The SNP continue to show they are too busy spending their time campaigning for their own party-political interests rather than acting as a Government spending its time exercising its powers in the national interest.
John Swinney, Scotland’s Finance Minister, has misrepresented the Calman Commission on the issue of a national oil fund.
The Commission systematically demolished everything that the SNP believes about oil. If John Swinney didn’t understand the report, he should pay more attention; if he is being deliberately dishonest about it, he should show more respect.
The money that both the UK and Scottish Governments get from oil should be spent creating jobs to help Scotland through the recession. It is irresponsible to call for it to be put away in some oil fund. Devolving oil revenues is also a bad idea because it would expose the Scottish public services to huge budget fluctuations whenever oil prices yoyo up and down. Besides, the idea will never see the light of day and it comes pretty late in the life of North Sea oil.
Again, on the issue of Dunfermline Building Society, the SNP have shown to be out of their depth. The SNP under-estimated the extent of the problems created by the Dunfermline’s management, offering it £25m to ‘trade on’. However, in the end, huge restructuring and £1.6bn from the UK Treasury was needed.
The Scottish people need real leadership, not a Government only looking after their own party-political interests.
Comment by pablitok on August 3, 2009 at 7:23 pm
The Westminster Government should take a harder line with Mr Salmond instead of playing into his hands. Since coming to power (if we can actualy say that his minority government is in power) he has followed his own game in true Salmond style – populist measures, photo opportunities and a glib tongue! All designed to hide the truth – broken election promises, economic slowdown (despite the pomp surrounding Diageo) and rising crime! (His justice minister couldn’t find his way to the Scottish Parliament on his own, never mind find a way to deal with prison overcrowding!)We shouldn’t forget that Salmond has waited a long time to get into power and is willing to play his cards carefully to take advantage of the political vacuum that exists in Scottish politics. He is a master at being patient as he advances his independence cause step by step. The Scottish Conservative Party should be doing more to highlight his broken promises and present a realistic alternative to the SNP’s egocentric policies – people will listen to a reasonable argument given that Salmond’s smugness is one of his most distastful qualities.