Ballieston

David Jackson has been selected as the Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for the Baillieston by-election on Thursday 6th November 2008. If you would like to help David or would like to find out more about his policies and ideas then please email David at david@glasgowlibdems.org.uk

Labour MP challenged to back Lib Dem plans to save Post Pffices

Liberal Democrats in Ballieston are challenging David Marshall, Labour MP for Glasgow East to back Liberal Democrat plans to save Post Offices and invest in them.

The call was sparked by the recent Government announcement on Thursday 14th December of the closure of 25,000 Post Offices. From 2003 to 2005, 2 branches in Ballieston were closed-that's 13% of our Post Offices in 2 years.

The Liberal Democrats say their plans for the Post Office and Royal Mail could see branches saved from the axe and new services provided from them.

"The Government has been stripping away services from the Post Office network", said David Jackson. "The inevitable result of Labour's decision to withdraw government business and with it the revenue it brought, has been the closure of branches.

"Earlier this year the Liberal Democrats agreed to a number of radical policies to protect and improve the Post Office network. We would keep Post Office Ltd in the public sector but split it away from Royal Mail. We would then raise £2 billion from the sale of a minority of shares in Royal Mail and invest this money in the Post Office network.

"This will mean new equipment and new services. We will free the Post Office from Royal Mail controls that prevent branches doing business for other parcel delivery companies. The investment will also enable Post Office branches to be the shop front for local government.

"We will also ensure that staff working for Royal Mail will be given a quarter of the shares in the company, allowing them to share in the success of the company and to be partners in it, similar to the way staff are partners in the John Lewis Partnership.

"It is now clear that the Blair/Brown government are washing their hands of the Post Office network. Their approach has been a combination of neglect and death by a thousand cuts.

"We are calling for David Marshall, the Labour MP for Glasgow East to back our plans for investment in Post Offices or to explain to his constituents why his government is so keen to close down so much of the branch network."

End

Liberal Democrats By-election victories

Liberal Democrats in Baillieston have welcomed the party's election winning performance in council by-elections held in November.

At a meeting of members where campaign plans for next May's local elections were stepped up a gear, Lib Dem candidate David Jackson, said the results showed that Labour had everything to fear from a Lib Dem challenge.

"The Liberal Democrats ended November with the most gains," said David.

"The Conservatives made no gains at all from Labour in November whilst the

Liberal Democrats gained 4 from them.

"In large parts of the country, the Conservatives are irrelevant and barely exist. This is especially the case in large cities and urban areas where it is the Liberal Democrats who are challenging Labour hard.

"Former Labour voters are turning to the Liberal Democrats. They see the Conservatives as all spin and no substance. And they find David Cameron's sudden conversion to the environment to be completely unconvincing.

"Here in Baillieston, people are fed up at being taken for granted by Labour. It is obvious that this is a time for change. Recent results show that this change will be for the Liberal Democrate."

"Liberal Democrats head towards 2007 in great confidence. Recent by-elections show people are turning to us as the main challenger to Labour."

The net changes in seats contested in the November by-elections were:

Liberal Democrats +6

Conservatives +4

Labour -3

Independents/other -7

Lib Dem candidate for Glasgow Baillieston announced - September 2006

David reading with his youngest son.

David Jackson has been selected as Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Glasgow Baillieston for the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary elections.

David, who lives in the constituency and is a vice-chair of a local primary school board, was candidate for Glasgow East at the Westminster elections in 2005. At that election, David achieved a 6% increase in the parties vote, overtaking the Tories and SSP and presenting a strong challenge to the SNP whose vote dropped.

MSP for Glasgow, Robert Brown is hopeful that an even better result can be achieved in May 2007.

Robert said:

"David is not only a local candidate, but an excellent one at that. If elected next May, David would do a great job for Baillieston."

McNeill selected yet again for Nationalists - September 2006

Veteran SNP activist, Lachlan McNeill, has been selected yet again for the SNP in Baillieston.

Lachlan, an Advocate who lives in Bearsden, is a surprise choice as he suffered a morale-sapping drop in his vote at the Westminster elections in 2005.

Liberal Democrat candidate for Baillieston, David Jackson, stated:

"I wish Lachie all the best of luck for this campaign. I think that he will need it".