The Scottish Government has published the third part of a series, Building a New Scotland, which aims to provide information to voters before any independence referendum is held.
This paper deals with the economic proposals to “build an inclusive, fair, wellbeing economy that works for everyone in Scotland”.
- The government promises:
- to have lower energy prices and security of supply
- improved access to flexible working and greater job security with stronger workplace rights
- an escape from the London-centric economic model
- to allow Scots to regain their European citizenship with a right to work, live or study in the EU
- that there will be a benefit from investments in a new fund with up to £20 billion to be spent on major infrastructure
- to use the pound until the time is right for a new currency
- to allow communities to own and steer economy with involvement in local developments
- to develop inclusive consensus-driven economic policies which serve European countries “so well”
It is touted as an escape from the effects of Brexit which the government believes will end in a long-term reduction in productivity of 4% than if the UK had remained in the EU. The independent nation would also trade within the European Single Market.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The UK economy is fundamentally on the wrong path and there is no real alternative on offer within the Westminster system.
“The establishment consensus on Brexit – despite the harm it is causing – illustrates that.
“For Scotland, not being independent means we are being dragged down the wrong path too: one people in Scotland did not vote for.
“To build a more stable, sustainable economy – with fairness and human wellbeing at heart – independence is therefore essential.
“That is the fundamental point we make in this paper. Independence is not an abstract argument separate from people’s daily lives.
“It has at its heart the ambition – and crucially, it equips us with the essential tools – to build a fairer, wealthier, greener, happier country.”
False statements
The document also promises to rely on the country’s renewable energy resources. The fact checking service Full Fact has announced that senior SNP politicians (Nicola Sturgeon, John Swinney and Iain Blackford) have made misleading statements on renewable energy in recent days.
One of these statements is that 100% of Scotland’s electricity production comes from renewables. This is false. What is true however is that the country generates sufficient renewable energy to cover its annual consumption. BUT it often needs to supplement energy demand with nuclear or non-renewable according to need from time to time.
Full Fact clarifies the statements made and says that for the year to September 2022, 63% of electricity actually used in Scotland came from renewable sources, 20% from nuclear and 14.5% from gas.
The document, Building a New Scotland, a Stronger Economy with Independence is the result of a development process which has involved substantial input from the Scottish Greens, as provided for in the Bute House Agreement which saw the party join the Scottish Government last year. It presents a progressive, ambitious and forward looking vision for the economy of an independent Scotland.
The paper includes major improvements to workers rights, specifically proposing a significant expansion of collective bargaining to improve pay and conditions, enhancing the minimum wage to reflect the cost of living and repeal of the UK government’s anti-worker 2016 Trade Union Act.
It also includes a £20bn New Scotland Fund focused on transitioning to a zero carbon future through measures such as a substantial home energy efficiency programme, helping households cut their bills and reduce their energy use.
Ross Greer MSP, Scottish Greens finance spokesperson, said: “This is a positive, optimistic and forward looking vision for an independent Scotland. It demonstrates clearly how the powers of a normal independent nation will let us build an economy that works for people and the planet.
“With Greens in government we are doing all we can to tackle the cost of living and climate emergencies. But there is so much more that we could do by taking our future into our own hands and gaining the economic powers of a normal nation, like set a decent minimum wage to eradicate poverty pay.
“By investing in new renewable technologies as we phase out oil and gas, and refocusing on an economy which works for everyone rather than just those at the very top, we can transform Scotland for the better.
“We only need to cast our eyes a few miles north to see how our Nordic neighbours have delivered stable, successful economies by putting people’s wellbeing first. Fairer economies are consistently stronger economies.”
Maggie Chapman MSP, the Scottish Greens economy spokesperson said: “Independence will allow us to finally break from the cruel, inhumane and anti-climate policies of Downing Street and ensure that wellbeing and social and environmental justice are at the heart of our economy.
“By expanding collective bargaining rights and ensuring that all workers are paid a real living wage we can build a fairer economy and tackle the appalling levels of poverty and inequality that are so prevalent.
“But we can’t do these things when we have one hand tied behind our back by a vicious and incompetent Westminster government that is more concerned with its wealthy friends and donors.
“Scotland has changed a lot since 2014, with a reckless and costly Brexit that we voted against and another 8 years of disastrous Tory rule.
“The debate on independence has also moved on since then. The vision presented in this paper includes many of the principles and policies that the Scottish Greens and the wider radical independence movement have been calling for.
“With the powers of independence we can deliver even more of the change that is so badly needed.”
Scottish Labour finance spokesperson Daniel Johnson said: “While economic chaos reigns, the SNP is focused on plunging Scotland into even greater turmoil.
“The truth is this – the SNP government has no answers to the key economic questions surrounding independence.
“They have no plan for a central bank worthy of the name and no plan to balance the books in the event of independence.
“Scotland using the currency of another state without a shared political system is a recipe for mayhem.
“Those with mortgages are right to be alarmed at this slapdash fiscal policy. The SNP’s plan for homeowners to pay off mortgages in a different currency is a disaster waiting to happen.
“What Nicola Sturgeon and her nationalist government plan to do is to drive Scotland into decades of economic chaos and austerity so that they can pursue their constitutional obsession.
“Rather than deliver solutions to this economic crisis, the SNP want to gamble with the finances and public services of the people of Scotland.
“The solution to Tory economic crisis is not SNP economic crisis – it is a reforming Labour government.
“The people of Scotland should not pay the price for the SNP’s independence pipedreams.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
