In light of our call for a public inquiry into Glasgow City Council, the 100 Promises Campaign is supporting the initiative by Glasgow Against ATOS for citizens to 'hang out the dirty laundry' on Glasgow Green.

http://t.co/oLtN1r6cFM Petition: @GlasgowCC & @ScotParl: Hold a public inquiry into misconduct at Glasgow City Council. #gccgraft

— Power in Community (@PowerCIC) June 14, 2013

Meeting on standards of public officials in Glasgow.

'La Plus Vielle Alliance Du Monde' - A Communication With The French Consulate

The letter handed to the French Consul reads as follows:-

Dear Monsieur Coffinier,

We wish to note our concern at BBC Scotland portraying the position of the French Government as opposed to Scottish independence.  The French Republic, rightly, has made no such statement, or shown any desire to dissuade or persuade Scots to vote for independence.  Nonetheless many Scots have been left with that impression after remarks made by a French Euro MP were reported by the BBC as if they reflected the ‘French view.’

It is with incidents like this in mind that we respectfully ask that you make representations to the French Government to request that OSCE-ODIHR international election monitors are brought to Scotland to monitor the independence referendum.

France has always been an ally of Scotland.  The French Government has stood by Scottish democracy in the past.  The ‘father of Scottish democracy,’ the suffrage campaigner Thomas Muir, was granted citizenship and asylum after being persecuted by the British Government for his commitment to democracy in Scotland.  When de Gaulle visited Scotland he described the relationship between our two countries as “La plus vielle alliance du monde.”

It is in the spirit of that ancient amity and friendship that we ask for your support today.

Yours sincerely,

Nick Durie

Organiser @ Power In Community

Press Release: Honour The Auld Alliance - A Fair Poll For Scots

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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CONTACT DETAILS
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Email: nick.durie@googlemail.com
Telephone: 07798903944

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NOTES TO THE EDITOR
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* The BBC has portrayed a number of foreign ministers from EU states as opposing Scottish independence. This has led to statements from two foreign governments correcting the BBC for their impartial reportage. (http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-news/6888-exclusive-scotland-a-qhighly-valuedq-part-of-eu-says-dutch-foreign-minister)

* The BBC is a state broadcaster for the UK. In respect of Scotland's referendum, after multiple complaints about the BBC's biased coverage it has stated, "We are not in an official referendum campaign and therefore do not have to balance it out between yes and no." (http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/referendum/6740-we-dont-have-to-be-balanced-in-referendum-debate-says-bbc)

* The BBC portrayed "the French view" on independence by interviewing a French Euro MP who was previously a New Labour special advisor. Her views reflected nothing more than personal bias but this was reported as if she were a government spokesperson (http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2013/03/propaganda-against-scotland/)

* The Organisation for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is an Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe executive agency; its election monitors are recognised the world over as guarantors of fair polls, and fair media, and they take a dim view of media bias (http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2013/03/oh-dear-new-labours-control-of-bbc-scotland-must-be-curbed/)

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BEGINS
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Demonstrators are gathering outside the French Consulate in Edinburgh today at 1pm, to urge France to honour, 'the Auld Alliance.'

"We have had enough of media bias undermining Scotland's democracy, and a fair independence poll," says Nick Durie, one of several lobby organisers. Demonstrators are assembling today outside the French consulate in Edinburgh to ask France to support Scottish calls for an election monitoring mission to be dispatched from the Organisation for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights - a European election monitoring body.

This year BBC Scotland - the state broadcaster - has claimed that three foreign governments have opposed Scottish independence. The former British ambassador, Craig Murray, has claimed that this is because the BBC in Scotland is controlled by New Labour. Earlier this year the BBC interviewed a former New Labour special advisor, who is now a Euro MP. She opposed Scottish independence. Her views were aired as if they reflected the position of the French Government. Scottish viewers were left with the impression that France had been denouncing Scottish independence.

