One year on

It wasn’t exactly rocket science to predict that the SNP would have trouble getting their campaign promises through Parliament after they creeped into power as a minority government. One year on, Labour is accusing them of ‘dumping’ their promises:

But Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander said style rather than substance had been the mark of the Scottish Government in its first year.

“A year ago they promised to dump student debt, reduce class sizes, match Labour’s school building programme and introduce first time house buyers grants,” she said.

“Promises they solemnly made to the people of Scotland, but pledges they’ve broken with barely a murmur of apology.”

What I’m more concerned with is (given I do not spend my time over at Holyrood) the ‘triumphs’ of freezing council tax and scrapping of other plans that involve, at least on the surface, costing taxpayers in Scotland less. But where will the extra money come from? Taxes are high enough as they are.

As usual, I’m just thinking out loud — given the recent issues with oil (prices, strikes in Grangemouth, diesel hitting 128.9p per litre near us, in Nowheresville, Scotland), even if oil revenues were to go straight to Scotland, would there be enough benefit to all? Or would the rich just get richer?