Unite slams

Unite slams ‘joke’ visit by George Osborne to Glasgow North East

Unite slams ‘joke’ visit by George Osborne to Glasgow North East

Scotland’s biggest trade union, Unite, has today called the visit by George Osborne, Conservative Shadow Chancellor, to Glasgow North East a ‘bad joke’.

Unite has been in regular contact with its members in the constituency with many working in public services, transport, manufacturing and financial services. It is clear that the priorities of Unite members in Glasgow North East are not the priorities of the Conservatives such as their policy to give a £200,000 tax cut to the 3,000 wealthiest estates and the Tory pledge to attack our public services.

The ‘do-nothing’ approach of George Osborne during the financial crisis would have consigned thousands finance and manufacturing workers to unemployment with minimal support to help with the transition back into the labour market. This approach contrasts with the Labour Government which is investing £5 billion in Jobcentre Plus to help people back to work and who have signed 200,000 agreements with businesses allowing them more time to pay their tax bills.

Unite Scottish Secretary John Quigley said:

“The visit by George Osborne to Glasgow North East would be a bad joke if it wasn’t so serious. This is a Shadow Chancellor who is scheming to give a £200,000 tax cut to the 3,000 wealthiest estates and who expects people to work for less and for longer. “

“If the Conservatives were to succeed there is no doubt that their plan to attack our public services would have a massive impact across Scotland, which is why Unite believes this by-election and the forthcoming general election is really a choice about a Labour or Conservative Government. We are confident that our members will tell George Osborne and his party to go back to Tory HQ.”

ENDS

Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315