LATEST NEWS-DECEMBER 2016
That was the year that was 2016.
Here are just a few highlights of what we have been up to....
January started on a real high for us as we welcomed a new member to the branch! Cameron Doris was born in the early hours of Saturday the 30th He might not be able to walk or talk yet but we already have him folding leaflets.
The SNP were aiming for a historic third term in Government. From our own branch we had selected Bob Doris as our candidate for Maryhill and Springburn but we also had Caroline Welsh, representing Glasgow, and Angus Macleod representing Highlands and Islands both as list candidates. This month also saw the official opening of our Campaign rooms. Coming along to help us open the rooms were Justice minister Michael Mathieson along with writer and journalist Tom Shields.
WE LAUNCHED OUR WEBSITE!
After getting everything in place we launched our website. We hope you like it and find it a useful source of information for the weeks, months and years to come. Along with all of this, we were campaigning!
The campaign was fully underway by March! Deputy First Minister John Swinney came along to meet the troops at our cheese and wine night.
and we campaigned......
Along with our tireless campaigning, we were delighted to welcome First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
http://www.snpmaryhillspringburn.scot/wp-content/uploads/NS-VIDEO.mp4
Not only were we delivering leaflets and holding street stalls but we were also having many car cavalcades throughout the constituency.
http://www.snpmaryhillspringburn.scot/wp-content/uploads/video-1462182242.mp4
and still, we campaigned......
On May 5th history was made. The SNP has never won the Maryhill and Springburn seat but in May it did! Across the rest of the country, the SNP won the election and a third term in government with an incredible 63 seats.
http://www.snpmaryhillspringburn.scot/wp-content/uploads/ELECTION-2016.mp4
On June the 23rd the UK went to the polls to decide its relationship with the European Union. Scotland voted heavily in favour of remaining and now faces being dragged out against its will. Whilst everyone else seemed to be running for cover, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made it clear that remaining in the EU was one of the promises made during the Independence Referendum and it was a "democratic outrage" that Scotland would face being pulled out.
Alyn Smith MEP has put together a fantastic weekly newsletter which will keep you up to date with all the news.Just click here and keep checking every Friday.
FAREWELL BUT NOT GOODBYE
It was with great sadness that June saw the passing of long-time SNP member and activist Richard Quinn. Richard was known to many people in the branch and across Glasgow. He will be missed enormously but he leaves this world knowing that the fight for independence goes on and we WILL win.
We needed some time alone and have a break so we went to the beach.
Four candidates put their name forward to become the Depute leader of the SNP. We decided to put together a handy guide to how the election works. Just click here to see how it all works. There was also the announcement that there would be a by-election in Garscadden/Scotstounhill. As always we were ready to campaign.....
This month we had our AGM. All branch AGMs now happen in the month of September after previously being held in January or February. The new office bearers are:
Allan Gow (Convener)
Pete Feeney (Vice Convener)
Ken Cairnduff (Secretary)
Mary Russell (Membership Secretary)
Gavin Brownlie (Organiser)
Cammy (Treasurer)
Julie Philp (Women's Officer)
Jacqueline McLaren (Social Organiser)
John Wilson (Communications)
Ronnie Russell (Political Education Officer)
To read a little bit more about our Office Bearers then click here.
Along with our Office bearers, we also appointed 4 members to become part of the executive.
They are Donald Branney, Sandra Branney, Gavin Roberts and Maureen Mcintyre.
A NEW SCHOOL FOR MARYHILL
The campaign for the Council elections really got going. In 2009, two local schools were closed in the teeth of vocal opposition and demonstrations. The SNP opposed the closures. Cllrs' Scally and Letford have been campaigning for a new school ever since. Last year the compensatory bus passes were withdrawn. Following a grassroots campaign, these were reinstated. Central Maryhill currently has NO primary school. It costs roughly £200,000 per year to bus pupils around the wider ward to school. By 2020 there will be an estimated 800 extra children living in the ward. Most of the catchment schools are either at capacity or on the way. There has been a mini baby-boom in north Glasgow and the city's population is growing again and space in central Maryhill for infrastructure is fast running out. The children in central Maryhill need a school. This is a critical issue for the area so the SNP group have been working tirelessly on the issue. Glasgow City Council's SNP Group have been consulting on new primary school provision in the Maryhill area of the city. You can take part in the consultation by going to https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/gccsnpmaryhillschool. The branch was out and about holding street stalls to get members of the public to fill in the survey.
