Wednesday : May15th

Michael Moore exposed the UK Government’s case against independence today as he admitted he was “speculating” on questions of currency and financial regulation.

After making claims about Europe's position on financial regulation in an independent Scotland Michael Moore was challenged during Scottish Affairs Committee by Ian Davidson MP who asked “How do you know that?” In response Mr Moore was forced to say “Okay- I’m speculating”.

The comment destroys the position taken by the UK on currency, financial regulation and the financial sector.

SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie MP said:

“Michael Moore has given the No campaign’s game away. He has admitted that the UK Government’s position is nothing more than speculation and assertion. This admission fundamentally undermines the UK’s case.

“And once again UK ministers could not rule out a Sterling area as they know that it is simply common sense.

“Instead of speculating and talking down Scotland’s financial sector the UK Government could agree to the Fiscal Commission’s suggestion and engage in some proper discussions.“

Commenting on other parts of the Scottish Affair’s session Mr Hosie said:

“This was the usual No campaign rhetoric dressed up as a parliamentary inquiry. UK Ministers offered nothing to the debate today, no positive case for the union and no vision for the future.

“The reality is that even Danny Alexander cannot deny that with independence continuing to use sterling and preserving the single UK market for trade and business is in the best interests of people in both Scotland and other parts of the UK.”

Wednesday 15 May

Cracks are already showing in Labour’s own campaign against Scottish independence - over the likelihood of a Tory government at Westminster following independence- just two days after the launch. The mixed messages from Labour’s senior politicians is the latest in a series of gaffes by the No campaign.

On Monday both Gordon Brown and Scottish Labour’s Deputy Leader Anas Sarwar argued Scottish independence would mean increasing the likelihood of a Tory government at Westminster- which has since been refuted by No campaign head Alistair Darling.

Darling, who was no-where to be seen at Monday’s launch, said at a press event in London yesterday that Labour can win power in Westminster without Scottish MPs if Scotland votes for independence, and he didn’t buy the idea that there would be a Tory stronghold. The contradiction follows a new divide in the No camp as Gordon Brown launched Labour’s own campaign against independence, despite being part of the cross-party campaign.

Previously the No campaign have given mixed messages over the importance of the UK’s lost AAA credit rating, the future of Trident, currency and the Scottish Government’s timetable for the transition to independence.

Commenting, a SNP spokesperson said:

The No campaign clearly don’t have their act together. Not only has Labour decided to launch their own, separate campaign, but cracks are already showing amongst Labour’s key players- they can’t even decide if Labour would still be able to win a General Election without Scotland. The No campaign has been incoherent on every issue. They argued Scots would save billions as part of the UK on mortgages due to the AAA credit rating, but then downplayed its significance when the rating was lost. Anas Sarwar tells us Labour will fight to get rid of Trident without independence, but Labour says they would be in favour of a ˜like-for-like”replacement. Alistair Darling criticised the proposal of a Scotland - UK currency union, only to then say that it would be logical. And Darling and Willie Rennie criticised the Scottish Government timetable to independence as unrealistic, only to be discredited by the UK government’s main author of their legal opinion who described the timetable as ˜realistic.

Of course the case that Gordon Brown and Anas Sarwar are putting forward is nonsense. We have had 30 years of Tory governments being imposed on Scotland by Westminster - over half the period since 1959, including the long 18 years of Tory government after 1979, and the current Tory-led coalition. By contrast, for only 26 months - from the 1964 to 1966 elections, and between the two elections in 1974 - have MPs from Scotland made any difference in terms of electing Labour, every other Labour government would have been elected south of the Border anyway. It is impossible for 8.4 per cent of the UK population to dictate to the rest, and the electoral record shows that it is a totally threadbare argument.

What is certain, is a Yes vote next year will ensure Scotland gets the government it votes for, every time.

Wednesday 15^th May

New SNP MSP Christian Allard has said that he is ‘honoured’ to represent the people of the North East, after being sworn in this afternoon at Holyrood.

