While a handful of families amass extraordinary wealth, public services struggle and working people wait. The question isn’t what’s possible—it’s whether leaders will act, says Herald columnist Roz Foyer

It’s not often that the Scottish Trades Union Congress gets an invite to speak to the SNP conference. It’s certainly more than a decade since my predecessor last addressed delegates there. Understandably, when I walked onto that stage on Saturday, I could feel a few pairs of eyes sizing me up.

After all, there is an incorrect assumption amongst some, as we’re a union body, we must be, quote on quote, beholden to the Labour Party.

We’re not. We never have been. Some of our member unions are affiliated to the Labour Party, many are not. But let me be crystal clear: the STUC isn’t and never has been affiliated to any political party or candidate.

Our job isn’t to serve a party. It’s to serve working people. That’s it. From time to time, we might make it clear that there are political parties who do not deserve working people’s votes, but who to vote for? Not our business.

Read more:

We do pay, public services and protections for the people in Scotland and abroad, who need support.

So yes, maybe a few in the audience were watching my speech with arms folded and eyebrows raised. But I told them: those suspicions are unfounded.

That’s because, at least on paper, there are those within the SNP who speak our language. Consecutive conferences have voted through policies on fair taxation, a just transition,........

© Herald Scotland