Party Conference Speech

The Scottish Labour Party Conference has been in Dundee over the weekend, I have really enjoyed the chance to meet up with comrades and fellow co-operators from across the country. It is always a good chance to listen to new ideas and hear about how things are done differently elsewhere.









In the conference I spoke on Saturday morning in the debate on local government. My speech is below:







'My colleagues Kevin Keenan welcomed you to the city of Dundee yesterday as the CLP Secretary I’d also like to welcome you to Dundee.

I am the Labour councillor for the West End ward on Dundee City Council, and I’m looking forward to being the Labour and Co-operative candidate for the West End at the forthcoming election.

I am pleased that these elections are going to be only on the issues for local government. We need to focus on local government. The centralising SNP do not care about local government.

We should be arguing for the merits of local government. When we are discussing Scotland’s constitutional future we should return to the principle of subsidiarity. Decisions should be taken at the most local level possible. That means letting local government be just that local government.

Scottish Labour is putting Dundee First by prioritising jobs, education and the care of vulnerable. We will give local people the ability to influence council policies. We will be consulting on our manifesto.

Labour in Dundee has already stood up for education in the city and stopped the SNP’s mad plan to close the University of Abertay Dundee. We have been told by the local SNP that over £4 million of cuts will make this city’s education service better! We would prioritise investment in education. We would ensure that every child in Dundee has the best start in life possible.

Dundee Labour will put Dundee families first by delivering the Living Wage for Dundee City Council workers and we would encourage other employers in the city to pay this rate and we will use council procurement to deliver on this.

Dundee Labour will combat fuel poverty by setting up an energy-buying co-operative which would allow Dundonians to buy energy at reduced prices. This will go some way to combating fuel poverty and would go hand in hand with other measures to reduce energy consumption.

Many delegates will have noticed the roadworks that are going on around the conference venue this is all part of the waterfront redevelopment. Scottish Labour will deliver the V & A at Dundee. A great British institution helping to make our great city even better.

Local government needs to be just that local government. It needs to be responsive to the needs and aspirations of all of the people of our city.

Here in Dundee we have a vision for our city and we will put Dundee first by arguing for fairness and working hard to make our great city even better.'