News| Weather| Traffic Home  > News  > Scottish

BIG ON News Channels: City |Education |Football |Health |Scottish |Showbiz |Strange But True |Technology |UK |World

Politicians ‘neglected Scotland’
 

July 14, 2010 @ 10:14 am Posted By BIG ON News
 
article image
Constitutional change obsession has led to political decline, a report said
 

Politicians have neglected Scotland’s problems because of an obsession with constitutional change, according to a report.

Policy Exchange, a centre-right think-tank, argued that Holyrood has presided over a “decline” in education and health, two areas controlled from Edinburgh since devolution in 1999.

It said “deep-seated social and economic problems” were ignored while the economy “languished” behind the rest of the UK.

The report comes as MSPs continue to debate the extension of powers for Holyrood.

Unionist parties set up the Calman commission, which recommended more tax powers, while the SNP wants full financial control, leading ultimately to independence.

A campaign for fiscal autonomy was also launched recently by some business leaders and economists.

The Policy Exchange report – called The Devolution Distraction – argued that an obsession with the constitution leads to “bad government”.

The report stated: “In response to a mix of different motives, the Scottish political establishment is deeply conservative in its attitude to reform.

“Only on constitutional matters is there any drive for change. Yet the problems Scotland faces are political in nature, not constitutional.

“If the huge increase in ‘accountability’ that took place with devolution in 1999 did not improve matters, there is no reason to suppose that further constitutional change will help. Scotland, in fact, already has the powers it needs to undertake radical reforms.”

 
  • VN:F [1.9.3_1094]
    Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
 
 

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.