30/11/2011 Newsnight Scotland

were in 2006 and that is why we are calling it the last decade. -- lost

decade. Tonight on Newsnight Scotland:

More on the strikes over pensions. As hundreds of thousands walked out,

the Scottish government said it sympathises with them, but will

implement the pension changes anyway. Does its claim it doesn't

have a choice stand up? And there's another political row

as Labour and Green MSPs join the picket lines instead of taking part

in a Parliamentary debate on the pension changes. Were they right,

or is this a new low in gesture politics?

Good evening. Well, for most parents, thousands of patients

booked in for an operation and people who rely on public services

on a daily basis, and that's pretty much all of us, the message

certainly got across. The last time we saw anything approaching this

scale of widespread industrial action, most of our current crop of

fresh-faced politicians were still in nappies. There is the inevitable

war of words about how many people went on strike today. The Prime

Minister, adamant that pension reforms are both necessary and fair,

called it a damp squib. That's inflammatory, say the opposition.

Here, the Scottish Government accused the coalition of a cash

grab on pensions, but they did so having crossed picket lines at

Holyrood. We begin tonight by hearing from some of those the

length and breadth of the country Because of the bankers we are

having to pay more. The changes they are proposing will not make

I don't see why I should work all my days, or pay more money, more

taxes, more into my pension and get About 3 million people are taking

strike action in the United Kingdom today. I have never done this in my

life before and that is because we feel so strongly about our pensions

Union members are furious at the smash and grab robbery that the

coalition government headed in terms of the negotiations headed by

Danny Alexander. It felt appropriate to show the

demonstration our anger towards our I have received many comments from

members of the public supporting our action. I have been approached

by people in the private sector asking for away unions to contact

them so that they can protest as We deserve a pension. At the end of

the day, we work for it, we deserve it and we need it. We are the PDS.

We will not pay for the bankers's They want us to work longer for

less. The centrepiece of the day was a march to Holyrood but all the

major trade unions. They were met by Labour and Green MSPs, but the

SNP, the Liberal Democrats and the Tories went about their business as

usual with a debate in the chamber about yes, you've guessed it,

pension reform. David Allison spent the day there.

The union's estimate was 10,000. The police said 7,000 marching down

the Royal Mile to Holyrood. More than 300,000 people are believed to

have gone on strike across Scotland over the UK government's pension

plans. The numbers are impressive and there is no doubting that

passion of the people turning out on the protest, but can they really

expect any U-turn from the government, given the current

financial climate. They will not listen. So why do it? We want them

to listen. The protest is about giving the negotiators in London

abode up confidence. Is there any scope for the note -- for

renegotiation, given the financial climate? Listen, I have been paying

attention since I was 19. It is my pension, not theirs. As an NHS

employee, we had paid more into the Treasury than we will take out.

Next year I am having a pay freeze which does nothing for my pension

pot. Members of the Green Party did not cross the picket line, unlike

Alex Salmond. He stressed the need to stop compulsory redundancies

before entering Parliament to work as normal. After passing in front

of the picket line, protesters gathered outside. Just because

things are bad in the private sector, it does not mean it should

be bad for everyone. Stop the lies and misinformation and get back to

serious negotiation! demonstration is against the UK

government, of course, but the protest is happening in Scotland

here at the Scottish parliament. So can the Scottish government redeem

bring its hands and say, it is nothing to do with us? They have

made it easier for us because they have been less redundancies in the

Scottish sector than in the English. There has been some protection, but

I would like to see them do more and I would like to see some

solidarity today. They should have closed parliament and come out here

and join us. Up on the Labour Party to say they support us rather than

just not doing anything about it. It is Westminster's fault. Here, if

they do not do as Westminster says, they will put a cap on funding.

