Siobhan McMahon MSP Delighted to be Appointed Shadow Youth and Women’s Employment Minister

Central Scotland Labour MSP Siobhan McMahon has spoken of her delight at being appointed Shadow Minister for Youth and Women’s Employment . Ms McMahon was given the role in Jim Murphy’s Shadow Cabinet reshuffle following his election as Scottish Labour Party Leader.

Ms McMahon will work alongside Neil Findlay MSP, the new Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training.

Ms McMahon said “I’m delighted to be appointed Shadow Minister for Youth & Women’s Employment. It’s an honour and privilege and the challenge is one that I will relish. The coming months are hugely important to Scottish Labour and it’s important that we hold to account this SNP government which is failing our women and young people in particular.

“We need a job market that creates stable, well paid and full time jobs for everyone in our society. Jobs that aren’t on zero hour contracts and that pay the living wage. It’s shocking that most people in poverty in Scotland are in employment and I look forward to working with colleagues to combat this.”

 

Siobhan McMahon Welcomes Labour Party £1 Membership

Central Scotland Labour MSP Siobhan McMahon has welcomed 2015 and urged people to take advantage of the new £1 membership rate for the month of January and join the Scottish Labour Party.

Ms McMahon said: “I’m delighted that people are now able to join the party for as little as £1 per year. The party faces some massive challenges in 2015 and our members will be vital in ensuring that do well in May’s General Election. We need to reach out to as many people as possible and this offer will help make sure that happens, so I would urge people to take advantage of it.”

In his New Year message, New Scottish Labour leader Murphy said 2015 can be a year of change, where Scots come together to get rid of the Tories and return a UK Labour Government.

Mr Murphy said: “We were divided for one day last September but can be united In 2015 to do what most Scots want and remove David Cameron from Downing Street. We can achieve that by working together.

“After the divisions of the referendum, we have the opportunity to unite together to make Scotland the fairest nation on earth.

“There will be some Scots who plan to vote SNP or Green with the intention of removing Mr Cameron from office.

“But any seat the SNP takes from Labour in Scotland could mean handing David Cameron the keys to No.10 by accident.

“Only Labour is big enough and strong enough across the UK to remove the Tories from power.

“So my message to every Scot who wants a fairer, more just and more equal nation is this – let’s come together and make our movement stronger.

“I want to wish all Scots a happy and prosperous New Year. Together in 2015 we can build a Scotland we can be even more proud of.”

Scottish Labour’s Deputy Leader Kezia Dugdale said: “The new leadership team is a fresh start for Scottish Labour and for Scotland. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to join our movement, so that we hit the ground running in our campaign to remove David Cameron from Downing Street.

“We need to put the differences of 2014 behind us, so we can work together to make a better, fairer, stronger and more prosperous Scotland in 2015. The best way of making that goal a reality is with a stronger Scottish Labour Party.”

 

You can join the Scottish Labour Party here.

Central Scotland Labour MSP – ‘We Must Rebuild trust in Welfare System’

Central Scotland Labour MSP Siobhan McMahon has welcomed the publication of the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee’s latest report and called for trust to be rebuilt in the welfare system.

Ms McMahon was speaking on the Welfare Reform Committee Debate on welfare reform and the Smith Commission on Wednesday 17^th December.

During her speech, Ms McMahon highlighted the issue of increased food bank usage, stating that the Trussel Trust, who had just two food banks in 2004, now have 423. Ms McMahon also spoke about St Andrew’s High School in Coatbridge, where pupils raised around £1000 for their local food bank.

Speaking in the debate Ms McMahon said:

“The findings of the Welfare Reform Committee make for uncomfortable reading and could not be clearer: the measures that the UK Government introduced are creating reliance on food banks – it is as simple as that. With £14.9 billion-worth of cuts having been made to benefits, tax credits, pay and pensions since 2010, what other outcome could there be? Not only have people had a cut to their benefit or had their benefit stopped altogether but, on top of that, many have faced intolerable sanctions.

Although the UK Government claims that sanctions are a last resort, it is evident that they are being imposed almost as a matter of course, with no opportunity for the claimant to give reasonable cause for the failure that leads to the sanction.

People must be supported by the state in their hour of need. I therefore welcome the Smith commission’s agreement on welfare powers and on giving this Parliament the ability to create new and additional benefits as well as top up existing benefits. I believe that that will give us an opportunity to address some of the many issues that affect our constituents, particularly women.”

You can read Ms McMahon’s speech in full here, and watch it here.