Colin Clark MP's reply to my concerns on the detention and treatment of Palestinian minors

I have twice now written to my MP, Colin Clark, who is a member of the Conservative Party  about issues relating to Israel's oppression of the Palestinian people and both times I have been very unhappy with his response. In fact I was so appalled by his response to my letter on Palestinian child prisoners that I wrote back to him about it.

It seems unlikely that he will take up any of the issues which I raise with him in relation to the terrible situation in Palestine or the oppression of the Palestinian people by the Israeli government, in breach of human rights.  So I am going to post his responses on this blog. Please read on.

Time to tell Israel enough is enough - Support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions

Here is my speech for the protest in Aberdeen on 7th April to condemn the shootings of unarmend Palestinians by the Israeli Defence Forces. 

That very day the news broke about the killing of photo journalist Yusef Murtaja despite wearing a PRESS vest. Yet our government still sells arms to Israel and refuses to condemn this outrage.

"So here we are again 

Gathered together in Aberdeen to condemn once again the horrific actions of the Israeli government against the people of Palestine

And sending a message of support and solidarity to the people of Gaza

Here’s what you need to know about the shooting of unarmed Palestinians protesting in Gaza

These are not clashes

Clashes are incidents that take place between equals

Clashes are what you see in Parliament, when Jeremy Corbyn takes on Theresa May or the SNP and Labour disagree on levels of taxation

What we are seeing in Gaza just now is a massacre – pure and simple

Soldiers armed with live ammunition are shooting unarmed Palestinians

And let’s make no mistake 

Most are engaged in peaceful protest – you can see that from the video footage on social media

But it doesn’t actually matter if some of those Palestinians are throwing stones or bits of burning rubber
 

Shooting and killing is a complete over-reaction

It is a tactic designed to terrorise

To put down and control an entire population to make them feel powerless

Men, women and children – trying to tell the world what is going on in Gaza

Killed and maimed by live ammunition

It’s terrorising and it’s terrorism – pure and simple

We must use our collective power to end gender inequality and the abuse and exploitation of women

Here is my speech for the International Women's Day Rally in Aberdeen, organised by the Aberdeen Trades Union Council in our 150th year and compered by ATUC Vice President and Aberdeenshire UNISON Equalities Officer, Kathleen Kennedy.

It was a very cold evening but it was great to see women and men standing together to call for gender equality and an end to all forms of discrimination against women.

Especially good to see my son Euan there to support the struggle!

"Kate Ramsden, bringing greetings from UNISON on International Women’s Day.

And very proud to be speaking here at this Aberdeen Rally to celebrate the achievements of the women’s movement over the past 100 and more years and to gird our loins for the battles yet to be fought.

We’ve heard a great deal about inspirational women and there have been many throughout history – In fact some of them are here today.

But despite the best efforts of those women and the women’s movement I think we all know that gender inequality is alive and well.

Many of the challenges that I was facing and fighting as a young trade unionist and Labour activist are the challenges that face us still

Some things have got better – but much has stayed the same or got worse.

The problem is that we still live in a society dominated by male power and male privilege.

The exploitation and abuse of women is one example of a power imbalance that has never really gone away over the years.

Educate, agitate and organise - it has never been more important

For those who would like to read it, here is my speech for the St Andrew's Day Rally in Aberdeen.It looks at the challenges which face our society and the forces for equality and social justice and supports the call to educate, agitate and organise. These are difficult times but we are beginning to see changes - people waking up to the effect on ordinary folk of this Tory government, supported by a right wing media, for the benefit of the richest.

Kate Ramsden, Branch Chair of Aberdeenshire UNISON, and NEC member, proud to be speaking here today and bringing you greetings and solidarity from UNISON.

Educate, agitate and organise. That’s the focus for today’s St Andrew’s Day marches and rallies across Scotland.

And it has never been more important. 

We live in a society where we are encouraged to be passive. Where politics has become a spectator sport and many people don’t feel connected to our elected members or our governments. Where trade union membership is in decline. Where the whole notion of society has been undermined and we are encouraged to look out for number one.

These are dangerous times.

The divide and rule tactics of this Tory government have set worker against worker, have demonised the poorest, the elderly, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups.

They have cut the NHS, public services and social security so precious to our parent’s and grandparent’s generation; they have normalised a reliance on foodbanks in the 21^st century in the 5^th richest country in the world and they have created an environment in this post Brexit era where racism and fascism doesn’t only exist, it flourishes. Where the insidious messages of the Tory grandees and the right wing media have resulted in a huge rise in race violence across the UK.

Reconnecting people with their values and their democracy

This is my speech for today's May Day March and Rally in Aberdeen. Written in the wake of yesterday's council election results it looks at the challenges facing our movement in our fight to have a better society for all, as the General Election approaches.

"We live in strange times.

We’ve had 7 years of a Tory government who have hammered ordinary folk

Poverty pay

Rises in insecure labour and zero hours contracts

Wages cap and vastly increasing inequality between the rich and the rest of us

Hideous caps on benefits and a benefits system described by Ken Loach at the STUC as “conscious cruelty” - “a campaign of systematic punishment” which leaves more and more of our children, disabled people and elderly in poverty and distress

Our young people hit particularly hard 

Cuts to the NHS and public services and a massive selling off of the NHS – our NHS (especially in England and Wales)  – to private companies running for profit not patient care.

Corbyn - a new kind of politics and a different kind of leadership

So here’s the thing that I am really struggling with. What exactly is wrong with Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party? I hear it time and time again but I have yet to hear anyone explain what it is that he should be doing that he isn’t or shouldn’t be doing that he is?

What is it that the majority of the PLP have found so lacking in Corbyn’s leadership that they would resign en masse in a co-ordinated strategy designed to undermine him in the most humiliating and public way possible?

Is he without a vision of what he wants Labour to achieve? Well that can’t be right. No one who has heard Corbyn speak can be in any doubt about where his priorities lie and what he will offer if elected to government. He has made it very clear that he wants to end austerity, and create a society where there is less inequality, decent paid jobs, good public services, an NHS providing health care at the point of need to all, where children do not have to grow up in poverty, where disabled people and older people can live lives of dignity.

Time to take back Labour’s clothes and rebuild from our core socialist values

You know, however difficult I find the euphoria of my friends who support the SNP, at a time when all I can think of is that as a country – and we are still part of the UK – we have voted in a majority Tory government for the next five years, I can’t and don’t criticise them.

I found it hard to take the day after the election, when all I could see, and what still consumes me, is the impact on the poor, the vulnerable, immigrants and working people of another five years of rule by a party that cares little for those groups other that as a source of cheap labour, and has presided over the mass transfer of wealth from the rest of us to the very rich.

I really don’t know how it happened that the Tories got in with a majority, but I am unwilling to set the blame at the door of the SNP and find it hard to take from many SNP supporters  – without much evidence – that it can be laid entirely at Labour’s door.