The Co-operative Party

After attending a campaign training session at Summerfest, the National Youth Committee rep for Scotland, Hannah Lister returned home full of ideas and, working closely with Labour and Co-operative MSP Kezia Dugdale, has become a key part of the Debtbusters campaign in Edinburgh. Here she tells us what they’ve been up to. As a full time Labour [...]

Co-operative Member of the Scottish Parliament Kezia Dugdale looks at what Ed Miliband’s visit to an Edinburgh childcare co-op last week means for the co-operative agenda. Ed Miliband’s visit to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital Childcare Co-operative (REHCC) last week was more than symbolic.  I could not be more proud that my own city is leading [...]

The Scottish Co-operative Party’s Campaign Convention is being held this year in Edinburgh on Saturday 19 November. UPDATE: This event will now also feature a hustings for Scotland’s Labour Leader, held jointly with SERA Scotland. The Campaign Convention will include the launch of the Scottish Local Government Manifesto which will be led by Margaret Curran MP, Shadow Secretary [...]

Following concerns about the impact of the Scottish Government’s budget savings targets on police numbers, I asked Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill if there were plans to reduce the number of police officers, particularly in light of comments made by Police Scotland Chief Constable Stephen House in the media. Here is the full text of my exchange [...]

The City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) bill was published in the Scottish Parliament Business bulletin today. The explanatory notes that accompany it here. and the Promoter’s Memorandum here. For background information about why the Park is the most appropriate place for the school, and why a private bill is needed to make it happen, [...]

On Tuesday Kezia delivered a speech on welfare reform and on its effects on vulnerable families, in particular the way in which many Scots currently out of work will be exposed to the predatory practices of payday loan companies. You can read the full text of the speech here: Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab): I welcome the [...]

Part of our Payday Loan petition to Edinburgh City Council focused on the issue of Planning laws and their ability to protect our High Street from the invasion of Payday Loan lenders. The petition asked Edinburgh to copy what West Dunbartonshire Council do and reject all planning applications for Payday loans which involve a change [...]

Yesterday I had the great privilege of hosting my First Member’s Debate in the Scottish Parliament and I choose to do it on the One Billion Rising campaign… Here’s the motion we discussed and a video from the BBC Democracy Live service covering the debate: That the Parliament recognises and welcomes the campaign, One Billion [...]

Yesterday I closed the Scottish Government Debate on Universal Services for the Labour Party… In it I explain why i think the constitutional debate is damaging our already broken politics… Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab): I thought that Willie Rennie got it right when he said that the SNP wants the public to believe that it alone believes [...]