SNP candidate Jim Mather, 8 th March 2000.
| 'Our pensioners deserve better from Government after contributing to state resources for a lifetime. With average earnings running at 4%, there is no doubt that pensioners will lose out year-on-year if their annual increase is just above 1% - a miserly 73p..' SNP candidate Jim Mather, 8 th March 2000. | |
That is the view of Robert Graham, the Pro-Life Alliance Party candidate in this month's Ayr by-election.
Mr Graham, who said he `strongly disagreed' with Labour's plans to repeal Section 28 which bans the promotion of homosexual education in schools, hit out: "To remove this safeguard would expose our young people to the danger of material which proĞmotes homosexual activity or sex education lessons which will equate homosexual relations with marriage.
"The vast majority of parents are in agreement with the clause being retained and I would urge our new MSPs to truly be a government of the people, for the people and forget blind ideology." However, he maintained that the biggest issue in the election was the promotion of `justice and peace'.
He declared: "Justice, by ensuring that every citizen's right to life is protected by the State from the moment of conception until natural death.
"If this principle formed the foundation stone of our new Parliament, Scotland would be a shining light to the rest of Europe." Turning to economic matters, Mr Graham claimed: "The south of England has always been the most prosperous area of Britain with low unemployment, high property prices and closeness to the centre of power at WestĞminster.
"It follows therefore that measures which may be suitable for there, become more unsuitable the further north we come.
"Our manufacturers are at a big disadvantage when trading with our European partners because of the strong pound which makes our goods dearer and therefore harder to sell.
"This scenario contributes to our already high unemployment figures and hopefully this is an area which the new Parliament will eventually be able to influence."
March 8 th 2000
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