ON Wednesday morning, Scottish Conservatives chairman Craig Hoy was on the radio lambasting the Scottish Government for Tuesday’s financial statement, and subsequently Daniel Johnson, economy spokesperson for the Labour Party, was on the same groove.
One statement from Daniel Johnson was that Scottish Government has received more money from Westminster this year than last year – 2% in real terms. Seems a good deal, but the devil is in the detail, as inflation has been at 10% or more during this last year. That is five times higher than the increase in the Scottish block grant from Westminster.
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Mr Johnson advises that choices made by Scottish Government have caused the shortfall and are driving the cuts. He was asked to explain why it is only the Scottish Government’s fault, when exactly the same comments are being made by the Labour-controlled Welsh government.
Mr Johnson ducked answering that question, by replying that the BBC should get the Welsh finance minister to answer the question. It would seem that Scottish Labour will not stand up and defend their Westminster decisions.
The exhortation of Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar during the 2024 election campaign, “read my lips – no austerity under Labour”, seems nothing but a false claim, otherwise known as a lie.
Perhaps he was given false information from his managers Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer, which would seem to imply he is the patsy, left holding the lie. Seems to be a “party before country” decision.
It should be remembered that Scotland is required to balance its budget every year, and it has done so for 17 years.
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The Westminster government has a national debt that has grown under the Conservative government and its austerity choices, and the new Labour government is continuing the austerity project. Scotland is not permitted to run a debt.
The only thing that has grown in those years is the number of food banks and billionaires.
Taxation of high-net-worth individuals and companies that offshore profits to tax havens is required by the UK Government.
Land is another area which requires addressing. The ownership and distribution of land, and hence taxation due, is a possible area of transition and increased tax take that maybe possible within Scotland without UK Government involvement.
Alistair Ballantyne
Angus
THE First Minister, when setting out his priorities, stated growth as one such in his agenda for Scotland.
Shona Robison did not refer to a plan for growth in her announcement to the Scottish Parliament.
Professor Richard Murphy’s analysis in The National of September 4 concluded that the SNP government failed to list what they would make better in an independent Scotland if only they had the chance to do so.
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One such major opportunity would be to be within the European single market. Northern Ireland benefits from access.
Surely the Scottish Government should press for such a deal, rather than wait for independence, and in doing so should set out the financial benefit and growth opportunity. Could a referendum be held on such a point, and perhaps others, without legal challenge?
A positive vision has yet to be seen by the Scottish population of what an independent Scotland could bring.
It is clear now that a Labour government are implementing austerity. Anas Sarwar stated pre-election: “Read my lips – no austerity under Labour”.
Calum Macleod
North Lanarkshire
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