Nationality Scottish Known for Activism | Name Sandra Webster | |
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Residence Paisley, United Kingdom Political party Scottish Socialist Party | ||
Ssp s sandra webster on independence
Sandra Webster is a former national co-spokesperson of the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP). Describing herself as a socialist, feminist, and republican, she is an active campaigner for Scottish independence, nuclear disarmament, carers' rights, and autism care and support services.
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Personal life
Sandra Webster grew up in the Dryburgh housing estate in Dundee, where she lived next door to Ernie Ross, before moving to Paisley in her 20s. She has two sons with autism. In 2011, she took part in the National Theatre of Scotland's Five Minute Theatre project, writing a play inspired by the experience of bringing up her two autistic sons. Rosie Kane, a former SSP MSP, played the role of one of the mothers in the show.
Political activism
Sandra spoke at the Radical Independence Conference in 2012 on the role of art and culture in changing society.
In November 2013, Sandra Webster addressed the STUC's disabled workers' conference in Dundee and called for the rights of disabled people to be enshrined in a written constitution in an independent Scotland. She had previously called for carers' voices to be heard during the independence referendum campaign and for carers to be "recognised for the £10 billion we contribute to the Scottish economy".
Sandra Webster was re-elected as SSP co-spokesperson alongside Colin Fox at the party's 2014 conference.
She stood in an election for the first time at the 2015 UK general election, as the SSP's candidate in Paisley and Renfrewshire South. During the election campaign, she participated in action to ban zero-hour contracts, saying they "exploit workers and attack their employment rights". Explaining her decision to stand, she said the SSP "offer an alternative to the austerity that other political parties promise to deliver" and the party is "proud to represent all of the working class not just those who are in work". She said she is "possibly the only candidate" in the constituency who has been directly impacted by cuts to public services and is "standing for something real rather than it being an academic exercise".
She was the no. 2 candidate in the West regional list for RISE - Scotland's Left Alliance at the Scottish Parliament election, 2016.
In 2016 she stood down as joint national spokesperson.