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SNP "NECK AND NECK" AS POLL GAP CLOSES |
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New figures show the SNP is closing the gap with Labour in the opinion polls.
Two polls conducted in the last week – one by YouGov for the SNP and the
other by IPSOS MORI put the party neck and neck with Labour.
The YouGov poll for the SNP puts the party on 35% with Labour on 36%.
While the Ipsos Mori poll conducted at the same time showed the SNP on 34%
to Labour’s 37%.
In all cases the SNP is in a stronger poll position than at this point
prior to the 2007 election.
The IPSOS MORI poll also shows a positive approval rating for Alex Salmond
as Scotland’s First Minister with 53% of Scots endorsing his performance,
while only 33% were satisfied with David Cameron.
SNP Depute Leader and Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
“This poll shows the SNP is running neck and neck with Labour ahead of
May’s Holyrood elections.
“The SNP Government is proud of the socially progressive polices that we
have already introduced, such as abolishing prescription charges, ending
tolls on the Tay and Forth bridges, restoring free education by abolishing
the Graduate Endowment Fee, freezing the Council Tax for three successive
years, reversing Labour’s decision to close A & E hospitals in Monklands
and Ayr, introducing the Small Business Bonus Scheme, and putting 1,000
additional police officers on Scotland’s streets.
“With a Tory – Lib Dem government pushing Labour’s devastating cuts agenda
even further and a Labour party out of power and increasingly out of
touch, we are confident that, come May, voters will see that it is the SNP
as a party and a Government that can and will put Scotland’s interests and
the priorities of the people of Scotland first.
“The positive approval ratings for Alex Salmond, against the extremely
negative reaction to David Cameron, shows that, as Scotland deals with
the impact of a Tory Government in London, voters continue to trust Alex
Salmond to govern in Scotland's best interests.”
1. In a YouGov poll for the SNP of 1212 people on 17th and 18th August the
results for the Scottish Parliament constituency vote were
Lab 36
SNP 35
Lib 12
Con 14
Other 3 |
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First Minister calls for North Sea taxation to be devolved |
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First Minister Alex Salmond has called for North Sea taxation to be devolved to Holyrood arguing that Scotland should start to benefit from its vast resources. The establishment of a Norwegian-style oil fund would deliver billions of pounds of benefits to Scotland, First Minister Alex Salmond said in Oslo today. Following a meeting with the Norwegian Finance Minister Sigbjørn Johnsen, Mr Salmond highlighted the case for devolving control of North Sea taxation and production to the Scottish Parliament so that Scotland can 'directly reap the benefits' of its vast natural energy resources. Norway's oil fund is worth over £300 billion and in the UK £242 billion of tax revenue has come from Scottish waters over the past 30 years. During their meeting at the Finance Ministry in Oslo, Mr Salmond and Mr Johnsen discussed the Norwegian Oil Fund, the benefits it has secured for Norwegians and lessons Scotland can learn from the way their fund is managed and operated. The First Minister is in Norway to explore how Scottish and Norwegian Governments can deepen co-operation on energy matters. First Minister Alex Salmond said:
"Norway has much in common with Scotland - we have a similar-sized population and are both rich in natural energy resources that have the capacity to deliver vast benefits to our citizens. "The Scottish Government is working to strengthen economic links with this successful European country and shares its vision of having an Oil Fund that utilises the resources we have now, to leave a sustainable lasting legacy for future generations. "Norway's oil fund is worth over £300 billion and a similar scheme for Scotland would help secure billions of pounds for our communities. More than £240 billion of tax revenue has come directly from Scottish waters over the past 30 years and it is only fair that Scots should reap the rewards of our rich energy resources. "Investing a portion of North Sea revenues in an oil fund could provide greater stability, protect the economy and support the creation of a low carbon economy. I am keen for Scotland to learn from Norway and to experience the benefits of investing a share of energy revenues into a fund that provides a permanent source of wealth for our nation." |
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LIB DEMS UNDER FIRE OVER TRIDENT VOTE |
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The Liberal Democrats are under fire tonight (Tuesday) after voting
against an amendment which would have seen the future of the Trident
nuclear weapons system considered as part of the forthcoming strategic
defence and security review – a policy the party explicitly advocated
before the general election.
In the coalition programme for government the Lib/Dems claimed they
would ‘continue to make the case for alternatives’ to the system, but
this evening voted against including the £100bn programme from the
strategic review. Liberal leader Nick Clegg has previously claimed
that he wanted to see Trident included as part of the strategic
review.
