Dear Jubilee Scotland Campaigner

Congratulations! Thanks to your unstinting campaigning the UK has become the first country in the world to legislate against the predations of Vulture Funds. This law will prevent any repeat of the shameful verdict delivered last year whereby Vulture Funds were able to have their claim on Liberia's money upheld in a UK court. Click here to read the summary and detail of a campaign that has shown that a popular fight for justice is impossible to stop - campaigning works!

It's not the only example: remember last November when hundreds of us marched through St Andrews to tell the G20 to Put People First? On that same day the UK government announced that they would seek to enact a transaction tax that would curb the irresponsible lending of bankers while also raising money for essential anti-poverty projects both in the UK and the developing world. Right now the campaign for this 'Robin Hood Tax' is gaining momentum. Click here to go to visit the campaign website to learn and support this simple but brilliant idea.

General Elections sometimes seem debating-grounds for domestic rather than international issues, but there is huge opportunity for us this year to tell candidates that we intend to Vote Global. The Secretary of State for International Development and his opposite number have already sparred over the Vulture Funds issue. Come and put your questions to such high profile development speakers of the five main parties in Scotland as they lay out their pledges for fighting global poverty. The Vote Global hustings will be on Tues 27th April at Glasgow University’s Boyd Orr building on University Avenue from 7-8.30pm. Whether it's climate change, aid money, fair trade, conflict and peace or debt cancellation; come along and make sure you get answers from your candidates on the issues that matter to you. Follow this link for an up-to-date candidate list and map to book for the event and take a debt-related action.

Lastly, Jubilee Scotland is proud to announce it's main Annual Event at from 6-7.30 on Wednesday 19 May at Augustine United Church. This will include the formal business of the Annual General Meeting, but will mainly be an opportunity to meet other campaigners, celebrate the year's successes and look forward to another year of creating change together. We will be proud to welcome to speak John McAllion, a veteran of the Trade Justice Movement Scotland and Nick Dearden, Director of of Jubilee Debt Campaign, as well as a speaker from the Church of Scotland's General Assembly, and Dr Rachel Hayman of Edinburgh University's Centre for African Studies. To book a place at what promises to be a lively and inspiring evening, send an email to mail[at]jubileescotland.org.uk.

Best wishes, and hope to see many of you then.

James Picardo

Jubilee Scotland