Public services are Scottish voters highest priority in the May elections. Good news for UNISON Scotland as we publish our manifesto for the elections, ‘Public Services and the Good Society’.
The…Read more…
Talking about taxation
Something very strange is happening in political discourse in Scotland – everyone’s talking about tax.
The Scotland Bill hasn’t even been passed, but it is having the desired effect of moving the…Read more…
World Water Day
Today is World Water Day. The 22nd March is designated as World Water Day by the UN to mark the importance of water and sanitation.
This year’s theme is ‘Better Water, Better Jobs’. 1.5 billion…Read more…
Budget 2016 and pensions
Yesterday’s budget was originally going to be a big day for pensions with announcements on the review of pension taxation. However, this was scrapped or deferred, as the political consequences for…Read more…
Budget 2016 – All that you would expect from a Tory budget
It is a typical Tory budget. There is plenty of middle class welfare at the expense of workers and the disabled, together with further cuts to public spending. I take a look at the elements that most…Read more…
Time to improve energy efficiency in buildings
Governments must do more to reduce energy bills by improving the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings.
MPs on the Westminster Energy and Climate Change Committee report that the energy…Read more…
Harold Wilson – why my Dad was right about him
“There’s nowt wrong with Harold Wilson” is the only thing I remember my late Dad saying about politics. I recall that many other family members didn’t share this sentiment, but it was a view he stuck…Read more…
Good food for everyone
We have plenty of land in Scotland, and plenty of sea, and plenty of skilled people, scientists and innovators. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have plenty of good food for everyone.
That is the…Read more…
Welcome end to the council tax freeze, but this isn’t a proper reform of local taxation
The First Minister has made the welcome announcement that the Council Tax freeze will end next year and has published the outline of some reforms to local taxation. The much needed detail is due in…Read more…
Is there a Scottish road to Socialism?
‘Is there a Scottish Road to Socialism?’ This is the question posed in the third edition of this SLR Press book. The format is the same – a range of contributors from across the left wing spectrum in…Read more…
Job losses and the Scottish Budget
In recent days there have been many political exchanges over job losses as a consequence of the cuts to council grant allocations in the Scottish Budget for 2016/17. Let’s look at the issue…Read more…
Budget Bill – Stage 3
The Scottish Budget is debated at Stage 3 in parliament tomorrow. While there is plenty of pain for all public services, it is local government that is bearing the brunt of austerity in…Read more…
A new approach to mental health
Mental health services have received some welcome media attention recently. If acute hospital services were this limited there would be a major public outcry – so why do we accept second best for…Read more…
Using procurement to tackle the tax dodgers
The tax dodging activities of companies has come under a lot of scrutiny, but we could do more to tackle this abuse in Scotland with existing powers. Companies who want to bid for taxpayer funded…Read more…
Big challenges for pensions and the market isn’t the solution
There are major changes happening to our pensions, many of which workers are ill equipped to face, and policy is not keeping pace with the challenges ahead.
Today, I was at the TUC pensions…Read more…
Scottish Budget: getting serious about tackling austerity
In tomorrow’s Scottish budget debate, if they are serious about opposing austerity, MSPs need to do more than badly administer George Osborne’s efforts to wreck our public services.
The Scottish…Read more…
Why CETA has implications for Scottish Water
The CETA trade agreement could lock in water privatisation in England and have implications for Scottish Water.
The Council of Canadians has warned that if the Canada-European Union Comprehensive…Read more…
Why we shouldn’t lose sight of the Barnett Formula
While the political temperature is rising over the fiscal framework negotiations, let’s not forget the Barnett Formula.
The fiscal framework is a key element in the devolution of income tax to…Read more…
Time to get serious about energy prices
Every seven minutes in the UK an older person dies of cold.
As Geoffrey Lean recently put it in the Independent; “people will die of cold in their own homes – in this, the world’s fifth-largest…Read more…
The Council Tax freeze explained
The announcement by Moray Council that they are to consider increasing the Council Tax has highlighted the Council Tax freeze. It is unlikely that many, if any, councils will actually increase the…Read more…