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Salmond told to 'grow up' over funding row

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Published Date: 24 April 2009
By Hamish Macdonell
Scottish Political Editor
ALEX Salmond was told yesterday to "grow up", get on with his job of running the Scottish Government and to stop complaining about the size of his budget.
Iain Gray, the Scottish Labour leader, seized on the First Minister's complaints about this week's Budget, which Mr Salmond claimed had cut £500 million from the Scottish block grant.

Mr Gray told Mr Salmond at First Minister's Questions that
the amount of money coming to the Scottish Government would continue to rise despite the squeeze on public finances, and he told the First Minister to stop complaining and get on with his job.

In response, Mr Salmond accused Labour of cutting public finances just when they needed to be supported and warned that 9,000 jobs could go in Scotland as a result.

This week's Budget dominated First Minister's Questions at Holyrood, with all the party leaders taking the opportunity to focus on the knock-on effects of the Budget for Scotland.

Mr Gray asked Mr Salmond to confirm that the Scottish block grant would grow next year by £700 million, giving the Scottish Government more to spend.

The First Minister hit back by saying that there would be a £500 million difference between what had been expected in the Scottish grant and what actually will be handed over.



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1

RufusT-Firefly,

24/04/2009 00:01:44
Did anyone notice the the new SNP Uniform yesterday at First Ministers Questions?

Salmond's 'Spivs and speculators' Pinstripe suit has been playing havoc with the contract for weeks now.

I nearly fell off my chair laughing yesterday when FMQ came on and they were all wearing pinstripe suits.

What a scream.

I thought I had switched on the Sopranos by mistake.

HAHAHA
2

RufusT-Firefly,

24/04/2009 00:02:00
The SNP Front Bench



http://images.teamsugar.com/files/users/1/13839/13_2007/sopranos07_15.preview.jpg
3

RufusT-Firefly,

24/04/2009 00:10:26
Whats with the 'TM' spook?
4

,

24/04/2009 00:10:29
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5

Thomas79,

Ayrshire 24/04/2009 00:21:31
Alex Salmond destroyed the opposition at FMQs yesterday (again). Not too hard mind you when many labour members struggle with english.

The SNP are increasing their lead in the polls.

And RufusT-Firefly is laughing at Pinstripe suits, surely the first (or is it the last) sign of madness.





6

,

24/04/2009 00:37:19
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7

,

24/04/2009 00:53:37
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8

,

24/04/2009 00:54:51
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9

RufusT-Firefly,

24/04/2009 01:13:15
18 Wardog, I was completely shocked when I opened my door tonight to find out you were my Pizza Delivery Boy.

It is good to see you finally got a job.
10

,

24/04/2009 01:16:32
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11

Sierra Foothills Scot,

Diamond Springs 24/04/2009 01:29:21
#4 Spook

"Mr Gray thought his ratings would climb as he became known. There is no sign of that, perhaps because Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy is hogging the headlines."

More likely it's because Mr Gray has demonstrated his ineptitude.
12

Brianwci,

24/04/2009 01:38:32
I don't think Murphy hovering around Scottish politics like an an over attentive maiden aunt is doing much good for Ian Gray's image.

Gray is worth infinitely more than 7% but he will never get the chance to show it with one hand tied behind hid back by his London bosses and especially not with their head 'minder' in Scotland who is not only in attendance but gives press statements too which many people may rightly think Gray should be making.
13

Edward,

24/04/2009 01:46:04
Another duff story from Labour's press boy.
Pity there is no real jouranlists left in the Scotsman or they would be reporting the strong swing to the SNP thats been reported in the Herald. Or the strong swing UK Wide (well mostly England) in the Telegraph with a 18 point lead for the Tories
14

Edward,

24/04/2009 01:48:35
#25 Brianwci,
Your being to kind to Ian Gray
But the point is if he was his own man, he may have had a better standing,BUT he isnt so he doesnt
15

Edward,

24/04/2009 01:50:54
Instead of insisting on Scotland getting less money
why doesnt the UK Government cut back or cut out the projects that its just CANT afford
Such as :
Trident - The UK Cannot afford this and Scotlanddoesnt want it
The Super Carriers - The UK cannot afford andreally doesnt need!
16

