SOCIAL justice campaigners have urged Scotland’s political parties to help the country become “a leading voice for global solidarity”.
Global Justice Now wants them to use their election manifestos to commit to transformative action on climate, trade, aid, debt and access to affordable medicines in light of the pandemic.
The group has launched “Scotland’s place in the world: a manifesto for global solidarity”, with a warning that it is “crucial” for Scotland to show its internationalist values – amid climate and health crises and rising right-wing populism around the world.
It calls on political parties to ensure Covid-19 vaccines for all and committing to overriding patents on Crown Use licences to secure affordable access to them; fighting for climate justice by substantially increasing Scotland’s Climate Justice Fund; and supporting debt cancellation for lower income countries, including Malawi, Zambia, Pakistan and Rwanda – Scotland’s international development partner countries.
The group said it also wanted parties to support trade justice with a meaningful say for Scottish MPs and MSPs on trade deals that impact devolved legislation, and to ensure Scotland’s aid funding is used to strengthen public services and create sustainable economies.
In their manifesto, sent in a letter to MSP candidates from all the main parties, they called for “solid policy commitments” ahead of the May 6 Holyrood election.
Global Justice Now is part of the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition, the Trade Justice Scotland coalition, and the Just and Green Recovery coalition.
Its head of Scottish campaigns, Liz Murray, said: “We are facing intertwined crises of climate and nature, a global pandemic, and entrenched global inequality, all while the government in Westminster rides a wave of right-wing populism.
“This is a crucial time for Scotland to speak up for internationalist values.
“In this campaign, political parties will discuss Scotland’s future – and that conversation must look at our place in the world. What happens here in Scotland has global implications, for better or worse.
“Having politicians with an internationalist outlook has never been more important, nor has solidarity with the countries of the Global South who are facing the combined crises of the coronavirus pandemic and the climate and nature emergencies, on top of crippling levels of debt.
“Scottish politicians can speak up for cooperation and understanding between nations, but we also need solid policy commitments from candidates vying for office.”
Caroline Rance, climate and energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “The majority of people across Scotland want to build back better from this pandemic, and it will be up to the politicians elected on May 6 to make sure that we do.
“We’re calling on all parties to commit to a fair and green recovery that creates thousands of decent green jobs to replace jobs lost due to the pandemic, reduce climate emissions and revitalise our communities.
“That means investing in jobs training programmes, public transport, and renewable energy to lay the foundations for the better, greener future we want in Scotland while playing our part in tackling the climate crisis.”
Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance added: “In Scotland, we want our economic recovery to be just, compassionate, and to address the climate crisis.
This means redesigning our economy so that it works for the benefit of our shared planet, and to create green jobs and opportunities that can help loosen the grip of poverty and reduce inequality.”
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