"Independence now essential to protect working people”– Kenny MacAskill MP

“The Tories have declared war on the working class through anti-strike bill"

Speaking at the Scotland’s Way Forward – The way ahead for Scottish Independence being hosted by the ALBA Party in Edinburgh today (Saturday) ALBA Depute Leader Kenny MacAskill MP said:

“The right of working people to withdraw their labour is a right hard won over many decades of struggle and it is not one that we can surrender without a fight. That is why both Neale and I have been proud as your MPs to stand on the picket line in solidarity with workers the length and breadth of Scotland taking industrial action to defend their terms and conditions.

“Make no mistake the Tories have declared war on the working class. They are demonising essential front line workers in our health and public services and they will use this Bill to further weaken trade unions and drive down the living standards of working people.

“The message from this conference is that this wholesale assault on the rights of working people, through the Tories anti-strike and anti-working class Bill cannot be allowed to stand. If ever there was a case for why we need Independence now as an urgent necessity this is it.

“This issue underpins the democratic deficit facing Scotland. Westminster is an irretrievably broken political system – denying Scotland its democracy and now denyin working people the right to withdraw their labour.

“Enough is Enough – It’s time for Independence!”