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Kezia Dugdale has come under renewed pressure to use her party’s conference to set out a credible position on council tax – amidst polling evidence showing that even her own party’s voters are backing the SNP’s fair, progressive reforms to local tax. Labour has yet to detail any firm plans for local taxation – while a poll last week showed that the SNP’s planed reforms are by far the most popular option amongst even Labour voters.  The poll confirmed that the SNP’s plans were favoured amongst the majority of those who expressed an opinion. The SNP Government has announced plans to reform local tax, whichRead More →

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In: Political News

Welcoming the passing of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill, SNP MSP Kevin Stewart said: “The Private Housing (Tenancies) Bill will provide for a transformative change in the private rented sector – providing security for Scotland’s 700,000 tenants. “The Bill creates a modern tenancy, ends no fault evictions and limits rent increases to once every 12 months. “This legislation addresses the problem of excessive rent rises by giving councils the ability to apply to introduce rent controls in designated rent pressure areas. This is the first time any such control has been introduced in Scotland and is an ambitious plan to ensure protection for tenantsRead More →

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As a young woman I remember the feeling of being lumbered with the inconvenience and pain each month of the pleasure of being a woman. What irked even more was the ‘pleasure’ of having to pay for products that I was forced into buying. To then find out that the government also taxed you on this was just simply too much. Congratulations to Alison for being the figurehead in taking this forward on behalf of the women of Scotland and the other countries under UK government taxation. Editor SNP MP Alison Thewliss introduced an amendment in July 2015 at the Finance Bill Committee stage toRead More →

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In: Jim Lynch

I went to the SECC in Glasgow for the Spring Conference;  it was my intention to go on the Saturday and Sunday, and as I do not like driving in Glasgow I took the bus.  Edinburgh to Buchanan Street, Glasgow no problem.  Hike down to Central Station – 20 minutes at least – never timed it.  Train to the SECC 5 minutes, then the walkway, no idea of how long but I was humphing a briefcase.   Coming back was worse as I bought three books to fill the briefcase.  By the time I got back to Buchanan Street I decided that I could notRead More →

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In: Guest Blogger

There is little doubt these years are proving increasingly impossible for Labour but I believe the key moment occurred many years previously, in the mid 1990’s. The SNP Executive Committee had to make a key strategic decision, to join the Constitutional Convention or to remain on the outside. The Executive was divided with some favouring joining with the Unionist parties and others, myself included, who were firm in our belief that if the SNP stayed on the outside, keeping the pressure on and threatening electoral defeat on the unionists if there was any backsliding then that was the best way of ensuring a new ScottishRead More →

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Dennis Robertson MSP for Aberdeenshire West and his guide dog Mr Q were spotted taking time out from the SNP conference at the SECC to visit the Quilter Cheviot Etape Royale stand at the Cycling and Walking exhibition which was also taking place. The 2016 100 mile closed road event starts and ends in Ballater on 18th September and takes in some of the most stunning scenery in Scotland on its route through upper Deeside, and on to Dufftown before climbing up over the Lecht and back to Ballater. Aboyne, Upper Deeside & Donside SNP Councillor Geva Blackett said “This event, now in its secondRead More →

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In: Political News

On Saturday Nicola set out a range of new policies which your SNP government will deliver if they are re-elected in May. A new initiative to build support for independence This summer the SNP will embark on a new initiative to build support for independence. Nicola outlined the next steps to build a strong majority for independence – to hear and address the concerns of those who weren’t convinced to vote for independence in 2014. That is how the 45 per cent of September 2014 will be turned into resounding yes vote. New funding for low-income families to give every child the best start in life Right now,Read More →

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In: Political News

INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS: COUNCIL TAX FREEZE “OVER-FUNDED” BY SNP The SNP has highlighted updated analysis from the independent Scottish Parliament Information Centre which has again confirmed that the SNP government has fully funded the Council Tax freeze since 2008-09. The new analysis finds that “on the basis that the freeze was intended to compensate for a foregone per annum increase in Council Tax it could be said that the freeze, over the period 2008-09 to 2014-15 was ‘over-funded’”. SPICe has estimated that this has resulted in an additional £180 million going to local government since the freeze was introduced. Commenting, SNP MSP Kevin Stewart said: “ThisRead More →

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In: Clare Adamson

I sit down to write this flag on International Women’s Day, celebrated throughout the world and by our Scottish Government, with the First Minister visiting her former School and Ayrshire College to meet girls and young women promoting ‘#thisayrshiregirlcan’.   Last week I was lucky enough to meet inspiring Scottish women at the 30th Birthday Celebration of the Scottish Refugee Council, held at Edinburgh Castle’s Great Hall with excellent contributions from Alex Neil, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners’ Rights, and a poetry reading from our retiring Makar, Liz Lochhead.   Liz beautifully spoke of her experience on a translation project A Bird is notRead More →

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In: Clare Adamson, Political News

Council Tax Reform After maintaining the Council Tax freeze for eight years, the SNP Scottish Government has now announced reform of the tax to make it fairer and to release an additional  £100 million a year for schools. The Council Tax freeze has been fully funded, throughout, by the SNP Scottish Government with local authorities receiving £70 million year on year. The Scottish Parliament’s independent research department, SPICe, has found that this funding added up to more than Councils would have generated if they had increased the Council Tax every year in line with the Retail Price Index. The Council Tax freeze will continue untilRead More →