Sturgeon explains why Holyrood can’t always be sticking plaster for Tory cuts
This two minute video of Nicola Sturgeon details the problem with the idea that the Scottish Parliament can be permanently used to fill the holes left by Tory cuts. Sturgeon details why the Scottish Parliament can only be used as a sticking plaster for Tory cuts for so long.
Check out the video below. Here is the argument in bullet points.
- The Scottish Government does not have the power to abolish policies like the Rape Clause.
- Trying to mitigate the damage is very difficult due to how complex the benefit system is.
- Also, when cuts are made by the UK government these savings are not passed onto the Scottish government.
- So to mitigate the cuts, resources need to be moved from other struggling budgets such as schools and hospitals.
- Since 2015 the Scottish government has spent £350 million mitigating the bedroom tax so budgets are already creaking.
- The argument that the Scottish government should plug the gaps left by Tory cuts is therefore ridiculous.
- Drawn to its conclusion it would mean the Tories could cut all benefit and leave the Scottish government to deal with the consequences without any changes to the budget.
- If the Tories really want Scotland to deal with these issues then they should devolve full powers over these benefits as well as the budgets that go with them.
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excellent, it has to be pointed out at evry single opportunity, all money removed from the poor, in Scotland, by the Uk tory government is removed from the economy of Scotland as a whole. As N S says, any devolved powers must be matched with the budget to go with it, we are forced to send almos all, if not all, of our revenues to the London treasury, yet are made to feel grateful for the few crumbs thrown back at Scotland. Scotland, the SNP are keeping our country afloat, those who do not recognise, accept or acknowledge that fact… Read more »