Home rule journey must carry on across our towns and cities

Iain-GrayIain Gray MSP, a member of the Smith Commission, says with the Vow being delivered Scots deserve to know how the new powers will be used to make Scotland the fairest nation on earth.

 

I was proud to be a part of the Smith Commission, and proud to be part of that that historic agreement which has delivered the Vow. I look forward to seeing today’s draft clauses deliver on the next stage of that Vow for Scotland. This is home rule for Scotland. It’s an exciting time for our nation.

Any politician who is not excited by the potential these powers will give us to change Scotland for the better, should ask themselves if they are in the right job.

What Scots now need from politicians isn’t another argument over what powers we have. Instead they need to hear how these massive new powers will be used to make Scotland the fairest nation on earth.

But Scotland’s home rule journey can’t stop at Holyrood. It must carry on across Scotland’s towns and cities. Scottish Labour said that in the Smith Commission. On the day of the Smith Agreement Lord Smith himself said it, and he was right.

It makes no sense to simply transfer powers from one capital city, London, to another capital city, Edinburgh.

Official figures show that over the last few months the number of Scots out of work has gone up. Decisions about getting people back into work should be taken in places like Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Dundee, not just by a minister sitting behind a desk at Holyrood.

With more Scots out of work this month, the time for sending more power to communities across the country is now.

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