All the evidence shows voters want Labour to shift to the left — but initial signs from Andy Burnham are worrying on that front, cautions DIANE ABBOTT
IT SEEMS for everyone outside of Scotland, the country still appears to be some form of progressive utopia that is putting England’s political leaders to shame. For all of us living in Scotland, we wish the utopia were true.
A blog posted by Novara Media, proclaiming Scotland to have better public services and lower council tax, was rightly met with amusement across the Scottish left.
It came only a week after the Scottish government published its Spending Review which set out plans to cut anywhere between 17,000 and 40,000 public-sector jobs over the next three years, with local councils again set to bear the brunt of the cuts.
The new Scottish Parliament looks set to continue a cycle of managerial tinkering while public services face the axe, writes STEPHEN LOW
Years of underfunding are eroding Scotland’s local services and deepening inequality in communities, says VINCE MILLS
CWU leader DAVE WARD tells Ben Chacko a strategy to unite workers on class lines is needed – and sectoral collective bargaining must be at its heart
Ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections, ROZ FOYER warns that a bold tax policy is needed to rebuild devastated public services which can serve as the foundation of a strong, fair economy


