SNP and Labour to call for stronger powers

The SNP and Labour have both called for the new Scotland Bill to go further and bring new devolved powers to the Scottish Parliament.

The Bill, designed to implement the recommendations from the Smith Commission, will get a second reading in Westminster today, with both the SNP and Labour planning to table amendments to strengthen Scotland’s devolved powers.

The SNP amendment warns, “the measures proposed in the Scotland Bill are not an adequate response to the election result in Scotland”, calling for the inclusion of additional devolved powers over “job creation, taxation, welfare and wages”.

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Labour meanwhile called on changes that would the Scottish Parliament to mitigate austerity.

Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray will call for the Scottish Parliament to have power to top up UK benefit rates and create new ones, along with full devolution of housing benefit.

Describing the Bill as “woefully lacking”, SNP MP Angus Robertson said: “The Smith powers are widely seen as the bare minimum which should be delivered to Scotland and yet every party in the Scottish Parliament - even the Scottish Tories –have backed the view of the cross-party Devolution Committee that the Bill as it stands simply doesn't measure up.

“It is abundantly clear that there needs to be substantial changes and improvements to bring the Bill up to scratch - and to deliver the powers people in Scotland want to see.

 “As it stands, major powers over social security, the minimum wage and other key economic powers would remain in the hands of David Cameron and George Osborne - it is time these powers were delivered to Scotland to allow us to take real action to grow our economy and tackle poverty.

Murray said: “The original purpose of devolution was to keep the social solidarity that comes from being part of something bigger whilst recognising the uniqueness of Scotland’s role in the UK.”

He added: “The Bill we will debate over the coming weeks isn’t perfect, but it allows us to keep the benefits of pooling and sharing resources across the UK whilst taking our own decisions in key areas. That’s what over two million Scots voted for just last year.”

Responding to the SNP amendments, he said: “The SNP promised in their manifesto to deliver Full Fiscal Autonomy, but they have barely settled into their Westminster offices before completely abandoning it.

“The SNP know their policy of Full Fiscal Autonomy would be a disaster for Scotland, they just won’t admit it.

 “The First Minister said during the General Election that her MPs would vote for it this year, their amendments to the Scotland Bill confirm that they won’t.

“The reality is that Full Fiscal Autonomy would mean a level of austerity to our public services in Scotland that even George Osborne wouldn’t dream of, which is why the SNP are sprinting away from their own flagship policy.”