Highland and Islands MSP John Finnie, who left the Scottish National Party in October after it voted to drop its anti-NATO defence policy, will speak at a Scottish Socialist Party public meeting in Edinburgh next week.
The meeting entitled ‘Why you will be better off with Independence’ takes place at the St Brides Centre in Orwell Terrace, Dalry, on Thursday 24th January at 7.30pm and is the latest in a series of open forums the SSP is hosting across the city.
Speaking to Newsnet Scotland, Mr Finnie said:
“The Scottish Socialists are to be congratulated on holding these open forums on Independence. The debate is now understandably focusing on economic issues as people across Scotland suffer the effects of the worst recession in 80 years and the Coalition Government attacks benefits and public spending.
“Independence means of course that Scotland will no longer have to suffer Tory governments with all the economic and social misery that entails.
“Nor will all the wealth, taxes and profits generated here in Scotland continue to be siphoned off by the Westminster Treasury. They will remain here in Scotland to address widespread inequalities such as child poverty, fuel poverty and pensioner poverty.
“Working people in Scotland have repeatedly rejected the Tories and their dog eat dog view of the world which promotes privatisation over public ownership and warmongering over peaceful co-existence.
“Independence enshrines our democratic right to determine our own future. The question people are increasingly asking therefore is ‘Will I be better off with Independence?’ And our answer is most definitely yes.’
Sharing the platform with Mr Finnie will be Adil Bhatti of the group ‘Asians for Independence’ who also left the SNP over its policy u-turn on NATO, and SSP national spokeswoman Sandra Webster.
Meeting details: SSP public meeting – ‘Why you will be better off with Independence’ Thurs 24th Jan at 7.30pm in St Brides Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry, Edinburgh.