The Campaign for Socialism is an organisation committed to a non sectarian, pluralist agenda of socialist renewal within the Scottish Labour Party. It and the Citizen have given a platform to the Red Paper Collective in the publication of the pamphlet People Power.
The Campaign for Socialism have welcomed the recent call from Johann Lamont for “a real debate of radical ideas about how we change Scotland now.” Its secretary, Mike Cowley, said:
“Johann is right to point out the inadequacies of the SNP’s approach. Low corporation taxes and savage cuts to a further education sector which offers a second chance in the age of austerity do not offer a way out of the crisis. The poorest are paying for tax breaks for the richest, we are not all in this together. But the answer is to end the long tax holiday for the rich.
Policies do have to be paid for, but contrary to Johann’s claim that, ‘there is, and there is going to be, less money around,’ in fact the rich have never been richer. The priority should be getting these people to pay their fair share for maintaining a decent society. What we need is a progressive tax system, not ever more draconian means testing.
We want the Labour Leadership to consider the radical idea in the Red Paper that income tax powers be devolved to Scotland to allow for more effective redistribution.”
The Secretary is also encouraging the new Scottish Constituency Labour Parties to prioritise building a campaign in partnership with Trades Councils, Trade Unions and Community groups to resist the politics of austerity to defend and expand existing benefits.”
