Key Issues in the Scottish Election

3 May 2007

SCPO invited 7 backbench MSPs from the parties currently represented in the Scottish Parliament by more than a single MSP to contribute up to 500 words on what they saw as key issues in the coming Scottish Parliamentary election. Here they are.

 Mark Ballard was Green List MSP for Lothians

At the top of the Greens' agenda as we head for the election is action to tackle climate change, promote peace and ensure a better future for our young people. For Greens social justice, environmental sustainability and peace go hand in hand – the future of Scotland depends on our progress in working effectively across these areas.

Climate change is of course the most urgent issue facing us all. It will hurt the poor and vulnerable the most, it will wreak irreversible havoc on our planet. Tackling climate change requires harnessing all social, personal, economic means at our disposal – it will take individual determination, technological expertise, political will and, perhaps above all, human compassion.

It will require hard choices to be made. Instead of increasing our reliance on the aeroplane and private car, we must invest in infrastructure that will make public transport the default choice. Instead of relying on fossil fuels or worse still nuclear power for energy we must make the shift to renewables and energy efficiency. But the resistance to proposals for road tolls and new windfarms shows that many people are yet to be convinced. Instead of imposing solutions, Greens will work with communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Much of the work to tackle climate change will also help tackle poverty – for example, ensuring all Scotland's new housing has proper insulation will tackle fuel poverty as well as reducing energy use.

The proposal to replace Trident nuclear weapons system is one of the great moral issues of our time. Under international law, the use, or threat of use, of genocidal nuclear weapons of mass destruction is illegal. Upgrading Trident will also tear up the UK's reaty commitment to nuclear non-proliferation, while we condemn Iran for wanting it's own nuclear weapons.

As a participant in anti-nuclear activity over many years, and having been arrested at Faslane several times, I have always been impressed with the organisers' determination to protest in a peaceful and creative manner, contrasting appropriately with the vicious weapons operating on the other side of the fence.

My Green colleague Chris Ballance MSP has proposed a bill for the Scottish parliament which would ban the use of Scotland's roads and inshore waters to move weapons of mass destruction. If we can use Scottish Law to block the movement of chickens because of bird flu and the risk to public health, then we can do the same for a weapon capable of killing hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians and contaminating vast areas of the globe with deadly radioactive material.

Young people's lives are being ignored by policymakers – they are seen as a nuisance, as a danger and as a problem. A recent report by UNICEF placed the UK bottom of the league of industrial nations for child welfare, with Scotland recording some of the worst results on indicators of alcohol abuse, violence and drug taking. The failure of Labour and LibDems to meet the needs of young people will leave Scotland 's society and economy paying the price for decades to come. Greens argue that targeted support, early intervention and restorative justice will cut crime, build stronger communities and deliver better value for public money.

Linda Fabiani was SNP List MSP for Central Scotland

The Holyrood elections offer an opportunity to reflect honestly on the issues we are facing in Scottish society today and decide how best to take our country forward.

The debate this year is being played out against a backdrop of growing unrest with Westminster politics; the war in Iraq; the cash for honours scandal; the uncertainty over the Labour leadership. These issues will no doubt influence people’s thinking but mustn’t be allowed to distract from the policy debate in Scotland and the potential we have to improve lives via our own parliament.

At this election we must examine ways to tackle the inequality which exists in our society. We must look at the reasons why, in a rich nation such as this, almost a fifth of the population are still living in poverty. We should question why so many people in our communities are still struggling against low pay, inadequate benefits, and poor quality work opportunities. We must look at what positive things the government in Scotland can do to build opportunities and kick-start our economy to get rid of poverty in the future.

One thing we can change in Scotland is the way we collect taxes for local government and this is a key issue for debate. The Council Tax is a regressive system, which places the heaviest burden on those who can least afford to pay.  The SNP has put forward an alternative model for funding local government. Our plan is to replace it with a Local Income Tax, based on ability to pay. This system would be easier and cheaper to collect, and inherently fairer, easing the burden from pensioners and low waged. It’s a tried and tested system used in many European countries such as Belgium and Sweden – so why not here in Scotland?

The next big issue is the drastic shortage of affordable houses across the country. Houses are central to all our lives, and everyone has a right to a decent quality home. Bad housing contributes to bad health, takes away people’s security and prevents people having a fair and equal chance in life.

Yet with council stocks reducing, house prices rocketing, and waiting lists for socially rented houses soaring, there is a growing crisis which needs to be met with adequate investment in new affordable homes.