On the 18th of September, next year, Scots will decide if Scotland should be an independent country. When De Gaulle visited Scotland he described Scotland's relationship with France as "La plus vielle alliance du monde." Historically France has taken a great interest in Scottish democracy. When the 'father of Scottish democracy,' Thomas Muir, was rescued by French officials after having been transported for campaigning for the vote the Republic gave him citizenship and hailed his efforts. Today Scotland needs the help of "La plus vielle alliance du monde," to prevent the British government using state controlled media to influence the independence referendum through biased reportage.

"Fair faw the Auld Alliance!" Said Nick, in the Scots language. "Vive L'Alliance Franco-Ecossaise."

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ENDS
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CONTACT DETAILS
---------------

Email: nick.durie@googlemail.com
Telephone: 07798903944

-------------------
NOTES TO THE EDITOR
-------------------

* The BBC has portrayed a number of foreign ministers from EU states as opposing Scottish independence. This has led to statements from two foreign governments correcting the BBC for their impartial reportage. (http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-news/6888-exclusive-scotland-a-qhighly-valuedq-part-of-eu-says-dutch-foreign-minister)

* The BBC is a state broadcaster for the UK. In respect of Scotland's referendum, after multiple complaints about the BBC's biased coverage it has stated, "We are not in an official referendum campaign and therefore do not have to balance it out between yes and no." (http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/referendum/6740-we-dont-have-to-be-balanced-in-referendum-debate-says-bbc)

* The BBC portrayed "the French view" on independence by interviewing a French Euro MP who was previously a New Labour special advisor. Her views reflected nothing more than personal bias but this was reported as if she were a government spokesperson. (http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2013/03/propaganda-against-scotland/)

* The Organisation for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is an Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe executive agency; its election monitors are recognised the world over as guarantors of fair polls, and fair media, and they take a dim view of media bias (http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2013/03/oh-dear-new-labours-control-of-bbc-scotland-must-be-curbed/)

On Open Letter Regarding Standards of Fidelity at Glasgow City Council

"On behalf of the Committee of 100."

On Open Letter Regarding Standards of Fidelity at Glasgow City Council

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=195f3febf8c3e95f41f374c75&id=6620141684&e=ae97e0e467
Dear Gordon Matheson,

You will perhaps have heard of the sorry tale of the footballer Garry O'Connor who was sentenced to a community payback order for possession of Cocaine; the financier David Fleming who was fined and placed on the sex offenders register for a public indecency on Sauchiehall Street; the J&M Services company run by Mervyn Johnston and Joe McFall which rightly had to pay out £27,000 for sexual harassment, and of Susan Forsyth the Glasgow social worker who fraudulently claimed benefits and was ordered to pay 20,000.  The public too have heard of Stephen Purcell and his 'chemical dependency' but not of the other allegations which were made of him, of Gilbert Davidson and his ongoing record of sexual harassment and sexual assault, of Stephen Curran and Ann McTaggart and their public liaisons, and of Ruth Black and the money which went missing under her administration of an LGBT centre, and indeed of you, and the events for which you say you are sorry.

What they perhaps have not heard is that each of your team escaped prosecution for very similar misdemeanors. Standards of fidelity in public life are not about how you choose to enjoy yourselves privately. They are about holding you to promises you have made, to standards that government expects all citizens to follow, and they are about financial probity as we invest power in you to look after our public finances.  What again perhaps most people have not heard is that Councillor Paul Rooney from your team is a former Depute 'Fiscal.  Given the tremendous good luck that none of the misdemeanours committed by your team resulted in prosecutions this raises some serious concerns with regard to the separation of the local state and the local Scottish Justiciary.

Such fabulous good fortune however may have gone unnoticed had it not been for the way your administration handled the corrupt payout to Ronnie Saez after was it was exposed beyond doubt by the charities regulator as indeed corrupt and immoral. While they stated that they were not in a position to prosecute because it was beyond their powers, we understand that citizens are considering a legal challenge after your response to this investigation was not only to fail to order the repayment of the £500,000, but to indicate that the Councillors responsible Cllr George Redmond and Cllr Jim Coleman (both from your team) would also go unpunished.

