Meeting of the Parliament 14 December 2017
I make a gentle point to Richard Leonard. The microphone amplifies what he is saying to the chamber.
I was told during the course of yesterday’s debate that James Kelly was the finance spokesperson. I know that the term of office for a Labour leader is pretty short these days, but one day for the finance spokesperson is setting a new timescale.
Seriously, though, I heard Richard Leonard talking about housing at First Minister’s questions and I listened closely to what he said, because what was being said about housing was important. That is exactly why we are putting more funds in to support house building in Scotland. As to the specific question why we do not use the powers of the Scottish Parliament—we are using the powers of the Scottish Parliament. We are using them to the full to protect the people of Scotland from Tory cuts. If only the Labour party had helped to give us more powers, we would have been able to do even more to protect the people of Scotland in the face of Tory austerity and Brexit mismanagement.
Some members are still shouting about the powers. The Tories say that we should not use the powers that we do have and Richard Leonard wants us to use powers that we do not have. We are putting forward a credible budget with real investment in our social priorities, setting out the kind of country that we want to build and using our tax system in a way that is progressive and fairer.
I have set out priorities in education, economy, environment and health, but, if I stuck to what the Labour party is proposing today, I would give it all to local government—a view that Labour is entitled to have. What has the NHS done to upset the Labour party that means no new resources for the NHS or anyone else? When Labour members get up in the next 48 minutes, let us see whether they ask for resources elsewhere, when their proposition is to give only to local government.
In relation to local government, there was a projection of a 3 per cent reduction. That is about £300 million to the local government budget. That is not what I am proposing. I am proposing flat cash plus a capital increase, and what that means is that we are using our powers and that, if councils use their powers, they will have a real-terms increase for front-line services.
Richard Leonard is still shaking his head. I will make one final point to him. He explained recently why the eight Labour local authorities did not increase the council tax. He said that, because the Scottish Government did not give councils enough money, Labour councils would raise even less. What a ridiculous proposition from the Labour party. We have supported local government and a range of other priorities, and we will be very proud of the job creation and services that it supports, and the interventions that it will deliver to create a fairer society.