Both the SNP and Tory governments must take urgent action and adopt Labour’s ‘Brexit Action Plan” to protect rights and support the economy now, Scottish Labour said today.
Labour supports exploring all options to keep Scotland in the EU and the UK but said the SNP must not take their eye off the day job – protecting jobs and the economy from the immediate impact of Brexit.
At a time when the Scottish economy is underperforming relative to the UK with growth revised downward, employment levels declining and worklessness increasing, the added impact of Brexit creates uncertainty for business. Independent economists indicate that it is likely that the Scottish and UK economy will fall in to recession this year.
Labour believes that the SNP must take urgent steps to address the immediate aftershocks to the Scottish economy following the EU referendum.
The plan includes proposals such as:
- Bringing forward infrastructure spending with a particular focus on housebuilding with a target of 60,000 affordable homes built over the next 5 years.
- Establishing a Brexit Support Fund for at-risk sectors.
- Guaranteeing existing workers’ rights in the UK.
- Confirming EU nationals studying, working and living in the UK can remain in the UK after Brexit.
- Ending austerity by using the new powers of the Scottish Parliament.
Labour have called for Theresa May to stop using ‘human beings as bargaining chips’ , saying that a guarantee that EU nationals can remain in the UK and that workers’ rights will be protected would send a vital and important signal to Europe and the rest of the world.
Scottish Labour Leader Kezia Dugdale said:
“The consequences of the UK voting to leave the EU will be felt for years to come, and the only thing we know for sure is that we don’t know very much about what the future holds.
Labour supports the SNP government’s efforts to secure Scotland’s relationship with the EU.
The Tory and SNP governments must explore all options to ensure that Scotland can remain in the EU and the UK. That is what the majority of people in Scotland voted for.
However, Scotland’s governments have a moral duty to protect jobs and the economy from the fallout of Brexit.
The Tory government must stop using human beings as bargaining chips and guarantee that those who work, study and live here can stay and that the rights we enjoy at work are protected. At a time when Europe and the rest of the world are looking at the UK in confusion that would send a vital signal that we remain a compassionate country.
Labour stands with the majority of Scots who want to be part of the UK and the EU – we won’t give up pursuing those options but protecting jobs and public services must come first.”
Scottish Labour Economy spokesperson Jackie Baillie said
“Whilst the SNP are entirely right to continue to attempt to secure Scotland’s place in Europe, they can’t take their eye off the day job – they have a duty to protect Scottish jobs and the Scottish economy from the fallout of Brexit in the short, medium and long term.
Bringing forward infrastructure spending will give our economy a boost – and Labour would argue the primary focus should be housebuilding so we can tackle Scotland’s housing crisis.
The SNP government should also establish a Brexit support fund for industries most at risk and use the tax powers of the Scottish Parliament to stop the cuts to public services.
Scotland’s economy will face serious challenges regardless of how the process of Brexit plays out – it is vital that the SNP government have a plan in place to protect our economy from the shocks it will face now and in the future.”
Tax and spend then eh?Blinding new idea!!
This is going to be a very tough ask for Scotland. After decades of underinvestment in manufacturing, we just don’t have any “base” to stimulate.
Westminster forked up large incentives for foreign car manufacturers to set up in England, and to replace their strike-ridden moribund indigenous industry, Scotland got no such boost—we got screwdriver assembly plants instead.
Scotland has no borrowing powers as yet, so if we spend more money *here*, we must cut money *there*—I see no preference from Labour where to cut. Mz Baillie somehow forgot to say.
Scottish (and other) workers have suffered a 10% decline in incomes ( I have pointed this out before), yet Labour politicians ( whose incomes are protected ) think a tax rise is a “good thing”.
Its pretty certain there will be a budget later in the year, and there will be a boost to infrastructure spending. But all infrastructure spending directed by Westminster, has,for decades, concentrated on the southern half of England—-check the National Infrastructure Plan. NIP.
Westminster didn’t invest in Scotland while the oil revenue was flowing south. Why would they do so now its largely stopped?
The “Broad Shoulders” crap is no more than a slogan—ask Aberdonians!
Yip an Aberdonian here, the Scottish Government with no borrowing power gave the city more money to manage the oil crisis than Westminster, so broad shoulders is just a shite myth. Essentially Labour are asking Scotland to foot the bill of Tory Westminster incompetence and Cameron’s arrogance.
The Scottish Government has cut funding for Aberdeen City every year for nine years. I imagine that’s Westminster’s fault though, right? And then when they find extra money that’s all the generosity of the great SNP, right? God what a world we live in.
Duncan !, we know you think no-one remembers labours part in wrecking the UK economy, and that the Scottish government has had to deal with the consequence’s of that ever since they got into government.
Also we do know that Scotland can only work with the money it is given from Westminster, and as that has been reduced over a number of years, it beggars belief that you think you can blame the SNP Scottish government for having to balance the budget after your party’s role in putting this country into Westminster forced austerity.
and from :
2010/11 to 2014/15 – Scottish Grant.
Revenue cut 8% = 2.1 billion.
Capital cut 36% = 1.2 billion.
Presumably that was when Aberdeen was thriving, and much of the money will have gone to the poorer Scottish councils, like Glasgow 9 though you would never guess, given the endless whining from them).
I also thought the funding formula was worked out by COSLA, which was a front for Labour for decades.
No they haven’t! The overall Scottish Budget to the whole of Scotland was cut at Westminster supported by the Labour party.
You’re new Red Tory Dear leader Owen Smith wants to go further by taking away the Barnett budget altogether! He hasn’t as yet told us how Scotland is supposed to fund itself when he does while continuing to send its revenues to Westminster but then he wont have to because even he knows he has got Hee Haw chance of even being an MP after this little insurrection is over.
You keep trying to attribute Labours failings to the SNP.
That’s projection.
What happened to all of that Oil and Gas revenue Duncan? Has none of it made its way back from London yet?
Rhetoric …. nothing but empty rhetoric (shakes head in resignation and thanks the gods for a Scottish govt that has actual substance).
“establishing a brexit support fund”, ,- where’s the extra money coming for that ? labours magic money tree.
Guaranteeing “workers rights” – that’s under Westminster control.
Confirming EU nationals can remain in UK after Brexit – again under Westminster control.
“Ending austerity” – by increasing taxes for Scotland.
And for the umpteenth time will someone remind kezia and the rest of the labour party, that we can’t remain in both the UK and EU, that’s what the bloody referendum was about.
Headline: “Scottish Labour Announce Brexit action plan”
Almost 2 weeks after the Scottish Government started to implement and actually action their plan from almost the same hour the result was declared.
And they wonder why they are not even seen to be fit enough to sit in opposition to the Scottish Government.
Has it been approved by the Labour party leadership in London yet? Or are they still too busy trying to destroy the democratic process of the Labour party through insurrection?