NHS future guaranteed in a nuke free Scotland built on human and nature rights
Work to rid Scotland of nuclear weapons and enshrine human and nature rights will begin on day one of an independent Scotland, whose constitution will be written by its people, say the Scottish Greens.
Free healthcare from a publicly-owned NHS would also be protected and guaranteed, along with the right to protest and other freedoms all currently under attack from the Westminster government.
The goal of replacing the unelected and scandal-plagued UK monarchy with a democratically elected head of state would also be within reach, they say.
Commenting on the publication of a new Scottish Government paper, ‘Building A New Scotland - Creating a modern constitution for an independent Scotland’, Scottish Greens constitution spokesperson Ross Greer MSP said:
“Independence is an incredible opportunity.
“It’s the chance for us to come together as a nation to decide what the founding values of our new country will be.
“The Scottish Government has just published a paper laying out how that process will work, involving the whole population in the process. And we’ve already set a direction of travel towards a more progressive, fairer, greener country through the proposed interim constitution.
“An independent Scotland’s constitution can guarantee that we are a nuclear weapon free zone. We wouldn't just eject the UK's nuclear arsenal from the Clyde, but could follow New Zealand's example and ban any country's nuclear weapons from even passing through our territory.
“We can use that constitution to guarantee the status of our National Health Service, making it all but impossible for any future government to privatise the NHS and compromise our right to future health care.
“We can also guarantee our basic human rights - rights that are under constant attack in the UK right now - like the rights to protest and to strike.
“And we can go further, guaranteeing the right to food and establishing rights for nature, not just for people
“The Scottish Greens will also be arguing that if we want to become a real democracy, we must elect our head of state, leaving behind the weird notion that one family can rule over the rest of us by magical birthright.”
“Independence gives us the exciting opportunity to come together as a nation to establish those values from day one. It's our opportunity to build a fairer, greener Scotland.”