But even so, in your desire to turn over no stones, this bad politics is further compounded by your support for the waste incinerator  being built in Polmadie, which is contrary to your plans surrounding combined heat and power.  To hand over this plant to Viridor, under a deal approved by Robert Booth, then GCC director of land and environment who is the brother-in-law of a senior executive at Viridor, looks to be nothing short of scandalous insider trading - a fact you have overlooked, and continue to overlook despite it being pointed out.

Subsequent to our investigation of these facts the 100 Promises campaign has also been told a number of other apocryphal tales. Until these reports are corroborated we can't take them seriously but the fact that we cannot dismiss them as malicious rumours because of the wrongful actions that we can observe with certainty speaks volumes for the state of political fidelity in this city.

To that end and owing to the seemingly unendless tales we hear about financial irregularity at GCC we will be holding a public meeting in that part of the city that Ronnie Saez, George Redmond, and Jim Coleman robbed from (which your Council has allowed and endorsed) to present our findings.

We will of course invite you to defend your record.  I will send full details to your office in due course. It provides us with no pleasure to be holding a meeting on this subject as we would rather be challenging you on other promises than your promise to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour but sadly your record as a council on these standards applying to yourself is now being called into question.

Reportage from action around day of remembrance for ATOS victims and Labour's Promise 74

Protesters blast Tory cuts and claim breadline payments cause deaths of 73 Brits every week

4 Dec 2012 00:01

THE campaigners held the protest against the Tory cuts at the Cenotaph in George Square, Glasgow,and blamed the Conservatives for causing the death of compassion and decency.

The wreath protesters laid at George Square

CAMPAIGNERS laid a wreath yesterday to mourn the death of decency and compassion caused by the Tory-led crackdown on benefits.

The Daily Record has been highlighting the plight of those who have had their disability payments taken off them by medical testing firm Atos.

Yesterday the consequences of the benefits blitz were laid bare as protesters claimed 73 sick and disabled Britons – from the terminally ill to those with industrial injuries – die every week while trying to scrape by on breadline payments.

The demonstration at the cenotaph in George Square, Glasgow, was followed by a protest outside Atos’s office in the city’s Cadogan Street.

It was led by whistleblowing nurse Joyce Drummond and Nick Durie from the Committee of 100 pressure group.

Joyce said: “Today is a mark of remembrance to everyone who has died due to the policies of Atos and the DWP.

“It is fitting that it is International Disabled Person’s Day.

“Now anyone placed in the Workrelated Activity Group by Atos, and sanctioned by the DWP, will have to work for nothing in work placements to get their benefit.

“If you are placed in that group, you are deemed not to be fit for work, so why would you be working for nothing if you can go out and earn a wage?

“All that’s going to happen is that more and more people will be kicked off their benefit.”

Some of the Atos protesters at George Square

 

Under the Work Programme, disabled people will be told to take unpaid work or risk losing up to 70 per cent of their employment support allowance.

Joyce said the plight of the most vulnerable was being worsened by cash worries.

She said: “I worked for Atos and they are a shambles.

“They are making profits on the backs of sick and disabled people in this country.”

The ex-nurse also slated the response of politicians. She added: “No political party has stood up to them.

“It was introduced by Labour, the Lib Dem-Tory coalition have made it even worse and in Scotland the SNP are doing nothing about it either.

“I know from the inside that people are set up to fail these assessments. It has got worse under the coalition.

“We all know that these assessments are a joke.”

Nick said Labour had failed to live up to their pledge to protect people from the impact of Government welfare reforms.

He told the protest: “Labour made this bold commitment and we want them to live up to it.

“We have found evidence that they are participating in the work programme.”

Nick slated the move to make Atos sponsors of the Commonwealth Games, adding: “It will mar the image of the city.”

Ex-MSP Tommy Sheridan said: “It is important Atos are exposed as rogues. You wouldn’t let them run a bath, never mind part of the welfare state.”

The protest continued outside Atos’s base in Cadogan Street.

David Churchley, 59, of Pollokshields, Glasgow, is waiting for Atos to rule on his case.

He said: “They are not in a position to state what my circumstances might mean despite the fact my right arm and my right leg don’t work.”

David has been sickened by the cases highlighted in the Record. He said: “There are people with cancer who have months to live and yet their benefits are being cut.”