Vogts of Confidence

There is an ancient Chinese curse which says ‘May you live in interesting times’ and with this in mind, if the Flag seems a little less topical than usual this week, I take full responsibility. When Jim set out his ‘rota’ a few weeks ago, it completely slipped my mind that this week was the week that Scotland were due to play Wales in a football friendly in Cardiff.

As a fully paid up member of the Tartan Army, Scottish Widows battalion, there was never any chance of me giving up my ticket for the game, not even for the Flag! With Valentine’s day further reducing the number of days available to me and beer on the train a more appealing option than frantic mobile calls, failed data connections and bouncing emails close to deadline, I started things a little earlier than normal this week.

Hopefully by the time this goes on line, I’ll have helped leaflet a sizeable chunk of Central Edinburgh for the SNP and had a Valentines day with no disasters in the kitchen. With any luck, I’ll also have witnessed Scotland gain revenge for the rugby and helped the Tartan Army lay siege to Cardiff’s pubs and clubs. And if anything earth-shattering happens at any point between Tuesday night and Thursday, you’ll just have to wait until next week to read the Flag’s take on events!

Council Tax

Last week saw Scotland’s local authorities set their Council Tax levels for the coming year. Council Tax, for our readers from further afield, is the tax levied by local authorities in the UK to help pay for the services they provide. Replacing Margaret Thatcher’s (and Michael Howard’s – let’s not forget!) hated Poll Tax, your liability depends upon the value of your house and which of the several Council Tax bands this places you in.

In fact, only around 15% of revenues to local authorities come from the Council Tax, with the rest coming from Central Government. However, even this ability to raise 15% of their revenue gives them greater fiscal freedom than their paymasters in the Scots Parliament.

In the last few weeks, a head of steam has built up in favour of reform of this tax. Campaigners, including charity ‘Help the Aged’, have argued that because the tax is not related to personal income, it takes no account of ability to pay. Meanwhile, a rash of protest groups has sprung up, trying to whip up opposition to what they see as an iniquitous tax.

The argument about ability to pay is a straightforward one. Put simply, why should low earners who happen to live in high-banded houses be expected to pay more, while high earners who live in more modest homes pay less? Additionally, why should anyone earning a wage escape paying for the services we all use, simply because their name doesn’t appear on the Council Tax payment book?

A major problem with Council Tax as it stands is that many with the ability to pay who are liable to pay, simply choose not to. Eventually, this catches up with many but with collection rates as low as 85% in some parts of Scotland, the costs of collecting outstanding bills often exceed the amounts owed in the first place. Meanwhile, everyone using public services suffers from the costs of local authorities having to pursue these freeloaders.

A local income tax is being suggested by many as a fairer solution to the above problems.

However, it would not be without its difficulties, particularly when it comes to self-employed people with fluctuating incomes. Nonetheless, everyone who pays income tax through self assessment or Pay-As-You-Earn would become liable, while pensioners, the unemployed or anyone else earning below their income tax threshold would not.

This would ensure that only those with the ability to pay do so. Since it would be tied to National Insurance numbers, it would be easier to keep track of liabilities as people change address. It could also be an opportunity to end the ridiculous 50% Council Tax reduction for second homeowners, who use the same council services the locals do. After all, if a holiday home catches fire, would the owners only want half the local fire brigade to turn up? Or one detective to turn up instead of two if their property was burgled?

What the Scottish Executive are likely to offer instead is a ‘revaluation’ of the bands to take account of recent rises in property prices, with maybe another band or two added to spread the burden a little. However, this would be tinkering at the margins, since the general rise in house prices seen across the country would move only a small number of homes up or down a band relative to where they sit currently. In any case, it would do nothing to counter the ability to pay argument which is currently driving the debate forward.

What is certain is that the public are losing confidence in the current system. However, the Council Tax is a relatively stable tax - it does what it is supposed to with, until now, comparatively little fuss. And any tax reform has winners and losers. Knowing exactly how fickle the great Scottish voting public can be, can we really be sure that any of our mainstream political leaders will make a concrete proposal to introduce something better?

Sewell Motions

Sewell motions have also hit the news this week. Named after former Scottish Office minister Lord Sewell, who proposed the mechanism as the Scotland Act passed through Westminster, they allow for Westminster to legislate on Scottish matters on behalf of the Scots Parliament. Although Westminster remains ‘sovereign’ in the eyes of English constitutional law, by Lord Sewell’s own admission the convention was set up to deal solely with "minor, non-controversial" issues.

Nonetheless, 50 ‘Sewells’ have been passed since the Scots Parliament was elected in May 1999, including recent measures on asylum law and higher education. The Scottish Executive also faced criticism last week for calling for a Sewel motion on the far from uncontroversial law reforms bill which will abolish the position of Lord Chancellor and create a UK supreme court as a new, final court of appeal.

After the Section 2A debacle, the Labour-led Scottish Executive has lived in terror of whipping up a similar anti-Government campaign. In light of this, they refused to back Green MSP Patrick Harvie’s Bill for civil partnerships last year, running scared of accusations from the tabloids that they were in any way once more promoting ‘gay sex’. Instead, they sidestepped the issue, allowing Westminster to legislate on the matter through, you’ve guessed it, a Sewell motion.

