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Wednesday, 14 September 2005 |
Cathcart - IssuesVote SNP to save Victoria Infirmary
An SNP win in Cathcart will save services at the Victoria Infirmary.
Labour plans to turn the local hospital into a day unit with NO
accident & emergency unit. The SNP has led the campaign against
these plans and, as the local MSP, Maire Whitehead will put this
issue centre-stage in the Scottish Parliament. Maire, former
chairperson of the Friends of the Victoria campaign group says:
"A Labour win in this by-election will spell the end for the Vicky as
we know it. The southside can't afford to lose vital services
like accident and emergency. The time it takes to travel from
Castlemilk, Carnwadric or Battlefield to the Southern General or the
GRI could mean the difference between life and death for someone
in need of urgent medical care. The A&E unit at the Vicky is known
to be the best in Glasgow. It would be madness to close it and
send patients to other hospitals that are already struggling to cope.
When I am elected to represent the people of Cathcart, the future
of the Victoria will be my top priority. I will campaign to keep
all the services that are currently at the Victoria and add to them
where we can."
Scottish Power - fuelling the local economy
Maire Whitehead has pledged support for the campaign to keep Scottish
Power in Cathcart. The company = which employs 2500 people in
Cathcart - is being eyed up for a takeover by foreign competitors.
Maire says: "Scottish Power is Scotland's biggest industrial
company and Cathcart's BIGGEST empoloyer. An overseas takeover would
put jobs at risk. As a local MSP, I'd see it as my responsibility
to do something about it. Labour has already washed its hands of
Scottish Power but I'd fight to protect it - just like other countries
in Europe fight to protect their big, strategic companies."
"High Tax Charlie" won't stand up for pensioners
Glasgow's soaring council tax is emerging as one of the big issues in
the by-election campaign. Glasgow has the HIGHEST council tax in
Scotland. Under Labour it has gone up by a massive 11%. It was Labour's
candidate in this election who, as Leader of Glasgow City
Council, presided over these huge tax increases. Maire says: "High
tax Charlie has already cost pensioners dear in rising council
tax payments. This constituency doesn't need an MSP who will
defend the unfair, ever-rising council tax. It needs an MSP, like me,
who will vote to get rid of the council tax and replace it with a
fair system based on ability to pay." Under the SNP proposals, a
majority of pensioners in Cathcart will pay nothing at all and a
majority of all taxpayers will pay less.
Police Call
The provision of more community police in Cathcart is a top priority
for Maire Whitehead. The SNP candidate wants more action on crime
and disorder in the area and is calling for investment to put more
police on local streets.
Six reasons to vote SNP
1. to save services at the Victoria Infirmary
2. to protect jobs at Scottish Power
3. for more community police
4. for fair local taxes
5. to hold Tony Blair to account over the Iraq war
6. to help Scotland on the way to Independence
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