These are two examples of how the Scottish devolved government can act to help tackle inequalities in our society but the question remains as to why there is so much poverty, why our economy is so stagnant and what we can do to boost growth, lift our aspirations and end poverty altogether. A devolved SNP government would reduce the burden of business rates for smaller businesses, but for Scotland to enjoy prosperity similar to that of our neighbours in Ireland, Norway and Iceland, who are all in the top six richest nations in the world, we need to have a direct voice in Europe and be able to make our own decisions. A debate of the merits of Independence is not constitutional wrangling removed from the issues of the day, nor is it about building barriers between friends and neighbours. It is about giving us the economic tools we need to change our lives for the better and is therefore central to the debate on ending poverty and creating a better Scotland.

Mike Rumbles was Liberal Democrat MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

If we were to listen to the Labour Party and the SNP it would seem that there is only one key issue in this election. That is the question of the ‘separation’ or ‘independence’ of Scotland. No-one can blame the two largest parties in the current Scottish Parliament from wishing to dwell on this one topic. However, every opinion poll that has been held over the last few months makes it clear that most people want neither independence nor the status quo.

Most people want to see greater powers for the Scottish Parliament and this is exactly what is on offer from the Scottish Liberal Democrats at this election.  We want to see the calling of a second constitutional convention to press for more powers for our Parliament. The current system is simply unsustainable in the long term. It was David Steel our first Presiding Officer who asked the question …”For how long can any self-respecting Parliament that calls it self a Parliament exist on a hand-out from another Parliament?”

Of course we should be responsible for spending taxpayers money but we should also be responsible for raising it in the first place. We take a ‘federalist’ approach to politics across the UK and my belief is that the more powers that Scotland has short of independence, the better. So, if we win this election the Liberal Democrats will call a new Scottish Constitutional Convention in order to try to obtain a consensus for gaining more powers for our Scottish Parliament.

In addition to greater financial powers for the Scottish Parliament I would like to see us take on responsibility for very many other aspects of domestic life. I would like us to address many of the moral and social issues we face here in Scotland. We should have legislative competence on such things as abortion, equality and euthanasia, it’s quite wrong for these issues to be ‘reserved’ for Westminster. We really should be able to legislate on these things here in Scotland.

As to the other issues facing the electorate, we will be advocating the abolition of the council tax and its replacement with a local income tax. This new tax will be directly related to people’s ability to pay. This will come as a real relief to the many people on fixed incomes, especially our pensioners who have to pay far too large a proportion of their incomes on the council tax.

I am particularly pleased to have ensured that we are advocating the abolition of the Graduate Endowment. The creation of this charge was a compromise forced on us by the Labour Party when we abolished university tuition fees. I regard this as unfinished business and I am determined to see the Endowment scrapped. It will be a real contribution to addressing the issue of rising student debt.

Making Scotland the renewable powerhouse of Europe is a real and ambitious possibility with the development of wave and tidal power and off-shore wind farms. Our aim is to eventually have all of Scotland’s electricity produced by renewable energy. The environment will be an issue addressed by all our political parties. I genuinely believe that the Scottish Liberal Democrats are the practical environmentalists, willing to introduce real and practical ‘green’ policies into government.

So the issues confronting the voters on May 3^rd are many indeed and we must get away from the idea that we face just a simple question of independence or no-change. In reality life as we all know is far more complicated than this.

Maureen Macmillan was Labour List MSP for Highlands and Islands

People who live in the Central Belt sometimes imagine that the only issues which concern us in the Highlands are  farming, fishing or tourism; whereas the reality is that we are  as concerned about education, the health service, employment, anti-social behaviour, housing and so on as folks in any other part of Scotland.

Highland education has a good reputation and Labour has invested in new schools, more teachers and smaller classes here as elsewhere. Historically we have lost our young people south because of lack of opportunity at home.  Thankfully, this is being reversed as the Highland economy grows and we must continue to invest in our infrastructure; in UHI, and the linked colleges; in the new technology which will bring us wave and tidal power and in communications technology to bridge our vast distances.

These vast distances between population centres as you move north and west  make it difficult to deliver services, particularly community health and social services. Local authorities and Health Boards do look at innovative ways of addressing these issues but sometimes what is offered is short of people’s expectations and it is up to politicians to try and square these circles.

