Iain Macwhirter
Columnist
The SNP’s final annual conference before Scotland’s Day of Destiny, as Alex
Salmond calls the independence referendum, went rather better than expected.
Aware that they risked squandering their main media showcase of the year,
ministers unlocked the box marked “November White Paper” and sprung a few
policy surprises on energy and the minimum wage. These measures were
calibrated to attract the votes of those Scots who tell opinion polls that
they would vote Yes if they were £500 better off after independence.
Well, £70 off annual fuel bills is a start, though environmental
campaigners do not like the idea of taking renewable energy subsidies and
stacking them on general taxation. The objective is to encourage people to
use less fuel.
Moreover, it suggests that the SNP are unwilling to take on the energy
companies by endorsing Labour’s price freeze. It also implies higher
taxation levels in Scotland. However, the proposal seems solid, progressive
and relevant to Scottish conditions, where more are in fuel poverty.
2 Comments
may hurry · October 20, 2013 at 6:01 pm
no mention of the motion from the Jimmy Reid Foundation on nationalising ALL turbines – how strange, as to the £500 better off – is that just for one year and then hundreds of pounds WORSE off thereafter???