Edward,

24/04/2009 01:57:50
Hate to put the knife into Labour, but the Politics Home website is well worth a visit
Its has the largest ever study of marginal seats in the UK, which forcasts aTory majority of 146 and that Labour would suffer a 1997 style defeat.8 current cabinet ministers would loose their seats
It samples 35,000 people (more than any polls)
And this was carried out BEFORE the budget!
The intersting part for Scotland is that the poll indicates that the SNP would return 30 to 35 MP's
http://www.politicshome.com/Landing.aspx?Blog=2939&perma=link#
17

,

24/04/2009 02:11:42
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18

steve 1511,

aberdeen 24/04/2009 05:54:54
alex salmond fights for the people of SCOTLAND
ian gray(elmer fudd)fights for his lybour sleaze and corruption masters in london.

were doomed with elmer broon and murphy all as much good to scotland as a nodding dog in a car back window
19

Hamish Longdirk,

Vanuatu 24/04/2009 06:01:31
Well Rufus, you saying that the SNP and Salmond are a "busted flush" seems (as usual) to be wide off the mark, care to comment?
As for telling Salmond to grow up, well I think he is, and the polls would seem to suggest that the Scottish people are slowly growing up as well, they are beginning to notice that Scotlannd is getting the shaft and always has done. This is good to see. Forward to Scotland running it's own affairs.
20

donald,

glasgow 24/04/2009 06:04:40
Murphy and Gray. Fighting for Scottish cuts.
21

The Tin Man,

24/04/2009 07:30:13
As Salmond and Swinney has all the plans in place for a similar budget cut that would have been required by imposing a 3% LIT, they'll have it all sussed already, so they should shut-up and get on with the implementation of the existing SNP budget-cut plan.
22

yockel,

24/04/2009 07:39:04
Where does Ian Gray dig up these fine political points from? The man must be an intellectual giant.
23

Jimmy Le Pie,

24/04/2009 07:39:59
I'm surprised that our resident Irish statistician/censor, O'Poison, hasn't been on here telling us how the polls put Comrade Broon 16 points ahead, that Alex Salmond trails Iain Grey by 90 points, and that all is well with our glorious union and empire!!

God Save Comrade Broon!!
24

Grahamski,

Falkirk 24/04/2009 07:57:42
39
Good point. At least something good has come out of their illegal and unworkable fantasy LIT plan; Mr Swinney already planned to make these cuts to implement LIT, didn't he.
Unless he was telling fibs that is....but he wouldn't be doing that, would he?
25

urchin,

new zealand 24/04/2009 08:00:31
Salmon and his cribin about the budget,he might as well urinate in the wind.Westminster and their glooks have and still do patronize us, as they take and exploit our culture and our industry.Its time that we as a nation had control not only of our right to rule but also our right to sign our own check book.Total control, Scotland looked after by its people, and paid for by its people.
26

The Tin Man,

24/04/2009 08:11:45
#42 Grahamski

Actually, there is no comparison. The 3% LIT would have resulted in a real drop in revenue. Salmond is merely complaning about getting less of a rise in the block grant than anticipated - like moaning about a small pay-rise.

Salmond and Swinney will have to dig deeper to fund the rate-of-inflation council tax cut, and all those subsidies for the rich.
27

The Tin Man,

24/04/2009 08:15:04
"In response, Mr Salmond accused Labour of cutting public finances"

Spin spin spin spin spin spin

Salmond could make Blair spin like a top in this Elat hotel room.

It is not a cut. A cut is when you reduce the amount, not when you increase the amount.
28

,

24/04/2009 08:42:08
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29

Stan Butler,

24/04/2009 09:02:43

Did anyone see John Swinney on Newsnicht Scotland last night?

Deary, deary me.


30

bully wee alba,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 09:14:56
45 The Tin Man

“It is not a cut. A cut is when you reduce the amount, not when you increase the amount”

Darling has admitted that the block grant for 2010-11 will be cut by £367 million from what was expected.

John Swinney has pointed out that the cut is actually £129 million more than this figure when monies withheld from the health budget are taken into account.

So, Darling thinks it’s a cut, Swinney thinks it’s a cut, only you appear to differ.
31

Stan Butler,

24/04/2009 09:22:36
#48 bully wee alba



'cut by £367 million from what was expected.'

'what was expected' mmmmmm.
32

The Tin Man,

24/04/2009 09:30:25
#48 bully

Saying it is a 'cut', rather than a cut in the planned increase, makes Blairspin look good. They are due to get an aditional £700 million next year.

£700 million in increased funding? Oh, there go 9000 jobs! This is just pure Blairspinwar.



