TODAY the Scottish People’s Assembly Against Austerity is holding its AGM in Unite the Union offices, Glasgow.

Guest speakers include Scottish Labour Party leader Richard Leonard MSP, SNP MP Chris Stephens, FBU regional secretary Denise Christie, Institute of Employment Rights executive member Ruth Dukes and all ably chaired by our very own Phil McGarry of RMT.

It brings together local People’s Assembly groups, trades councils and unions to set out and agree our plans and strategy for the coming year.

At this time with the Tories’ shambolic Brexit negotiations and the renewed attacks against Jeremy Corbyn over events in Salisbury by the Tories, the media and even the right wing within his own party, it is even more important that the People’s Assembly movement refocuses on the job in hand — an end to the ideological austerity agenda and the removal of the Tories from office at the earliest opportunity.

But there needs to be a plan in place for what will replace this Tory ideology. We need a grassroots movement that is further developed and is working not just nationally but is rooted in our local communities and workplaces to create the change we need.

To that end, the Scottish People’s Assembly has adapted the excellent publication In Place of Austerity — A Programme for the People, by the national People’s Assembly, to take account of all the devolved issues in Scotland, and we will be using the AGM as the official launch for this Scottish version.

This programme clearly sets out what the Tory austerity agenda is really about. It details the ongoing impact this austerity is having on our finances, public services, social security, working conditions and in fact how it affects us all.

It provides a platform for us all to move from protest and what we are against, to a campaign strategy of fighting to win.

It gives details on how a different economy and industrial strategy is possible and how this can be financed and sustained by introducing this fighting-to-win strategy within its pages.

This valuable campaigning tool will be distributed to all local campaigning groups and affiliates here in Scotland. It will be promoted at the STUC conference in April through our fringe meeting and stall.

It does not pretend to hold all the answers, but it is a great starting point.

It needs to be further developed and expanded upon by developing the ideas even further.

But it does gives us a clear strategy and the basis for not just protesting but moving on to the creation of a wider united movement that has a clear strategy at its heart.

It has that strategy within its pages for rebalancing the economy, returning democratic control to local communities, not only reversing and ending the marketisation and privatisation in our public services but rebuilding them, and strengthening workers’ rights through legislating for the IER’s Manifesto for Labour Law.

Nationalisation of transport, mail, energy and the banks. Sorting the social security system so it helps people when they are in need, not this current draconian system that is designed to punish them.

All of this financed by closing tax loopholes, introducing a truly progressive tax system, using “quantitative easing for the people,” reducing defence spending and of course cancelling the renewal of Trident.

The time is right for a programme such as this and it should be used a rallying point for all local People’s Assemblies, community groups, trades councils and unions.

The time is right to move on to the offensive and to start organising nationally and, more importantly, locally to achieve the aims set out in this publication. To create a united movement around this programme for real change.

This is a programme for the people and it can be used by us all to help in the creation and the change that the People’s Assembly Against Austerity was originally initiated for.

Copies or pdf files can be ordered, or you can get involved by contacting [email protected].