Congress,
the election on 5 May is the most important to take place since the Scottish
Parliament was re-established.
The next
Scottish Government will wield new powers on tax, welfare, employment
programmes and Tribunals - powers with the potential to make a substantial,
positive difference to the lives of working people in Scotland.
These new
powers broaden the canvas on which new, bold and progressive public policy can
be written.
The new Government
must break from the conservative mind-set that has afflicted successive
Holyrood administrations. The next Scottish Government really has to aspire to
more than just managerial competence.
Unfortunately,
the campaign going on around us doesn’t yet reflect the possibilities offered by
these new powers. In all the leaders’ debates, hustings and newspaper features
there has been nothing of substance said about economic development in
Scotland; no serious programme set out to reduce inequality; and the
increasingly precarious nature of employment has hardly rated a mention.
It is as if
the financial crisis, the consequent recession and the years of austerity and
stagnation which followed weren’t sufficiently painful to provoke new and
radical thinking.
The General
Council statement before you today includes 10 key demands of the parties
contesting this election. If acted upon, these demands will lead to a fairer,
more resilient economy and a more equal and democratic society.
Let me focus
on two of these.
The first is
tax. Much political wind has already been expended on this issue.
Unfortunately,
the proposals we have heard so far have been generally weak and, in some cases,
they blatantly contradict the wider social and economic objectives they are
apparently designed to achieve.
Tax policy
needs to be bolder and more creative – particularly from the parties of a
social democratic bent.
We haven’t, as
yet, had an opportunity to study the SNP and Labour manifestos, but we have a
good idea what they’re likely to say about income tax and local taxation.
To be fair,
Labour and the Lib Dems have signalled their intention to increase income tax
in an effort to mitigate the impact of public spending cuts, particularly those
forced on local authorities.
The SNP’s
position, especially the pathetic excuses for refusing to increase the marginal
rate of tax on earnings over £150,000, is hugely disappointing.
I’ve said it
before and will say it again: the Nordic style society the SNP continually say
they aspire to, simply cannot be created and sustained on current levels of
taxation.
The second
of our demands I’d draw attention to is on inequality.
It is
remarkable, and very encouraging, that reducing inequality has, over the last
few years, become a mainstream issue and has been given such prominence by the current
First Minister.
However, it is
deeply disappointing that no Party has come close to presenting a credible,
coherent plan for reducing inequalities of income, wealth and power in
Scotland.
Too often a
welcome focus on poverty reduction has been used as cover for refusing to take
action on runaway incomes at the top. An effective strategy must tackle
inequality from both ends.
We need
bold, ambitious policies that addresses some hitherto intractable problems in
the Scottish economy and society, policies based on the evidence of what works
rather than their populist appeal or soundbite suitability.
In health, where
you live should not determine how long you will live.
How well you
do in school, college or university or in the world of work should be about your
ability and how hard you work, not your social class.
Some of our
communities have not recovered decades after the loss of traditional
industries.
Addressing
these longstanding issues should be the priority for our politicians.
We should
expect nothing less of our political leaders.
All of them
need to raise their game.
Current
levels of inequality weaken the economy, reduce societal cohesion and undermine
democracy.
The Panama
Papers have pulled back the curtain on the lives and attitudes of the wealthy
to reveal nothing but sneering contempt for their fellow citizens and the rules
by which any decent society must adhere.
The rich can
shift their wealth offshore and absolve themselves of any responsibility to
contribute to the society that allowed them to accrue that wealth in the first
place.
And then, of
course, they invest that wealth in lobbying for a politics which is
increasingly hostile to any substantial redistribution and the role of unions
and collective bargaining in bringing that about.
Of course,
we won’t hear any talk of offshored wealth from the Tories contesting the
Scottish Parliament election – they’re too busy rebranding themselves as
cuddly, progressive sorts who have the best interests of Scotland’s workers at
heart. Aye right!
Ruth
Davidson certainly presents a more convivial demeanour than George Osborne. Hardly
a difficult task!
But by
failing to seriously challenge austerity, welfare reform and the Trade Union
Bill she is entirely complicit in the UK Government’s attack on society’s most
vulnerable people, on workers and unions – and no amount of one-liners or photo
opps will conceal this inconvenient truth.
Ultimately the
Tories attempted transition to the non-nasty party is almost as funny as the malicious
buffoons of UKIP in Scotland trying to masquerade as a serious political organisation.
During
Congress we will hear from the leaders of our two main parties.
We expect to
hear that they understand the real issues currently facing workers and their
communities;
- that they are willing to use the knowledge and
experience of unions and their members to shape policy; and
- that they have a vison for Scotland that matches
the ambition of its citizens for sustainable economic and social
progress.
This
election should be a marker in the development of Scotland’s democracy. The
ability of the new Scottish Government to introduce policies in support of the
people we represent is about to be considerably strengthened.
The demands
the General Council has set out today provide the template for a new Scotland.
We need a
Government with the courage and passion to grasp the opportunity.
Let’s hope
such a Government is elected on 5 May.
Congress, I
commend the General Council statement to you.
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