One of the best arguments for using a Sewell motion in this case was that it would ensure the same law applied north and south of the border. However, one of the best arguments in favour of Harvie’s bill was that it would have recognised in law for the first time the rights of unmarried partners in heterosexual relationships. Unfortunately, the Westminster bill grants recognition only to homosexual couples, discriminating against heterosexual couples who want their partnerships recognised without having to marry.

By resorting to a Sewell, the Executive played a cute political game by avoiding the criticism they believed would have come their way from reactionary Scotland. However, it was also cowardly and undemocratic, as it denied Scottish progressives the chance to tackle the bigots amongst us head-on in open debate before letting the people’s elected representative decide.

Although I believe in Independence and the sovereignty of the Scottish people, I am also a pragmatist and believe that the content of a Sewell motion is more important than the fact that it comes from Westminster. However, when they are used to divert political flack from debate elsewhere, they simply diminish the authority of the Scots Parliament in the eyes of the people. Worse, by not having the debate rooted in Scotland, they hinder the process of achieving political maturity in Scotland through rational debate and the challenging of entrenched positions.

One of the arguments heard in London salons is that ‘Britishness’ is tolerant and inclusive, while the subnationalisms of Scotland and England are parochial and exclusive. Any self-respecting Scottish or English person should reject the idea that they need the other as a bolt-on accessory to ensure their own tolerant outlook.

Similarly, Labour and their Lib Dem lapdogs should recognise the value of having these debates in Scotland rather than through the ‘British’ parliament, irrespective of the short-term pain it causes. The long term gain would be a mature Scotland at ease with itself and a more mature and reflective political and media culture. Surely that’s something worth standing up to the tabloids for on occasion?

Sir Neil MacCormick, MEP,
Tribute Dinner

Friday, 27th February, 2004
at 7.30 for 8pm

at
The Richard Corsie (Indoor Bowling and) Conference Centre,
(Jewel & Esk Valley College),
24 Milton Road East, Edinburgh.

TICKETS - £25.00 EACH - three course dinner.

SPEAKERS:-

Gerry Collins, MEP,
Leader of Fianna Fail Group in Europe
& Former Irish foreign Minister,

plus our own

Duncan Hamilton, Scotsman Columnist & Former MSP.

POLICY POSTCARDS

We continue our publication of the SNP Policy Postcards; we will publish a new one every week, each one dealing with a different aspect of SNP policy. The full list can be seen on the SNP website under "Vision" and "Policy".

Genetically Modified Crops

Genetic modification will not solve the world food crisis, which is a crisis of distribution rather than supply.

Genetic modification may have unknown health implications and potentially devastating environmental consequences.

Genetic modification threatens Scotland's high reputation and ability to capitalise on our reputation as a high quality prodcer of foodstuffs.

Scotland doesn’t need genetic modification to increase our agricultural output – to do that we could return some of the 13% of Scottish farmland currently under set-aside to production.

The SNP want a moratorium on open-air GM crop trials in Scotland. Once the GM Genie is out of the bottle, Scotland’s land could be contaminated forever.

The Liberal Democrats can’t be trusted with the environment. At their Party Conference they called for an immediate moratorium on GM crop trials, but it was a Liberal Minister - Ross Finnie – who approved Scotland’s controversial GM crop trials.

Evidence exists from the EU Environment Agency that GM crop trials can harm the environment.

SyNoPsis

SNP CALL FOR SCOTTISH CONTROL OF NUCLEAR WASTE
Wed 11 Feb 04

Speaking ahead of the SNP debate about nuclear waste in the Scottish Parliament today Shadow Environment Minister Ms Roseanna Cunningham MSP has called for greater powers for the Scottish Parliament and SEPA so that Scotland will have the ability to take control of its own nuclear waste. Ms Cunningham said:

"Other countries manage to operate an open and effective policy of dealing with nuclear waste so the question must be why can't Scotland?

"What we must have is total control over our own nuclear waste and the best way to do this is for the Scottish Parliament and SEPA to have total responsibility for the regulation of waste storage and disposal.

"While it is clear that Scotland has to dispose of its own waste, we must have assurances that this will not lead to our country being used as a dumping ground for the rest of the UK which is why the Scottish Executive must produce statutory guidance for SEPA which is long overdue.

UNPROVEN FIGURES NO CAUSE FOR COMPLACENCY
Wed 11 Feb 04

Shadow Economy Minister Mr Jim Mather MSP today issued a health warning on the new GDP figures as he welcomed news that the economy may have started to grow. Commenting he said:

"These GDP figures come with a huge health warning. The figures have proven notoriously unreliable, having been repeatedly revised and even withdrawn for long periods, but if the economy has started to grow then that will be very welcome.

"We will have to wait and see whether the new system of measurement is any better than the old, but what is beyond doubt - and the Executive acknowledge this - is that Scotland's trend growth is mediocre.

