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| Dugdale vows to fight working-class 'injustices' in education | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Kezia Dugdale will call on her own university experiences to highlight "the injustices working-class people face" in education, in her first major speech as Scottish Labour leader. | Kezia Dugdale will call on her own university experiences to highlight "the injustices working-class people face" in education, in her first major speech as Scottish Labour leader. |
| Ms Dugdale, who studied law at Aberdeen University, said she could not compete with privately-educated students. | Ms Dugdale, who studied law at Aberdeen University, said she could not compete with privately-educated students. |
| The Lothian MSP said she believed social disadvantage "follows young people throughout their education". | The Lothian MSP said she believed social disadvantage "follows young people throughout their education". |
| She pledged to "change the system" ahead of a speech at Edinburgh College. | She pledged to "change the system" ahead of a speech at Edinburgh College. |
| Ms Dugdale, who defeated Ken Macintosh in the leadership election last week, will say later that government action could "transform lives beyond recognition". | Ms Dugdale, who defeated Ken Macintosh in the leadership election last week, will say later that government action could "transform lives beyond recognition". |
| She will tell her audience: "I first felt the unfairness of inequality when I moved from primary school in leafy Elgin to secondary school in urban Dundee. | She will tell her audience: "I first felt the unfairness of inequality when I moved from primary school in leafy Elgin to secondary school in urban Dundee. |
| "Expansive sports fields replaced by playground concrete. An average pupil in prosperous Elgin, I was suddenly near top of the class in my new secondary in Dundee. | "Expansive sports fields replaced by playground concrete. An average pupil in prosperous Elgin, I was suddenly near top of the class in my new secondary in Dundee. |
| "When I went to study law at Aberdeen University, I found the wheel had turned again and I was surrounded by privately-educated pupils whose backgrounds I couldn't relate to and whose achievements I couldn't compete with. | "When I went to study law at Aberdeen University, I found the wheel had turned again and I was surrounded by privately-educated pupils whose backgrounds I couldn't relate to and whose achievements I couldn't compete with. |
| "They would spend holidays at their parents' law firms, I would work preparing food containers for oil rigs. | "They would spend holidays at their parents' law firms, I would work preparing food containers for oil rigs. |
| "My family wasn't rich but we weren't in poverty either, and it just seemed wrong that advantage and disadvantage followed young people throughout their education. | "My family wasn't rich but we weren't in poverty either, and it just seemed wrong that advantage and disadvantage followed young people throughout their education. |
| "After university I worked as a welfare-rights adviser, helping disadvantaged students to get the support they need. | "After university I worked as a welfare-rights adviser, helping disadvantaged students to get the support they need. |
| "The frustrating struggle to help my clients to work the system made me realise that what I really needed to do was to change the system." | "The frustrating struggle to help my clients to work the system made me realise that what I really needed to do was to change the system." |
| Vulnerable lives | Vulnerable lives |
| Ms Dugdale has also volunteered as an advocate for vulnerable people with addictions and mental health problems, and those who have been living rough or been in prison. | Ms Dugdale has also volunteered as an advocate for vulnerable people with addictions and mental health problems, and those who have been living rough or been in prison. |
| She will say: "Government, when it responds to what people need, working with them not just for them, can transform lives beyond recognition, and when government fails it can have a devastating impact on vulnerable lives. | She will say: "Government, when it responds to what people need, working with them not just for them, can transform lives beyond recognition, and when government fails it can have a devastating impact on vulnerable lives. |
| "Above all it has reinforced my belief that the fortunate have a responsibility to use our power to help those who don't have the same opportunities. | "Above all it has reinforced my belief that the fortunate have a responsibility to use our power to help those who don't have the same opportunities. |
| "And as a parliamentarian, the campaigns I have led with extraordinary men and women, like Debtbusters, made me angry at the injustices working-class people face but also inspired me as people came together to challenge power." | "And as a parliamentarian, the campaigns I have led with extraordinary men and women, like Debtbusters, made me angry at the injustices working-class people face but also inspired me as people came together to challenge power." |
| SNP MSP George Adam said Ms Dugdale must commit to working with the SNP "to deliver our socially-progressive policies that will help make Scotland a better country". | SNP MSP George Adam said Ms Dugdale must commit to working with the SNP "to deliver our socially-progressive policies that will help make Scotland a better country". |
| Mr Adam, who sits on the education committee, said: "Earlier this week the first minister underlined the SNP's clear commitment to helping ensure every child in Scotland is given the support they need to achieve their full potential - no matter what their background. | Mr Adam, who sits on the education committee, said: "Earlier this week the first minister underlined the SNP's clear commitment to helping ensure every child in Scotland is given the support they need to achieve their full potential - no matter what their background. |
| "She also outlined how support through initiatives such as the Attainment Fund will help deliver progress. | "She also outlined how support through initiatives such as the Attainment Fund will help deliver progress. |
| "If Kezia Dugdale is serious about tackling the attainment gap and reducing inequality, she must commit to working with the SNP to deliver our socially-progressive policies that will help make Scotland a better country. | "If Kezia Dugdale is serious about tackling the attainment gap and reducing inequality, she must commit to working with the SNP to deliver our socially-progressive policies that will help make Scotland a better country. |
| "Over the next weeks and months, Kezia Dugdale and her new frontbench team have the opportunity to show that Labour has learned the lessons of recent years - but to do this they must break from the endless negativity and obsessively anti-SNP agenda and instead work together for the good of everyone in Scotland." | "Over the next weeks and months, Kezia Dugdale and her new frontbench team have the opportunity to show that Labour has learned the lessons of recent years - but to do this they must break from the endless negativity and obsessively anti-SNP agenda and instead work together for the good of everyone in Scotland." |