A LABOUR Party chairman has declared his support for Scottish independence.
Mike Dyer, constituency chairman of Anniesland, in Glasgow, revealed his backing for a “Yes” vote at the STUC conference in Dundee.
He cited the “relentless negativity” of the No campaign as one of the key motivating factors in his decision.
SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon made a special appeal to Labour voters to back independence in her conference speech on Friday, amid a concerted push to make pro-independence group Yes Scotland more appealing to supporters of the unionist party.
Mr Dyer, a member of Unite, and who is on the union’s finance sector committee, said he believes independence will lead to a “fairer Scotland”.
He said: “With a Yes vote industrial relations will no longer be shackled by the same anti-strike regulations or restrictions on employees’ rights that stem from Westminster.
“In an independent Scotland, workers can expect greater legal protection where we’ll all have collective bargaining rights and the right not to be victimised. Trade unionists want a Scotland where workers are looked after and a Yes vote is the best way to achieve that.
“The No campaign has so far been a tide of relentless negativity.
“Take ship yards, for example. If we have the skills and people power to build advanced naval ships, then surely we can build wind turbines and other forms of renewables?
“For me, the No campaign is a group of UK government ministers telling us how bad things will be, whereas the Yes campaign is a grassroots campaign with a strong message highlighting Scotland’s potential.
“When you speak to Labour Party members at constituency level they have radical ideas that are more associated with Labour’s traditions. So why is the party leadership not as radical as the ordinary members?”
Monday, April 14, 2014
Scottish independence: Labour official backing Yes
A LABOUR Party chairman has declared his support for Scottish independence.
Mike Dyer, constituency chairman of Anniesland, in Glasgow, revealed his backing for a “Yes” vote at the STUC conference in Dundee.
He cited the “relentless negativity” of the No campaign as one of the key motivating factors in his decision.
SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon made a special appeal to Labour voters to back independence in her conference speech on Friday, amid a concerted push to make pro-independence group Yes Scotland more appealing to supporters of the unionist party.
Mr Dyer, a member of Unite, and who is on the union’s finance sector committee, said he believes independence will lead to a “fairer Scotland”.
He said: “With a Yes vote industrial relations will no longer be shackled by the same anti-strike regulations or restrictions on employees’ rights that stem from Westminster.
“In an independent Scotland, workers can expect greater legal protection where we’ll all have collective bargaining rights and the right not to be victimised. Trade unionists want a Scotland where workers are looked after and a Yes vote is the best way to achieve that.
“The No campaign has so far been a tide of relentless negativity.
“Take ship yards, for example. If we have the skills and people power to build advanced naval ships, then surely we can build wind turbines and other forms of renewables?
“For me, the No campaign is a group of UK government ministers telling us how bad things will be, whereas the Yes campaign is a grassroots campaign with a strong message highlighting Scotland’s potential.
“When you speak to Labour Party members at constituency level they have radical ideas that are more associated with Labour’s traditions. So why is the party leadership not as radical as the ordinary members?”
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