MikeMike Robb, Scottish Labour candidate in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey for the 2015 general election, poses six questions.

 

We can all talk about values and mission. The two places I hear that most are at business and political conferences. And mostly it is just talk.

One thing I’ve learned in business, which applies just as much in politics, is that real leadership is about being clear about what you believe in, what you want to change and what your priorities will be. You set the agenda for what you want to see happen.

I want Scottish Labour to set the agenda on six clear red issues.

  • How do we build at least 20,000 new homes a year in Scotland by 2020, to buy and to rent, affordable to new buyers and families alike?
  • How do we provide childcare that allows all aspiring parents to earn a decent living?
  • How do we make earning a Living Wage the baseline for everyone in work?
  • What is the fairest way to devolve power and budgets to Councils and Communities to deliver services that meet their own local needs?
  • Instead of renewing Trident, how could we invest Scotland’s share of that money to create long term, high tech jobs?
  • How do we lift families in town and rural areas out of fuel poverty?

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of political priorities for Scottish Labour. Effective funding of the NHS, education and social care in Scotland are vital issues. I haven’t even mentioned more devolution and constitutional issues.

But I believe that if we work out the best Labour answers to these questions then we will create long term jobs, especially for young people, that don’t depend just on oil revenues. We can start to link the role of renewables to fuel costs. We can remove the policy and financial straight jacket that prevents councils and communities working out the best local solutions for services, and we can make work pay fairly whilst still providing a just and secure benefit system.

Six Scottish Labour policies. Six Scottish Labour priorities.

I look forward to hearing our leadership candidates’ views on them.

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