French-born Mr Allard takes the place of Mark McDonald, who has resigned his seat in order to contest the Aberdeen Donside by-election to succeed the late Brian Adam.

Christian Allard was born in 1964 in Dijon, France. He has worked in the fishing industry for over 30 years and first came to Scotland over 25 years ago, when he accepted the offer from a European seafood transport and logistics network (Tradimar/STEF) to open an office in Glasgow. After marrying a Scot, he later moved to the North East to work for a seafood exporting company.

Mr Allard has raised three daughters in Scotland, and also now has two grandchildren. He has also been working part-time as a constituency assistant to Dennis Robertson MSP, and was a key part of Mr Robertson’s successful 2011 campaign team in Aberdeenshire West.

Christian Allard joined the SNP almost a decade ago, and his belief that Scotland could and should be an independent country was shaped by his experiences in the fishing industry.

Commenting after his swearing in – which was conducted in both English and French - Mr Allard said:

“It is a great honour to be sworn in as a representative of the North East’s of Scotland in Parliament today, although I would have wished to have joined Parliament in happier circumstances. Brian Adam was a wonderful representative for the people of the North East, and built up a very strong SNP team in the region.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mark McDonald who, despite having a young family, has put his job on the line to contest the Aberdeen Donside By-election. I think that speaks volumes about his commitment to the people of Aberdeen Donside, and he has left very big shoes for me to fill.

“I came to Scotland many years ago with few academic qualifications – I did not go to university, but I am proud to have worked hard all of my life. I’ve raised three daughters here, and I am proud to call Scotland my home. Scotland is a wonderfully welcoming country with such huge potential, and it is an honour to serve the people of the North East in the Scottish Parliament."

Wednesday 15 May 2013
 
The SNP have today announced that it is set to launch a survey of local residents in Aberdeen Donside on the Council Tax freeze, following opposition to the freeze from Labour candidate Willie Young.

The future of the Council Tax freeze has quickly emerged as one of the major issues of the Aberdeen Donside by-election, following Aberdeen Council Finance Convener Willie Young's call for the power to put taxes on Aberdeen residents up.

Aberdeen already has the highest council tax bills in Scotland, with an average band D household paying £1230.39.

Council Tax in Aberdeen rose by 72% under Labour, but has been frozen since the SNP took office in Holyrood. To date Aberdeen residents have saved on average £815.06 thanks to the freeze and will have saved £1801.08 by 2016/17.

In coming days, the SNP will deliver survey cards on the issue to all residents of the constituency to give voters the chance to make their views clear.

Commenting, SNP Candidate for Aberdeen Donside Mark McDonald said:

“Willie Young has put the issue of the SNP's council tax freeze right at the centre of this by-election campaign with his call for the power to put up people's bills.

“Brian Adam and the SNP Government were elected on a strong mandate to freeze the Council Tax for the duration of this parliament - a policy I am pledged to support if elected. Mr Young has indicated that he thinks Aberdeen's Council Tax should increase. I think that is the last thing that people in Aberdeen need or want, but rather than listen to my opinion Willie Young should listen to the voices of the voters.

“We will be giving the people of Aberdeen Donside the opportunity to say whether they want the freeze to continue - or whether anybody supports Willie Young's council tax rise position.

“Survey cards will be going out to every person in this constituency, and if people here want the council tax freeze to continue - as the evidence of the 2011 Holyrood election indicates - I urge them to make their voices heard.

“There are few places where the SNP's council tax freeze has been more warmly received than in Aberdeen, and I think Willie Young will be facing a serious wakeup call when the people of this constituency make their views on this key issue known - and I look forward to publishing the survey findings."

Wednesday 15th May

Scotland must grasp the opportunity of a Yes vote an SNP MSP has said after fresh analysis from the OECD showed that young and poor people are being hit hardest by Westminster’s cruel cuts.

The OECD has warned Britain faces rising levels of inequality by pursuing its austerity agenda that are widening the gulf between rich and poor.