COUNCIL WARD BOUNDARY CHANGES
We saw the wards in Glasgow for the council elections 2017 change. Glasgow will see an increase in councillor numbers, going from 79 councillors to 85, representing 7 3-member wards and 16 4-member wards. Prior to this Maryhill and Springburn branch had 3 wards within its boundary. These were Canal, Maryhill/Kelvin and Springburn. This has now increased to 5 wards which are: (To see the new maps just click on the names below.) Maryhill Canal Springburn/Robroyston Dennistoun Partick East / Kelvindale To see other wards within the Glasgow area then click the link below. FULL GLASGOW WARDS
THE SNP won a by-election victory in one of Labour's Glasgow heartlands. Chris Cunningham defeated Labour's Ian Cruikshank by around 100 votes in Garscadden/Scotstounhill. Speaking after the result was announced, Chris said "The progress of the SNP in Glasgow continues. We have a positive vision for our city, one which will see much greater control of decisions being taken at community level. "First and foremost, we want to give Glasgow back to the people who live here, to make each and every person feel that they have a role to play in the future of our city." The outcome saw Labour reduced to 39 councillors, down from the 45 it won in 2012 and one away from losing its overall majority on the council. Maryhill and Springburn certainly played its part in this important victory. Well done to all who rolled their sleeves up and went along to help out. Let's keep the enthusiasm going all the way to May 4th, 2017, when Glasgow City Council becomes an SNP council.
WEEKLY WORK NIGHTS
With everyone getting excited about the Council elections on may 4th 2017, we thought it was time to get our weekly work nights up and running. We will be starting them up again in the new year. We meet at Mcdonalds, Maryhill road at 6.45, to leave to campaign at 7 pm sharp. If you are interested in coming along then send us an email with your details to contact@snpmaryhillspringburn.scot.
This year's conference was truly an amazing one. On the first day, we saw Angus Robertson becoming the party's new Depute Leader. This was quickly followed by Nicola announcing that she would unveil draft legislation to prepare for a referendum within the next two years. The SNP set out a vision for Scotland, as a welcoming, progressive, open, outward-looking and inclusive nation.Click here to see Nicola's closing speech. Maryhill and Springburn saw two of its members elected to National positions. First of all, we saw Angus Macleod winning the election to become National Secretary. We are also delighted to see that Caroline Welsh has been appointed to the National Appeals Committee for the second year in a row. Our branch was well represented by our delegates over the four days who turned up and listened and voted.
http://www.maryhillburghhalls.org.uk/
Bob Doris moved into his new office. He and his staff are now based at:
Maryhill Burgh Halls,10-24 Gairbraid Avenue, Glasgow, G20 8YE
email: Bob.doris.msp@parliament.scot
His Parliament details are:
The Scottish parliament,
M5.09,
EH99 1SP,
The deadline of the 30th of November was approaching fast for the National Survey. We had been holding regular work nights since September, mainly focussing on the school survey along with the National Survey. Patrick Grady and Bob Doris held a series of town hall meetings to ask the public their opinion of independence. The National Survey has been a huge success with the target of 2 million responses being met.
The last month of the year saw us having a fantastic Christmas party. This was a great chance for everyone to relax and have some fun but we also raised a substantial amount for the forthcoming elections!
SAVE MARYHILL JOB CENTRE
The Westminster government has announced morally outrageous plans to close half of all Job Centres in Glasgow. They are: Norman House, Parkhead; Muslin Street, Bridgeton; Easterhouse; Castlemilk Arcade; Battlefield Road, Langside; Herschell Street, Anniesland; Main Street, Cambuslang; and Maryhill Road, Maryhill. So we are campaigning to save Maryhill Job Centre. The Tory Santa, bringing gifts of hassle, cost and more sanctions was totally ambushed by Bob Doris for Maryhill and Springburn, Patrick Grady MP, Anne McLaughlin MP, Cllr John Letford, Cllr Franny Scally and various branch officers from Maryhill and Springburn who were also joined by Valerie Gauld from Kelvin. We made the papers with The National picking up on the story. Click here to read the article. The formal Parliamentary consultation will run until the end of January, but you can sign the online petition clicking here. Stop Tory Santas. Stop the Job Centre Closures.
ROLL ON 2017.........
The new year will see us as busy as ever. With the council elections looming on may 4th, we will be rolling up our sleeves and campaigning. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.
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