Sunday, February 15, 2009

Bad Week for the SNP

Slogans, Cuts and Tax

This week has not been really successful for the SNP locally or Nationally. Nationally despite their protestations that they remained fully committed to a Local Income Tax the Flag ship policy was finally dropped.

The Local Income Tax was the SNP's 'Big Idea' it was the one issue they spent MORE time on than any other at the 2007 elections, more time than Education and Police and more time than independence, their so called reason for being. One SNP spokesperson is quoted as saying that they 'took command of the situation' by dumping it. An article in the Scotland on Sunday today contains a suggestion that MANY of the SNP MSP's won primarily because of this policy,
and I am sure there are many people who voted for the SNP at the last election who would not normally have done so based on this policy that are now regretting their decision and many will now feel let down and deceived.

Locally the SNP presented their budget to Renfrewshire Council with a slight sting in the tail for their finance spokesperson Cllr Noon, as the Leader of the Council Cllr MacKay made the presentation of the budget himself rather than following long established convention (which I believe they stuck to last year) and allowing the finance spokesperson to present.

Could it be that Cllr Noon declined to do this as he did not agree with the budget being presented? Is there a split locally in the SNP? Or is it just that Derek is a bit of a control freak? I would have said glory hunter but having examined the budget there is no glory in taking responsibility for it.

Cuts, cuts and more cuts another £1Million cut in the Social Work budget and £2.5Million from the Education budget despite the propaganda on the Renfrewshire Council website. I was trying to put more information on the council's budget onto this article but the website for the Council will not allow access to the Council and Government section, conicendence? Make up your own mind.


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