Unite slams ‘joke’ visit by George Osborne to Glasgow North
East
22nd October 2009
Scotland’s biggest trade union, Unite, has today called the
visit by George Osborne, Conservative shadow chancellor, to Glasgow
North East a ‘bad joke’.
Unite has been in regular contact with its members in the
constituency with many working in public services, transport,
manufacturing and financial services. It is clear that the
priorities of Unite members in Glasgow North East are not the
priorities of the Conservatives with a flaghsip policy to give a
£200,000 tax cut to the 3,000 wealthiest estates and a pledge to
attack public services.
The ‘do-nothing’ approach of George Osborne during the financial
crisis would have consigned thousands of finance and manufacturing
workers to unemployment with minimal support to help with the
transition back into the labour market.
This approach contrasts with the Labour government which is
investing £5 billion in Jobcentre Plus to help people back to work
and who have signed 200,000 agreements with businesses allowing
them more time to pay their tax bills.
Unite Scottish regional secretary John Quigley, said: “The visit
by George Osborne to Glasgow North East would be a bad joke if it
wasn’t so serious. This is a shadow chancellor who is
scheming to give a £200,000 tax cut to the 3,000 wealthiest estates
and who expects ordinary people to work for less and for
longer.
“If the Conservatives were to succeed there is no doubt that the
plan to attack our public services would have a massive impact
across Scotland, which is why Unite believes this by-election - and
the forthcoming general election - is really a choice
about a Labour or Conservative government. We are confident that
our members will tell George Osborne and his party to go back to
Tory HQ.”
ENDS
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315
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