33

Mr. Lachie Todd,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 09:30:31
The leader of the Labour Parliamentary Group at the Scottish Parliament claims there will be no "real cuts"
in the Scottish Block?

Irrespective of an increase in the budgets of all the devolved governments, media reports from Northern Ireland and Wales concur with the Scottish Government.

The Northern Ireland administration has warned Westminster that as a result of "efficiency savings" in the Budget, it will loose £600 million over the next 3 years!

Plaid Cymru members of the Welsh Assembly coalition Government has also hit out at Westminster after learning that as a result of the Budget cuts it will loose £216 million by 2011!

Strangely, Plaid's coalition partners in the Welsh Labour Party refused to be drawn on these cuts?
34

David MacVicar,

web 24/04/2009 09:41:41
Seems the public disagree with the title.


On bbc world last night Lord coe was asked if the huge public spend on the olympics was a waste of public money in these times.

His anwser was no because 3/4 of thje money is for East London regenration.

Once again the Rest of the UK suffers for the greater well being of the London sink tank. Meanwhile the Socttish government gets told to grow up anke it up the *%^!
35

Darien,

Panama 24/04/2009 09:49:49
The oddly named country called UKofGB&NI is now officially the most indebted nation in the G20. That tends to bust the 'stronger together' argument so loved by our BritNat dear leader and his gofer Murphy.

There is absolutely no point in Scotland, which has practically all the UK oil and enjoys exports per capita twice the level of England, to remain part of this bust union.

British Nationalists have totally lost the argument for Scotland to remain as what it has been for the last 300 years - a region under London rule.
36

The Tin Man,

24/04/2009 09:53:49
#52 David

Scrap the Glasgow Commonwealth Games now!

Waste of money. Should be spent on free university tuition fees for people with wealthy parents, instead. We could even give people who buy a house £2,000, instead of that sports rubbish.
37

GONNYNODEATHAT,

Glasgow 24/04/2009 11:28:32
Scotland is in for a BIG Future Shock. The 500m figure is only the scraps on the table. Future MASSIVE Cutbacks are coming or this country will be Bankrupt. Major projects need to be stopped now like the Commonwealth games. The London Olympics would have been abandoned hadn’t all the money already been spent. As time goes on the people of this country will get angry at the vast amounts of money being squandered on these type of projects. People will also get angry as they see the Lottery fund being spent on these type of Projects when people are in dire need in the country. The Charities commission will also come under the peoples anger for supporting Local Authorities to run its services at arms length. Gimmicks like £2000 for a ten year old car angers people when the Common sense approach should have been £2000 for first time buyers. NuLabourLie has brought the country to the edge of Bankruptcy.
38

Arfur,

24/04/2009 11:38:51
"ALEX Salmond was told yesterday to "grow up", get on with his job of running the Scottish Government and to stop complaining about the size of his budget.
Iain Gray, the Scottish Labour leader, seized on the First Minister's complaints about this week's Budget" - Yes thats right Gray, nice to see you standing up to your Labour masters for the people of Scotland, Couldnt even muster a whimper against them. You really are fighting our corner arent you.

Labour - Useless - incompitant - coorupt - pathetic - look after themselves ..........could go on forever.
39

Jimmy Le Pie,

24/04/2009 12:45:38
#38 Stan Butler,

Did anyone see Iain Gray at FMQ's???

Deary, deary me.
40

Brianwci,

24/04/2009 13:17:16
Lib Dems take Inverness seat. LDs had an excellent result today winning yesterdays by election 1503 to SNP's 556. Labour only managed 210 Tories 111.

Not a disaster but a reminder that victories still have to be fought for, good personable candidates have to be chosen and campaigns have to be colourful and hard fought.
41

Daibhidh,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 13:24:43
nny how the Scotsman has failed to cover the fact the SNP is again rising in the polls and labour, as ever, is dropping beneath the waves!
42

Daibhidh,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 13:24:57
Funny how the Scotsman has failed to cover the fact the SNP is again rising in the polls and labour, as ever, is dropping beneath the waves!
43

Alan B,

24/04/2009 13:52:24
Fiscal autonomy would stop any wrangling between Westminster and the SP.

Labour in scotland are in a mess. There position is defending any cuts coming from westminster. Would they support the same cuts if imposed by a tory government in Westminster?