"Even comparing these new figures with the rest of the UK is dubious. In making comparisons we need to make sure we are comparing like with like and given the change in the way GDP is measured, it is difficult to see how the Minister's complacent statement is justified.

"Key economic measures, such as population movement, economic inactivity and average incomes all tell a very different tale from the Minister's and Mr Wallace would do well to recognise that if he is to be taken seriously when he claims to give the economy the highest priority."

SNP LEAD CONSENSUS ON FUTURE OF FOOTBALL
Wed 11 Feb 04

The Scottish Parliament tonight (Wednesday) overwhelmingly backed an SNP motion calling for investment in the grassroots of football and a radical shake up of the structures of the game.

Following an SNP sponsored debate on the future of the game MSPs from all parties - with the notable exception of the Tories - backed proposals to focus on grassroots development as simplification of the governing bodies.

Commenting after the vote - won 99 to 15 - Lothians MSP Mr Kenny MacAskill said:

"The Scottish Parliament has come together with a clear message for those who run football - put your house in order. It is speaking for the thousands of long suffering fans who have watched as their clubs' finances tumble into the red and the national team suffer from the lack of grassroots investment.

"We need to see a slimmed down governing structure that is capable of delivering a strategic direction for football that reinvigorates the grassroots.

"We need to turn the Playstation generation into the football generation.

"And, the public money that is being spent must be targeted at facilities for all and not fancy directors' boxes and corporate suites for the few.

"We saw an emerging consensus today in the debate and it's only a shame that the Tories could not bring themselves to back the motion. Instead they stayed true to form and allowed Scotland's interests and the interests of the game to be ignored in favour of petty party politics. That is a shame, but no surprise."

UK ASYLUM BILL WILL HAVE HUGE IMPACT ON DEVOLVED MATTERS
Thu 12 Feb 04

Shadow Justice Minister Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP has announced that the SNP will today oppose a Sewel motion on the UK Asylum & Immigration Bill which is currently progressing through the Westminster Parliament.

Commenting in advance of the debate, Ms Sturgeon said:

"This Sewel motion refers only to the clause in the Bill creating a new offence of human trafficking, a provision which is to be welcomed, especially in light of the Morecambe Bay tragedy last week.

"But there are other aspects of this Bill that are, frankly, draconian. Many of them will also have a huge impact on devolved responsibilities.

"This Bill will deny asylum seekers whose claims are turned down the right to seek judicial review in Scottish courts.

"The Bill also allows for the withdrawal of benefits from "failed" asylum seekers with children, which will inevitably result in children being removed from parents who can no longer provide for them. Since child welfare is devolved, it is hard to see how Westminster can pass that part of the Bill without reference to the Scottish Parliament.

"And, given that it was the Scottish Executive that used the desirability of keeping families together as the justification for jailing children at Dungavel, it beggars belief that they will now sign up to a Bill that will result in families being ripped apart."

CALLS FOR SUPERMARKETS TO PROMOTE SCOTCH BEEF
Mon 16 Feb 04

SNP MSP for the West of Scotland Mr Stewart Maxwell has today launched his campaign to gain greater support for Scotch beef in supermarkets across the country.

ASDA has been the first chain to support the campaign after Mr Maxwell's concerns that Scotch beef was being labelled as British in their stores were realised by the company and they agreed to take measures to ensure that this problem was solved.

Mr Maxwell said:

"I am pleased that my original concerns that Scotch beef was being labelled with the Union Jack instead of the Scottish Saltire have been heeded. ASDA have admitted that there was an unfortunate problem but the good news is that they are working towards fully rectifying this problem.

"What has become clear is that the supermarket's policy of labelling all Scotch beef as Scottish was not being implemented as fully as they expected, but I am delighted that they have made a point of trying to solve these problems in full.

"The latest figures show that the majority of Scots prefer to buy Scottish produce.

"I will be writing to all other supermarket chains in Scotland urging them to support my campaign and I hope that they will be as enthusiastic as ASDA."

LETWIN PLANS TO CUT BILLIONS FROM SCOTTISH SPENDING
Mon 16 Feb 04

Commenting on the speech by Tory Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin today [Monday], in which he proposes public spending cuts of 35 billion pounds, the Scottish National Party's Westminster leader Mr Alex Salmond MP said:

"As Shadow Home Secretary, Oliver Letwin proposed putting asylum seekers on an undisclosed island 'far, far away'.

"As Shadow Chancellor, he is offering a Treasure Island fiction that is far removed from reality.

"His proposals to cut spending would rob Scotland's of some 3 billion pounds of public expenditure - hacking away at the Scottish Parliament's budget.

"Under Gordon Brown, Scottish spending will already be squeezed as he starts to rein in public expenditure because of the rising deficit, and the Barnett Formula reduces Scotland's share of UK spending.

"If Oliver Letwin ever became Chancellor, the same process would happen, only further and faster.

"This illustrates exactly why the Scottish Parliament needs financial independence - instead of dangling at the end of a Westminster string, and being at the mercy of spending decisions taken in London."