While the remoteness creates problems for the delivery of services, it attracts the better off from elsewhere who are looking for a holiday hideaway, thus putting enormous upward pressure on  house prices in attractive communities.  We are looking at how best we can protect crofting from this market pressure and are using a range of other tools to protect grant aided rural housing being sold on in the free market.

Indeed, housing provision  is now a major challenge.  For the first time in generations, our population is growing through very welcome in-migration from other parts of Scotland and the UK, and from Europe. We also have in Scotland the most comprehensive rights for homeless people of anywhere in Europe. This too has put pressure on the housing stock.  The Executive has quadrupled its spending on Highland housing in the last 4 years.  Particularly effective has been the 25% rule which requires every housing developer to include one quarter of affordable housing in any new schemes, and Homestake housing – where the purchaser buys 60% of the home and can gradually build up the equity to 100% is proving popular and effective in giving people a start on the housing ladder.  But it is a huge challenge to build enough to satisfy demand.

And, in common with the rest of Scotland, we have one intractable problem which is not easily solved. Alcohol abuse.  It results in anti-social behaviour and also, regrettably, violence on our streets and in our casualty departments. It destroys lives.  We have the worst statistics in Europe for alcohol related deaths.  The Highlands in particular have still a drink driving culture which has caused tens of deaths over recent years.  More and more young people at a younger and younger age are abusing alcohol.  We have to break off this love affair with drink.  The new licensing laws will help, giving the police and licensing board more powers to close the premises of irresponsible licensees, the test purchasing scheme, so successful in Fife, will be rolled out across Scotland to catch retailers who sell to underage drinkers.  The drinks industry has made commitments to be more responsible – I hope this will mean goodbye to alco-pops and cheap supermarket  beer.  But the major challenge will be in changing cultural attitudes and it will require sustained efforts not just from Government, but from us all.

Margaret Mitchell was the Conservative List MSP for Central Scotland

The end of the second session of the SP marks a watershed for Scotland. At present the gap between the poor and the rich is widening, waiting times are going up, crime and offences are getting worse, council tax has increased by 63%, economic growth is lagging behind England and 100,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost between 1997 and 2005.

In response to the Lib/Lab pact’s dismal record the Scottish Conservatives have announced a raft of commonsense policies to address the real issues that matter to people in Scotland. 

Starting with policies to cut crime, to tackle the misery and destruction caused by drug abuse in our communities with £100 million extra a year for drug rehabilitation programmes and a commitment for an extra 1500 policemen on our streets.

A Town Centre Regeneration Scheme worth £20 million a year, for 4 years, as part of a package of measures we will introduce to support small businesses and traditional shopping areas under pressure from supermarkets and out-of-town retail parks. This package includes a £150 million scheme to abolish business rates for some small firms and to reduce them for others.

The provision of affordable housing is one of our highest priorities. To enable key workers and young families access to affordable housing we have announced an Affordable Homes Trust worth £100m every year. Prospective homeowners will be able to apply to a Trust for assistance in buying a home in an area of their choice, which will help give local people the opportunity to remain in local communities where currently they cannot afford stay. 

Crucially the future of Scotland depends on its families.  The family is the most important institution in Scotland which is why it must be supported helped with childcare, healthcare and wealthcare.  To this end we will ensure parents have more choice over who cares for their children as well as where their children have access to nursery education.

We will support local health and dental services, offering closer, faster, better healthcare, retaining local emergency and maternity services and improving the system for elective treatments by allowing patients to choose which hospital will perform their operation.

Finally in order to secure a fair deal for pensioners we will introduce a 50% council tax discount to all pensioner households aged 65 and over. This will save an average single pensioner well over £400 and an average pensioner couple almost £600. Furthermore the discount is in addition to any discount already received and it will not be means tested.

Despite the media hype the Scottish Conservatives do not believe people in Scotland want separation but we do fully recognise that they want devolution to deliver. The practical policies we propose, which will continue to concentrate on standing up for Scotland’s families, are the ones which we firmly believe can and will deliver the kind of devolved Scotland people here so desperately want and deserve.

Rosie Kane was the Scottish Socialist Party List MSP for Glasgow

The SSP believes that the main campaigning issues during this election will revolve around our campaign slogan  of "People Not Profit": For us these issues will be –

§         Independence

§         Free public transport to encourage its use and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

§         Ending the illegal occupation of Iraq.

§         Scrapping Trident

§         Scrapping the unfair Council Tax

§         Building thousands of new affordable, well-insulated council houses for rent.

§         The reinstatement of student grants as a first step towards ending student poverty.