But at the end of the day we are all suffering because of Broon and his lunatic economic policies.
44

Alan B,

24/04/2009 13:54:09
#The Tin Man

The point you overlooked regarding the LIT proposals was that is was a tax cut. As such you benefit from the tax cut and forgo the additional government spending as a result.

The cuts from westminster is all pain and no gain. The price of Browns lust for power.
45

The Tin Man,

24/04/2009 14:12:05
#54 AlanB

"The cuts from westminster is all pain and no gain. The price of Browns lust for power."

What cuts?

Darling is 'cutting the rate of growth of public spending'. He dosn't have the courage to actuallly "cut" public spending.
46

The Tin Man,

24/04/2009 14:15:14
#54 Alan B

As you well know, no member of the Scot exec ever publically said the a 3% LIT was a tax cut. The whole policy was dishonestly, therefore disasterously, handled.
47

Dave From Barra,

Western Isles 24/04/2009 14:33:37
What are the Uk's top 5 exports?
48

The Tin Man,

24/04/2009 14:57:37
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/Mq10Q408.pdf

1. Manufacture of transport equipment £9487MM
2. Oil & gas extraction £5614MM
3. Manufacture of pharmacuticals £4877MM
4. Manufacture of pharmacutical preperations £4491MM
5. Manufacture of basic metals £4032MM

Out of a total of £60578MM of exports.
49

Dave From Barra,

Western Isles 24/04/2009 15:07:00
Thanks

50

Dave From Barra,

Western Isles 24/04/2009 15:17:26
Oh

Could you tell me what the communications export industry is worth and defence/aviation export industry is worth too please?
51

Alan B,

24/04/2009 15:50:19
#56 The Tin Man

What are you on about? They were quite clear that the 3% LIT was an over all tax cut as it would not have taken in as much revenue as the current council tax. Obviously being a new tax focused on income it would have meant winner and losers but it was an overall tax cut.

I also do not know how you can say it was disasterously handled. The government simply did not have enough votes in the SP to take it forward. The libs supported it but would have probably insisted on local variations which the snp did not want initially atleast. Labour and the tories were united against.

As such putting lit back until after the next election when they can try to garner enough support seems practical.

The other main issue with LIT was labour refusal to allow the council tax rebate monies come to scotland in the event of changing to lit. That was disgusting. All the other parties including the tories said that money should be forthcoming. Labour have simply been vindictive and undermined the whole constitution.

After the next election if a tory government is elected then that money is more likely to be forthcoming and hence the introduction of the policy more likely.

As such i cannot see how it was disasterously handled from the scottish governments point of view. They simply had to deal with the fact that there was not the arithmetic to support the policy in the sp, (to my mind that is the good thing about pr and minority government that you have to get support of the parliament and not just the governing party(s)), and also labour pettiness and vindictiveness.

Personally i think the tory party probably have the best policies for council taxation in that they would keep the council tax but lower it for pensioners (personally do not think those over 70 should have to pay). But the snp are also correct to try to reduce council tax burden after the disasterous increases under labour.

52

hoblar,

24/04/2009 17:51:00
Surely Ian Gray from the impotent Scottish labour merely defended westminster rather than speaking for Scotland?

That's what I say, and he had the knowledge and oratory ability of a small child rather than what I would expect of a grown up politician.

The Tories, in spite of their Goldie leader asking Alex Salmond what he would do, 'immediately' about westminster's imposed cuts, forgot that her own party would impose the same cuts but even sooner.

Of course neither 'leader' cared to suggest where these cuts should be to help the Scottish people.

A poor defence of the Scottish interest is proportional to the leader's involvement with their westminster bosses.

That is why the SNP stand out a mile.

53

JC1,

Glasgow 24/04/2009 23:20:41
Just for anyone outside of Scotland- whingeing salmond is not representative of the rest of us
54

,

24/04/2009 23:23:41
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55

Hamish Longdirk,

NZ 24/04/2009 23:55:52
63: I'm outside Scotland and from here he does a great job in standing up for Scotland. Unlike the Unionist scum that are happy to take a fat wage packet, and then bend over and take it up the backside from their London pay masters. Then again as an Englishman you'll be happy to keep things as they are, ie: Scotland getting asset stripped.
56

Newton_Invented_Gravity,

25/04/2009 01:49:08
The First Minister's job is to defend Scottish interests. That's it. What kind of mess Westminster is making of the country is none of his concern. If Alex Salmond is campaigning against cuts in Scotland's grant then he's doing his job properly.

 

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