In particular, it notes the disposable income of the top 10 per cent of UK households was 10 times higher than the bottom 10.

SNP MSP Jamie Hepburn, deputy convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee and member of the Finance Committee, said:

“With Westminster’s cuts hitting the young and the poor hardest, the case for Scotland having full control over policies affecting the people living here is clearer than ever.

“This OECD report lays bare the scale of the human damage of the UK’s brutal cuts. The Tory-led Westminster system is taking from the poor and helping the rich.

“It is a scandal that the disposable income of the top 10% of UK households was an average £53,600 a year – 10 times higher than the bottom 10th, which survived on just £5,300.

“Westminster is using its economic and social levers to create a society that is becoming more unequal every day. Scotland wants these powers to create a fairer society and wealthier economy.

“We already know that a majority of people in Scotland believe that the Scottish Government would be best at deciding welfare policy for Scotland.

“That is little wonder given the fact the UK is the fourth most unequal society in the developed world – which is a disgraceful position for resource-rich Scotland to find itself in.

“Scotland has the opportunity to do something about this. By voting Yes on 18th September next year we can do what’s in Scotland’s best interests – and that certainly isn’t putting more money into the back pockets of rich Tories while our young and poor suffer.”

 
Notes: Link to report of OECD analysis http://m.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/15/cuts-inequality-oecd

Yougov/SNP (Fieldwork: 20th-22nd March 2013)

 

Sample size: 1105 Scottish adults

Which government do you think would be best at deciding welfare and pensions policy for Scotland?

The UK government                  34
The Scottish government       53
Don't know                              13

Wednesday 15 May

The SNP is today welcoming a record rise in employment at the same time as the number of people out of work has continued to fall in Scotland.

Employment increased by 54,000 over the period January to March - the largest quarterly rise since 1992 when the figures began.

While the number of people out of work across the UK continued to rise, figures showed that in Scotland there was a drop of 7,000 in the unemployment total over the period January to March.

John Mason MSP, Deputy Convener of the Finance Committee, said:

“These record figures are show that Scotland has higher employment and lower unemployment than the rest of the UK. These stronger employment statistics in Scotland are no accident and are testament to the wide range of measures the SNP Government has put in place to create and secure jobs.

“To achieve the largest increase in Scottish employment since these form of records began in 1992 is a fantastic sign of progress and is the clearest possible signal that the steps we are taking to secure economic recovery are having a real and positive impact.

“The progress that has been achieved in Scotland shows why it is right that we are setting our own course for recovery with the limited powers the Scottish Parliament currently holds.

“Yet with the powers of an independent Scotland we could do even more to boost our economy and get more people into jobs. Only a Yes vote in next September’s referendum will give us the economic and fiscal powers we need to build the fairer, more prosperous nation that we all want to live in.”

Notes

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2013/05/Employment-15-05-13

Wednesday  15^th May 2013

MIDLOTHIAN South Tweeddale and Lauderdale MSP Christine Grahame is today condemning ITV Borders after learning that some people living in her constituency won’t be able to watch STV’s first televised debate on Scotland’s Independence Referendum on Thursday.

Ms Grahame believes it is an injustice that people in certain parts of her constituency will have access to the debate but others will have to view it later on STV Player.

She said:

“It is ridiculous that people in Penicuik will be able to watch the debate as it is broadcast but those living in Melrose may have to wait several hours before being able to hear it online. Even then some people may not be able to access it.

“And of course the irony is that this debate is between Nicola Sturgeon and Michael Moore MP, who of course happens to be a local member and even his constituents won’t be able to hear it.”

Ms Grahame has been campaigning for several years to see changes made in broadcasting in the Borders and on the issue of ITV Border’s failure to cover Scottish News and current affairs from its English base at Gateshead.

She added:

“People in the Borders have an interest in seeing a referendum that fully meets modern democratic standards of which acceptable coverage throughout Scotland including the Borders by the broadcast media must be a part of.

“At present some of my constituents are being denied the opportunity to hear this debate on what is fundamentally very important to the future of our country.