The SSP refuses to accept that millions must live in poverty for a few to live in unimaginable wealth. We believe that we can make Scotland a better nation, where every school child eats a nutritious, free lunch every day; where pensioners receive a decent income instead of dying in their thousands each winter due to fuel poverty; where families are housed in warm homes near green spaces; where refugees are welcomed and encouraged to help us build a new Scotland rather than being imprisoned; where war is an ugly memory; where energy is sustainable and where a publicly-owned expanded and fare-free train, bus and ferry services link every community in Scotland.

Gordon Brown’s Budget may fool a few but for many low income households the reality will be that they will end up paying more in tax to fund the 2p basic rate cut for those on middle-incomes.  That is the opposite of fighting poverty. We want to see a society where wealth is more fairly shared.  That means ending the Council Tax and replacing it with a fairer system based on personal income. 

We are calling time on a "United" Kingdom that drags us into illegal, immoral wars; that ignores our call for nuclear disarmament and instead dumps nuclear missiles within miles of our largest city.  Scotland has nearly full employment, yet we are plumbing new depths of poverty and all that it entails, from premature birth to premature death, through barely habitable housing, cheap, over-processed, un-nourishing food, pollution, crime, drug & alcohol dependency and physical and mental illness.

Big problems also need big solutions.  Environmental Justice must go hand in hand with Social Justice and that is why we are calling for free public transport for all as a means of reducing car use and greenhouse gas emissions.  We are also calling on the building of thousands of sustainable energy-supplied, well insulated council houses to reduce homelessness, fuel poverty and ill health.

We seek an independent, Scottish socialist republic that functions, not as an island, but as a part of a living, breathing network of humanity.

Since 2003, when we returned six MSPs to Holyrood we have used our parliamentary representation to campaign for free school meals, the scrapping of prescription charges, to oppose the illegal invasion of Iraq, to expose the plight of low-income households and against the disgrace of allowing rendition flights from Scottish airports. Our MSPs take only the average workers' wage, donating the rest to the party.

We hope that a few will join us in the only war worth fighting - against poverty and greed, and for humanity and peace. For people, not profit.

Rosemary Byrne was the Solidarity MSP for the South of Scotland.

Solidarity is Scotland's newest political party formed last September by MSPs Tommy Sheridan and Rosemary Byrne when they separated from the Scottish Socialist Party. We are standing in every part of the country on the regional list for the parliament and in many council seats, our major problem is recognition for the new party however in one opinion poll which identified Solidarity as the party of Tommy Sheridan and Rosemary Byrne we recorded 7% of the vote which could give us 7 MSPs.

Solidarity is a socialist party which wants an independent socialist Scotland we have just published our election manifesto available on the Solidarity website WWW.solidarityscotland.org here are some of the main points.

1.       Abolition of the Council Tax, Tommy Sheridan is the only MSP to have introduced a bill twice to abolish the council tax and replace it with an income based tax, all the major parties in parliament voted against it.

2.      We want to make this election a referendum on Trident Gordon Brown wants to spend up to £100 billion on renewing Trident we want to cancel it and spend the money on health, education and housing.

3.      We want to introduce a universal non means tested allowance for carers which recognises their unique contribution to social care in Scotland.

4.      Tommy Sheridan introduced a bill in the first parliament for free school meals this has helped to extend free meals and improve them however we want to make them totally free.

5.      I intend to introduce a bill for smaller class sizes, free further and higher education and restoration of full grants after all they manage these things in many parts of europe why not Scotland?

6.      I introduced a bill into the last Scottish parliament which would have transformed drug treatment and cut crime massively. I will reintroduce it in the new parliament.

7.      Tommy Sheridan introduced a bill into the parliament last time to take our railways back into public ownership this got massive support across Scotland and we will reintroduce it.

8.      Housing in Scotland is in major crisis with huge price rises and increased numbers of homelessness we need 30,000 new rented homes a year and an end to the right to buy.

9.      Tommy Sheridan has drafted and consulted on a bill to ban airguns and it has overwhelming support from Scotland we will introduce it as a priority.

10.   Finally we will introduce a bill for an independence referendum in the first 100 days of the new parliament only an independent socialist Scotland  will enable us to create the kind of society we want.

Solidarity is the newest political party in Scotland but we believe our policies will address the concerns of many in the churches of Scotland, on the issues of peace, equality and social justice; the church and Solidarity will I'm sure be singing from the same hymn sheet!