The vote - on an SNP, Plaid Cymru and Green Party amendment – was
defeated by 27 votes to 330 - with Liberal and Tory MPs voting against
the amendment.
Commenting, SNP Westminster leader and Defence spokesman Angus
Robertson MP said:
“This was an opportunity for the Liberal Democrats to make the case
for alternatives, as they claim is their policy, but they have voted
against it and betrayed the people who voted for them.
“To undertake a strategic review which excludes the hyper-expensive
Trident programme, while considering cuts to conventional, front-line
forces, is a sham exercise. A defence review is essential to
prioritise our defence needs in a changed world, but you cannot have a
meaningful debate about that if you start by excluding the future of
the Trident programme.
“The forthcoming review is a prime opportunity to fundamentally
consider the Trident nuclear weapons system yet Tory, Liberal and
Labour MPs are determined to treat it as some sacred cow.
“It would appear that the Liberal Democrats have traded their
opposition to Trident for the trappings of government. By voting
against this amendment, the Liberals have let down voters across the
country who backed their anti-nuclear stance.
“Whatever way you look at it, Trident is morally, economically and
politically untenable – that is why the SNP will continue to fight to
have it scrapped altogether.”
1. The text of the SNP’s amendment:
As an Amendment to the Address, at end add—
‘but respectfully request that the Government include as part of its
Strategic Defence and Security Review a full examination of the
Trident nuclear missile system, and any possible replacement’
2. The Conservative / Liberal Democrat Programme for Government document states:
“We will maintain Britain’s nuclear deterrent, and have agreed that
the renewal of Trident should be scrutinised to ensure value for
money.
Liberal Democrats will continue to make the case for alternatives.” (Page
15)
3. Speaking on the first TV leaders debate, before the general
Election, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said:
”I actually agree, strongly agree, and it's something I've been
calling for for years, that we should have a complete review about
whether our military equipment is right for the job that we are asking
our brave soldiers and brave servicemen and women to do. Because of
course the world is changing and the threats to this country are
changing with it. What I simply don't understand is if we hold that
review, as I think is going to be likely after the general election,
whoever wins that election, both David Cameron and Gordon Brown want
to rule out one of the biggest items of defence expenditure of all,
which is the Trident nuclear missile system. This was a system that
was designed at the height of the Cold War to flatten St Petersburg
and Moscow. Is it really that important?”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/16_04_10_firstdebate.pdf |
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SNP CALL FOR FIXED TERM POLL CHANGE |
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SNP Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Pete Wishart MP has called for the new coalition Government to avoid scheduling the first fixed term general election on the same day as elections for the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly in 2015.
The Conservative-Liberal Coalition Agreement, published on 12 May, stated that the government would fix the date of the next general election for the first Thursday of May 2015, but Mr Wishart has pointed to recommendations which have already resulted in the de-coupling of Scottish Parliament and local government elections in Scotland.
The Gould Report, in the wake of the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections, as well as studies by the Arbuthnott Commission, the McIntosh Report and the Kerley Commission have all argued that elections should be held on separate days citing the high rate of rejected votes caused by the confusion of the list, first past the post and STV votes being used at the same time among the principal concerns. Mr Wishart has now tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in
Westminster urging the government to opt for a four year fixed term – a period endorsed by the Liberal Democrats in a 2007 policy paper. The party will also seek to amend legislation taken forward which provides for a five year fixed term.
Mr Wishart said:
“The introduction of fixed term elections for Westminster are a great reform, but it would be totally wrong to fix a date which clashes with the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly elections.
“Clearly, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats pieced their coalition agreement together in a hurry and failed to notice that the first Thursday in May 2015 is already earmarked for the Scottish and Welsh elections. It would be totally wrong to go ahead with both a Westminster and a Holyrood election in the same day. Voters would be confronted with three different voting papers, each using different voting systems.
“Scottish Parliament and local government elections have already been de-coupled and the arguments and studies which supported that still stand. A four year fixed term would be one solution, and was indeed Liberal Democrat policy. David Cameron and Nick Clegg need to check their filofaxes and pencil in a new date for parliament to agree.
“Five year terms are the exception rather than the rule in most parliaments and the the SNP will propose an amendment for a four year term and expect all Scottish MPs to support it out of ‘respect’ for the Scottish Parliament.” |
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