From Chartists and Suffragettes to Irish republicans and today’s Palestine activists, the treatment of hunger strikers exposes a consistent pattern in how the British state represses those it deems political prisoners, says KEITH FLETT
YOU could be forgiven for thinking the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill lays out a vision for a national care service in Scotland. You would be wrong.
It is a “framework” Bill. That means it gives no detail at all about what a national care service would look like, but if passed, would enable Scottish ministers to decide that without proper parliamentary scrutiny. It promises “co-design” but does not commit to listening or acting on what comes out of that.
Essentially it asks us to trust ministers to design a service that will meet the needs of staff and service users alike, leaving our members in social work and social care hostages to fortune.
Tackling poverty in Scotland cannot happen without properly funded public services. Unison is leading the debate