That is the excuse of the Scottish government. This is a natural place

for asked to show our feelings, emotions about what the UK

government are trying to do to our pensions. And they are not doing

anything about the bankers still getting the big bonuses. They are

taking money from us to pay for the deficit. So, at their end of the

day, what was achieved? The Prime Minister claimed it was a damp

squib, but the unions insist up to 2 million people took part, making

it the largest day of action in decades. It is likely that it will

not be the last. I'm joined by three MSPs, all in

the capital. For Labour, their outgoing Scottish Leader Iain Gray,

for the SNP Kenny Gibson and for the Scottish Conservatives, Gavin

I didn't see any of them on the picket line. I don't see what was

achieved by not coming into Parliament. Iain Gray walked into

Parliament through the picket lines, and indeed, last March when they

went on strike. I don't understand the Labour Party mentality. Tonight,

I went to a seminar with 60 organisations that were there to

discuss health inequality, and there was not a single Labour MSP

there. I don't agree. Today's action was of a different order. In

Scotland, there will probably about 3 million across the UK. The public

sector workers are already making a significant contribution. We are in

the middle of a pay freeze, which is really a pay cut, and we are

asking them to pay more for their pensions and get less. We support

their action. It seems right we should be with them. I am trying to

square your position. Ed Miliband thought that the strikes were wrong.

Your position seems to be that the strikes were right? It is devolved

politics. Scottish Labour supported the strikes will stop we thought

the best way to such -- support that strike was to be with the

workers. -- the strikes. Ice and then the morning with thousands of

my constituents. -- I spent the morning. I thought that was the

right thing to do. You are against the strikes? We don't think the

strikes are appropriate. It should be directed against Westminster.

Gavin, what do you make about politicians joining picket lines?

Otter Medley, it is a matter for individual MSPs to decide. I am

against MSPs taking the day off to do that. My view is that we should

all have been in Parliament. The best thing you can do is to be in

there, putting forward your views feels constituents. MSP's -- MSPs

should have been there. What do you make of the Scottish government's

position? These pension changes are being implemented by the Scottish

government. It is a confused position, isn't it? The SNP say

they are opposed to these changes, but they are implementing them.

Their position on the strike is very Clare. Someone said he does

not support the strike. -- very clear. They seem to be in a very

odd position of not supporting the strike, they are going into

Parliament and trying to make it sound as if they do. Kennea, you

say you support the strikers, but it is your government that is

implementing this in Scotland. -- Kenny. Some of the demonstrators

note the position. The UK government said it will claw back a

�0.4 million a month for every month. -- �8.4 million. We think

that would be irresponsible. At a time of financial cuts, we can't

see how we can go ahead with allowing that clawback to happen.

We are extremely... We don't have any choice. That is precisely the

point the British government makes, they say they don't have a choice.

That is nonsense. It is a cash grab. There is a surplus in the public

sector pension fund. This money is going to the Treasury, and it is

completely wrong to impose these changes. Where can you find this

money from the Scottish budget? Iain, isn't he ride? If you were

running Holyrood, you would be doing the same thing. No one is

pretending it isn't easy choice. This is and different from the

decision the -- of the coalition government to increase tuition fees.

That meant there was a reduction in the consequences of that came to

Scotland. They chose to find the money otherwise be in order not to

introduce, and employment, the same policy. In this case, they made

their choice again, and the choice was to implement pension changes.

It is not true to say they didn't have a choice. A difficult one

perhaps, but rejoice none the less. Gavin, why do you think they are

wrong? -- 8 choice nonetheless. is a very difficult decision. At

the very heart of it, we are all living longer. That is a good news

story, but if we are living longer, we are retiring for longer, and

pensions cost more money. You either have to work for longer, but

more in, or accept you get less out. I am curious to ask you a question

that Francis Maude seemed reluctant answer, are you in favour of...

Given the rhetoric of a deep Tories, you are freezing tax credits, a UN

favour of putting benefits up by 5%? -- the Tories. This wasn't

about an increase in pensions. Not just about that any way. I was

trying to talk about the anger people feel, particularly when they

see people not in work, being rewarded with an increase and the

benefits, yet people in work are being told they cannot have their

pensions. But this issue is not about a one or two-year deal. It is

try to put sustainable pensions on a long-term footing. It is not just

about short-term issues. We are trying to make its sustainable in

the long-term. They had been measures put in place to ensure

that people get a better pension. But someone have to put in more.

you welcomed the rise in benefits? The announcements made by the

Chancellor tried to reflect fairness. Kennea, you reply to the

point that politics is about choices. -- Kenny. You made the

choice not to implement tuition fees. You could have made the same

choice about public sector pensions, but you didn't want to. We are

facing a cut in a budget as it is. As far as Gavin is concerned, he

has been disingenuous. He talks about more sustainable pensions,