Shouty Debates

I caught some of the 'debate' with Scotland's political leaders on the BBC yesterday which was a very shouty affair that Gordon Brewer (the presenter) struggled at times to control.

But two points jumped out and made an impression, with me anyway.

The first was that everyone agreed with the benefits cap of £26,000 introduced by the Coalition Government, presumably because the policy is popular with voters north and south of the border. 

Yet the Labour Party has opposed every change to the benefits system introduced during this parliament and along with the SNP is against a further reduction of the cap to £23,000 a year which the Conservatives have promised to bring in if they win the general election.

The other topic that stood out was 'austerity' or balancing the nation's books which caused the Labour leader, Jim Murphy, to launch a big attack on the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon only to admit that Labour's own recipe for turning things around is based on growing the economy - a less painful way of tackling the UK's accumulated debts than cutting public spending and/or raising taxes.

Now I have my doubts that economic growth can do all the heavy lifting on its own and I suspect that it's unrealistic to believe that any government will achieve such a goal, but I have to say that I'd rather the Scottish Parliament was in charge of tax and spending policies.

Because if you ask me the Westminster Parliament is no longer a 'fit for purpose' and cannot govern the country effectively until it is substantially reformed which means elections based on proportional representation (as opposed to First Past the Post), more direct democracy and getting rid of the unelected House of Lords.       

Election 2015: Scottish party leaders clash over powers


Scotland's main party leaders have clashed over increasing the nation's financial powers.

In a BBC debate, ahead of the election, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said she wanted Scotland to take full control of taxation to grow the economy.

Scottish Labour's Jim Murphy, the Conservatives' Ruth Davidson and Willie Rennie, of the Lib Dems, said bringing in full fiscal autonomy would create a £7.6bn hole in Scotland's finances.

The debate was shown on BBC Scotland.

It was the third time the Scottish leaders had met in five days.

During heated exchanges in the Sunday Politics Scotland debate, Ms Sturgeon said the three pro-union parties had "revived project fear" in relation to full fiscal autonomy, and that Scotland's economy would grow when Holyrood was in charge of all tax and spend.

She said: "This is a debate about whether Scotland should take more control over our fiscal responsibility. Do we take proper control or leave ourselves at the mercy of Westminster cuts?"
Welfare spending

Mr Murphy said Ms Sturgeon was "making it up as she goes along", adding that the country would have to grow at twice the rate of other advanced countries to make up the shortfall.

He asked her: "What is the magic policy you have that other countries don't have?"

Ms Davidson said the SNP had not adequately outlined how growth would be created under full fiscal autonomy.

She added: "You can't say 'I want control, I just don't want it yet' and then blame us for the fact that your sums don't add up."

Mr Rennie, meanwhile, said the SNP was proposing to "compound the challenges we are facing on getting the economy back on track with an extra £7.6bn of difficulties".

Elsewhere, the leaders were asked by presenter Gordon Brewer whether they would cut welfare spending.

Ms Davidson said her party would reduce the benefits cap to £23,000, while both Mr Rennie and Mr Murphy said it should remain at £26,000. Ms Sturgeon said the cap was "not a priority for change".
Campaign trail

The debate will be available on the BBC iplayer.

Elsewhere on the campaign trail, the Scottish Conservatives are focusing on welfare, citing research appearing to show the Scottish public backing them on the capping of benefits.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon is campaigning in Paisley, where she will meet former Labour supporters who have moved to her party and set out an SNP "guarantee" to Labour voters.

Scottish Labour lead on pensions, warning that full fiscal autonomy - which would see all taxes and welfare run by Holyrood and is supported by the SNP - would leave pensioners £1,000 a year worse off.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has challenged the SNP to abandon the "accelerated pathway" to another referendum, saying any uncertainty will damage the economy.