Policies People Care About

Our party is different to the other main parties. Policies are proposed by members and a 2/3rds majority vote by members is needed for policies to become party policy. We encourage local people who agree with the party’s aim of representing ordinary people to join the party. Regarding issues that affect us, our right to informed consent represents real democracy. Please join SOUTH SCOTLAND PEOPLE so that you can propose and vote on policies at our first meeting. Membership fees are voluntary, so do join us.

Local Democracy Our elected representatives must take instructions from members of SOUTH SCOTLAND PEOPLE from the constituency on how to vote on their behalf. The opposite of top-down parties which whip their Councillors, MSPs and MPs into voting along party lines or else face a disciplinary procedure.

Education Improving literacy & numeracy in Primary Schools is a priority. We cannot afford to let standards drop further. We also recognise parents’ central role in a child’s education. The Scottish Government’s own Statutory Teaching Guidance for relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) states: “Parents and carers play a key role in all aspects of their children’s education”. In practice, the Scottish Government fails to inform parents of what their child is being taught, and parents’ consent is assumed. Our policy is to ensure parents are informed of the RSHP topics at the start of each term, proactively requesting all parents either consent or opt-out their child from certain topics. It is time to empower parents.

Additional Support Needs (ASN) As per the Scottish Government Summary statistics for schools in Scotland 2024 publication, in 2024 there were 284,448 children who had additional support needs. This represented 40.5% of all pupils. The figure for 2023 was 36.7%. This is a huge year-on-year increase of +10.4%. If you consider that we are comparing the same children, one year on apart from the S6 who have graduated with Highers being replaced by a new intake of P1s. An obvious potential explanation is the 2023 P1 intake has additional support needs which are far greater than those of the P6s who graduated in 2023.

Schools are under huge pressure. Billions were found and spent during the Covid Lockdowns. Our policy is to call for an annual increase in the budget for ASN which is equal to the annual increase in children with ASN.

ASN Research We call for far more research to be commissioned by the Scottish Government to identify the likely causes of this concerning increase in Additional Support Needs.

NHS & Health Reverse & STOP privatisation of the NHS. Promote prevention to focus on cures. The current system treats symptoms, prescribing drugs lifelong at a huge cost to the NHS yielding huge corporate profits.

Social Care Protect the Social Care budget and oppose cuts. Increase financial support for carers who are facing financial difficulties. Many carers are in extreme hardship due to being unable to keep working alongside their caring responsibilites. No one should be penalised for caring for their loved ones.

Winter Fuel Allowance This should be reinstated for OAPs until energy bills come down more.

Men & Women’s Equal Rights are a central and important issue to ensure all men and women are treated equally and protected. The Equality Act 2010 enshrines in law that “Sex” is one of the nine protected characteristics. Equal sex-based rights must be protected to help Scotland be a more equal society and that requires that “Sex” means biological sex. It is not acceptable to engage in intimidation by making or posting threats of violence towards men or women who are concerned about their sex-based rights.

Scottish Independence Our members have decided to set aside party-political differences, come together and fix politics as a priority. Our policy on Scottish Independence is to not have a policy on Scottish Independence and to be neutral. Once 2/3rds of members decide we should have a policy then we will vote on whether the party should become pro-independence or pro-union. Our members include pro-independence and pro-union members. The priority for SOUTH SCOTLAND PEOPLE is to have as many members, voters and candidates as possible to secure as many elected representatives as possible ASAP.

Business Support Encourage new small businesses to lease empty shops by offering them a 2-year rates relief holiday to help them get past the 18-month period within which most small businesses fail. Increase the VAT threshold from £90,000 to £300,000 to incentivise small one-man-band & family businesses to grow.

Mobile Telecommunications Provide a better mobile phone signal strength for UK mobile devices by legislating that the four networks set their customers’ SIM cards to roaming. Mobile phones will connect to the mast with the strongest signal. This will reduce the quantity of Telecom Masts needed for the same coverage.