George Galloway has announced that he has reached agreement with community and trade union activists and organisations, including Solidarity, to stand as a Coalition Against Cuts in the forthcoming Scottish parliamentary elections.
"I'm very pleased we have been able to come to an agreement on a common programme against the cuts. These will devastate our public services and blight thousands of lives," said George Galloway.
"We have a full slate of candidates, a very strong team including Angela McCormick, a longstanding anti-war and anti-poverty campaigner, Brian Smith who is Branch Secretary of Glasgow Unison and leader of the Defend Glasgow Services Campaign as well as students and community activists.“
“We will be campaigning to resist these cruelly unnecessary and counter-productive cuts. We will provide a range of proposals to take Glasgow and Scotland forward.”
George Galloway
George Galloway is the Coalition Against Cuts lead candidate in Glasgow. George was a Member of Parliament for 23 years, 18 of them as an MP for Glasgow. He was expelled by the New Labour leadership for his principled opposition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. George is a member of Respect.
Angela McCormick is a prominent campaigner against poverty, school closures, cuts and illegal wars. She is a college lecturer, and is a member of the national executive of the EIS/FELA teachers and lecturers trade union. Angela is also a member of Solidarity and the Socialist Workers Party.
Brian Smith
Brian Smith is a local government worker and a leading anti-cuts campaigner in Glasgow. He is the branch secretary of the 11,000 strong Glasgow City Unison branch and the coordinator of the Defend Glasgow Services campaign. Brian is a member of Solidarity and the Socialist Party Scotland.
Ferial El Ayeb
Ferial is studying for a BA in law at Strathclyde University. Her parents are Libyan but she has lived in Glasgow for most of her life. She says, 'My interest in politics has made me a strong-willed young person with very high expectations of myself and the success I want to achieve. I have been involved in active projects to help the people who need it most in my community. I have discovered that I am a good organiser and team leader and I have a real passion for giving a voice to those who can't speak for them selves. “
James Foley
James Foley is a student at Glasgow University. James is currently features Editor of Glasgow University Guardian and Political Editor of Glasgow University Magazine. James has been at the forefront of the fightback against cuts in education and was recently a candidate in the election for President of Glasgow University Student Representative Council. James is a member of Solidarity and the Socialist Workers Party.
Ryan Stewart
Ryan Stuart is 21 years old and is a student at Glasgow Central College. Ryan is a member of the Youth Fight For Jobs Campaign and is an active campaigner against cuts in education.
Irene Lang
Irene Lang is 44 years old and has lived in Glasgow all of her life. Born in Govan, Irene has lived in Ibrox for the last 16 years. Having qualified at Langside College, Irene has worked in Govan for the last 22 years as a child development officer. Irene has been a trade unionist all of her working life and was at the forefront of the nursery nurse strike in 2004, which lasted for 14 weeks. She has been a Unison steward and delegate to the branch committee since 2008. She is also a delegate to the Scottish council and local government conference. Irene is a member of Solidarity.
Gordon Morgan
Gordon is a retired local government worker. He has been active in socialist, trade union and community politics in the City of Glasgow for 37 years. Gordon is a member of the editorial board of Scottish Left Review and is the National Treasurer of Solidarity.