War

I am wholeheartedly behind our armed forces and the tremendous job they are still doing against the odds. I just wish they could be as certain of the London government’s support.

I am far from being a pacifist. I well understand that there are times when it is right to stand firm to defend yourself or those in need. However, the Iraq war and the Afghanistan war are wrong wars.

There are serious doubts as to their legality and, to my mind, even greater doubts as to the morality behind them. Worse, having committed our troops, Labour did not provide them with the equipment which they needed to protect themselves and to win the conflict. How disgraceful!

As revelation after embarrassing revelation comes out from the Chilcot Enquiry our political leaders in London should hang their heads in shame for what they did to our armed forces while expecting them to fight a war.

As a civilian I have been in a number of war zones and have been shelled and shot at. This gives me some small understanding of what our troops are going through.

I fully support re-instating the six Scottish Regiments which Labour have sought to destroy.

Shameful!

Can it be any worse than this!

Labour’s expensive but ineffectual plans to improve Dalkeith Town Centre will change little. We will still have take-away food shops and charity shops dominating our streets. We need a new approach and new energy to improve our county town. We deserve a better Dalkeith.

Immigration

We are a small country and so are limited in the volume of immigration which we can support either physically or from an infrastructure view.

The SNP will introduce a green card system similar to that in use in US and Australia. In this way we will be able to manage our immigration based on the skills of the immigrant meeting the needs of the Nation. This will benefit Scotland by filling specific skills gaps and will enable a better structured
workforce to develop.

Crime & Punishment

There is no doubt in my mind that the balance of justice has become far too generous towards those who commit crimes while victims often feel ignored or let down.

It may be politically correct to spend so much time and money on people who blight our society but I feel that there needs to be a change in the emphasis. Victims have rights as well and it is time these rights were properly recognised and respected.

Legislation on all kinds of crime is split between Holyrood and London. It will be my intention in London to champion victims rights and to seek such changes as may be necessary to better protect and support those who suffer as a result of crime.

Pensions

We are all getting older and pensions, especially State pensions, are becoming much more important to us. A huge number of people working in the private sector are looking forward to a bleak retirement as their pension funds fade away with more and more businesses ceasing to offer end of
service salaries and an increasing reliance on the Casino that they call a Stock Market to provide our retirement income. More citizens will be relying on the State pension to provide a reasonable standard of living. The SNP demand that a Citizens Income be put in place to provide a proper index linked pension to ensure that we all have a fair quality of life as we enter what should be a rewarding and enjoyable part of our lives.

Working for Communities

SNP Midlothian run stalls at Gala Days in order to raise money for local charities. No profits are retained for political purposes – everything is returned to the communities who have supported us. We believe in making our communities
stronger and more effective. Political parties need to be more open and inclusive in their activities.

Personal Thoughts

I am a rather reluctant politician in that I have always been highly critical of the way Midlothian and Scotland was run.

I live here in Midlothian with my family so I have a vested interest in a prosperous and happy County. As a result I eventually I felt I had no option but to stand against the ruling elite in Midlothian who I felt used Midlothian like their personal property. In 2007 I was elected as a Midlothian Councillor. That came as an eye opener. What I had thought was bad on the outside was worse on the inside but even worse still it was institutionalised and the ordinary people working within the Council are trapped in a structure that is not fit for purpose.

Revelations in the press about the behaviour of our politicians at all levels is embarrassing, not only to me personally, having taken the decision to enter politics, but for the reputation of our country. Without good government we cannot have prosperity. Quite simply something has to change to restore public confidence.

I have noticed over the past few years that in Midlothian there is a habit on the part of politicians to stoop to highly personal, and hugely inaccurate, attacks. Myself and my family have suffered from this repeatedly, undoubtedly due to our challenging the ruling Labour elite, but I do not believe that dragging politics into the gutter is the way forward and I have not responded to these attacks. Nor will I.

I originally hailed from Forfar where my father was a hospital porter. Social mobility was better then and I was fortunate in having an aptitude for finance. The result was that, until a few years ago, I worked in a bank in a managerial role.

In those days everyone was happy to do a good job and to receive a fair salary. The enormous bonuses now being touted around parts of the banking world are quite simply unacceptable and I believe a concerted effort by governments around the world is now needed to bring these people back to planet Earth. No one is worth a salary running into millions of pounds a year. Equally it is these same people whose snouts are back in the trough and are shouting for their bonuses again – while we the public have just bailed them out at an enormous cost to us and our families. Public money is paying for their bonuses and I for one would fight to stop this abuse of our money.

SNP Council Group

Since 2007 a strong SNP council group has been an effective opposition to the ruling Labour Administration. This administration was strengthened when a Liberal Democrat Councillor crossed the floor to join Labour. This made little difference since the Lib-Dems always vote with their Labour bosses in any case. What a betrayal for Lib Dem voters to find that they voted thinking they would elect an opposition party only to find that they simply added to Labour’s majority on the Council. The only opposition within the Council is SNP – only they have the will and the ability to hold Labour to account for their actions.

Colin Beattie and the legendary Jimmy Reid

Jimmy Reid, the iconic union leader, endorses Colin Beattie as the “best possible candidate for Midlothian”. “Colin’s sense of fairness and willingness to work hard for his community singles him out and gains him my unqualified support”.

Jimmy, who has been an SNP member for several years has retained a keen interest in Midlothian with its rich history.

Cut ID Cards - Not Jobs

A £5 billion white elephant. Scotland’s share is at least £400 million. No one except the Labour government believes that it will add to the security of the UK. Terrorists forge passports and driving licences in UK and ID cards across Europe.

If I thought that by introducing ID cards terrorists would be foiled I would support – but there is no evidence to show that it will even slow them down.

Let’s spend the money on improving our security forces and in regenerating our cities, towns and villages across Scotland.

Climate Change

I am committed to supporting our environment and to reducing harmful pollution.

The SNP Government in Scotland has adopted some of the toughest environmental targets in Europe and has invested heavily in backing green power and environmental projects such as wave technology and wind turbines.

I myself have installed solar pumps in the roof of my house and a ground source heat pump which supplies heating and hot water from the Earth. We can all do at least a little to reduce our impact on the environment and I personally will seek to add more to the investment I have made in environmentally friendly heat and power for my home.

Words are easy for politicians. Actions say a great more in gauging real commitment to this cause.

Make Your Vote Count

Only the SNP can win in Midlothian. If you are genuine about improving Midlothian and making a real change then support me – even if you do not agree with all my policies.

We are all seeking a better Midlothian. We have tried Labour’s way without success. It is time for new ideas.