Lothian faces fresh penalties

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TORY Scottish Secretary George Younger has once again picked out Lothian Region for special attention.

Cut With the elections to the Regional Council due on May 6, Younger has made it public that he' will be demanding a £45 million cut in Lothian's budget for the coming year.

The ruling Labour group and Party have already proposed a budget £67 million over the government guidelines.

Of 63 Scottish local authorities, 56 had proposed budgets over the government guidelines. Only two, Stirling District and Lothian Region, have been penalised.

Both the Regional Labour Party and the Labour group have condemned Younger's statement as an election ploy, and stressed the Labour manifesto commitment to improved services.

However, •Labour's election material, while saying what we would like to do, says nothing about how we can do it.

When asked what lessons had been learned from the failures of last year's strategy, Clr Eric Milligan seemed to be saying that no strategy at all existed this year!

How However, if a Labour majority keeps control of Lothian Region this Thursday, May 6, then the question of how to carry out the manifesto in the teeth of Tory government opposition will become the most important question of all.

By holding public meetings and putting out information, it can help raise women's expectations and provide a focus.

The Manifesto says that the section on women's rights will be carried out "in close consultation with the women of the borough through meetings of community activists, trade unionists and Labour Party members"

You've got six SDP candidates standing against you. Why six? What issues are you concentrating on your campaign against them?

In the past most of the old right wing Labour Party - now SDP - Councillors have been hostile women's rights.

THE

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Socialist Organiser no.83 May 6, 1983 Page s