02/02/2016 Scotland 2016

Labour joins the Lib Dems in calling for an extra penny

on Scottish income tax. Will you vote for that?

Scottish taxpayers would pay a penny more than the rest of the UK under

Fresh from the Calais jungle, a French aid worker on conditions

And we visit Erskine, the town that has being redesigned...

Labour boldly threw down the gauntlet to the Scottish

Government today, urging them to add a penny to everyone's income tax

to protect education and public services.

Those on less than ?20,000 a year would get an annual

With the Scottish rate of income tax due to come into effect in April,

the Scottish Deputy First Minister has pledged to keep payments in line

Kezia Dugdale says a penny across all abundance of income tax would

raise almost half ?1 billion and help avoid cuts to education and

other local services. If we really want a different society and if we

really want a different economy, we have to pay for it. The Scottish

Labour leader said the tax increase is a radical alternative to

austerity and she says the lowest paid will be protected with a rebate

of ?100 a year for workers and pensioners an annual incomes of less

than ?20,000. With a Scottish rate of income tax to to come in on April

the sickness, the Conservatives are criticised any increase, so to have

the SNP who've described the plan is a tax grab and questioned the

legality of the scheme. The first time tight control comes to

Holyrood, the Labour Party tries to whack people for tax. It wants to

take the hard earned money away. Scottish Conservatives will protect

paycheques, we do not want people here to be any more tax than they

would anywhere else in the UK. It is unworkable and unfair and

progressive. It will hammer people on low incomes in contrast to what

the SNP Government is doing. The Greens said they do not support a

penny across all bands because it is not progressive. The Lib Dems are

the only ported to welcome the proposal. They announced a similar

policy last week. It is great there is a growing consensus that there is

an urgent need for investment in public services. We want to invest

1p on income tax for education. So income tax is shaping up to be a

real dividing issue for the forthcoming election campaign. Can

Labour and the Lib Dems convince people a penny for Scotland is

voting for? Earlier tonight, Kezia Dugdale

came in to the studio. That other lenders, teacher,

policeman or council worker in Scotland who will not be paying this

tax increase. That is Gordon Brown said when the SNP wanted to

introduce a penny for Scotland. If it is chewed then it is true now.

Yes, people earning up to ?27,000 will pay a bit more tax. If you

break down to a weekly basis, teach you who earns 25,000 the year will

pay ?4 extra a week. I would that that teacher has seen consecutive

budgets slash education, classroom at disappearing, 4000 fewer

teachers, the gap between the richest and poorest kids is wider

than it has ever been, I think there can as there is a legitimate choice

to be made here. You want to invest in education but your taking money

away from teachers however helping? This is a substantial investment

into the next generation of young people. If we choose to use the

powers of the Scottish Parliament to chart a different course from Tory

star rating, this tax would raise ?480 million, that is directly from

-- Interpublic services that can make a material difference to

Scotland's future. But you do not deny that low and middle earners

will be bearing the brunt? I refute that low earners will be paying a

penny more tax. ?20,000 is a high wage. That is the point, anyone who

earns a less than that for not only only pay a penny of additional tax,

they will be better off as a consequence of this policy. That is

a profoundly good thing. There is a debate to be had about tax, some

people may not want to pay more. If we seriously want to chart a

different course from Tory as critic, we now have the power in

Scotland to do that. Why not just raise council tax if this is about

local services? Because income tax is fundamentally more progressive.

The more you earn, the more you pay. But this is a bit of a blunt

instrument, not as progressive as the new tax powers. The more you

earn, the more you pay. So I will pay ?481 more a year, the First

Minister, ?447 more. That is amazing progressive and fair. If we want to

chart a different course from austerity that we have to do this,

otherwise we are choosing to accept Tory austerity. We have been told

for decades and more powers means fewer cuts, if the SNP refused to

match this policy, then these SNP cuts, because they are a choice of

the SNP will have made in their budgets tomorrow. John Swinney says

he will not increase tax for low and middle income earners. He will

operate the living wage, but not increase tax the people and ?20,000.

He also said he wanted a fairer and more progressive system of tax. As

would I. Hopefully be me get this: Bill Powers we will be able to do

that. But that will not come in and all 2017. If we wait until then,

that is another two years of cuts, totalling ?1 billion of additional

cuts. These are still to come. What I am saying is that we cannot afford

to put education, we cannot afford to cut into the future of our

children. It is a clear choice we can make, by paying a little more

tax, we can invest in the future of our children and public services and

that the latter is a profoundly good social policy and the great economic

one as well. How this rebate work? Councils would administer it and

presumably it is means tested? We have said councils of the best bits

of this. Various SNP ministers have lined up to Sage is not possible.

