Party, Vice Provost Peter Murphy Chairperson of Carnoustie and Monifieth Labour Party and Stephen Massy my Campaign Co-ordinator.

So be assured that Scottish Labour in the Dundee East constituency will live to fight and win another day."