That is nonsense. It happens already. The best example is a

discretionary housing payment, we make sure no one in Scotland pays a

bedroom tax. But you had to bust legislation for that. But it shows

the power is absolutely there. What is lacking is political will from

the SNP. Have you cost and how much this will take in terms of admin the

councils? It is ?1 million. That is a reasonable cost. We can already do

this with discretionary housing payments, when the SNP but both 's

and admin costs were 1.8 million. I'm suggesting tonight that you

wouldn't need a brand-new system. The mechanism is there, so the admin

would be lower. Do not lose sight of the wider picture. This is a direct

choice we have two invest in public services. I say let's invest in

public services and chart a different course. This is an easy

promise to make when the polls say you have no chance of winning. Isn't

this trying to be blue water between you and the SNP? I fundamentally

reject that. I am doing this because it is the right thing to do. I have

other journalists ask me today if this is a big gamble. I refute all

of that, I am doing this because I cannot any longer accept a situation

where the price of austerity is paid by the next generation of children.

It does nothing to do with election prospects, it is the right and

decent thing to do. A quick question on Europe. Now we have seen

Cameron's proposal, would you be happy with a June referendum? I

would we have a June or September. We need a decent amount of time to

make a case for why Europe is a force for good in our lives.

Kezia Dugdale speaking with me earlier.

now the long-awaited draft deal on EU reform is written,

David Cameron will embark on a whirlwind charm offensive

to try to get the signatures of the 27 other EU leaders.

Here, campaigners to leave and to remain in the EU each claim

Cameron's piece of paper backs their case.

Joining me now is our Westminster Correspondent,

Good evening. We heard Kezia Dugdale said she would be happy with the

June referendum. The SNP not so happy? I think there is a bit of

around brewing. What says -- today but I could deal means is that David

Cameron can speak to the European leaders, broker a deal in February

and bring that June referendum. The date a lot of people in Westminster

are preparing for is the 23rd of June. That is seven weeks after the

Scottish Parliament election. Recently, we have heard some figures

in the SNP say a six-week period would be a minimum after the

Scottish Parliamentary election they would be happy with a referendum.

What started to happen is the message is hardening. Angus

Robertson said today they would be happy with any referendum in June at

all. That is backed by some of the Welsh part is, by the DUP and the

SDLP in Northern Ireland. They also say it is too close to local

elections there. What is likely to happen in the next few weeks is that

if David Cameron does opt for an EU referendum in June, I think you will

pass through Parliament, but there will be a row with constituent parts

of the UK. Now as for the draft proposals themselves, do you think

Cameron's set out what he wanted to do? Will they be enough to win over

any Eurosceptics? It depends what your views were before David Cameron

went into renegotiation. Some will be happy with what he has achieved

today, someone will say it does not go far enough. If you take the issue

of the emergency brake on in work benefits for EU migrants, that is an

issue camera brought up in the Conservative manifesto. He said he

wanted a banner, that is on the deal today. But the devil is in the

detail there, there are shortcomings Eurosceptics will bring up time and

time again in the weeks to come. It is not actually a banner on EU

migrants receiving in work benefits, it is a cuts. So over the first

four-year period they are in the UK, the benefits they receive will

gradually increase, we do know the percentages of the formula, but it

is not an overall banner. This idea of a red card that would allow

national parliaments to veto European legislation again, it is in

the deal today, David Cameron can point to that and say I have

achieved what I wanted. Eurosceptics also the threshold is too high. It

is not significantly different from the yellow card system that is

currently in place. There were rabbits out of a hat today, David

Cameron got some unexpected advances on curbs on terror suspects within

the EU .com on things like Sham marriages. They will be able to

point these things and say they are significant renegotiations and a

good deal for Britain. But there are other things Eurosceptics can get

their teeth stuck into a state is not enough. You. -- thank you.

Now to a European problem without resolution.

In September last year, Medecins Sans Frontieres,

an organisation usually associated with some of the world's most

dangerous and intractable conflicts, launched relief activities

The influx of refugees and migrants there has left local authorities

Tonight, straight from a talk at Glasgow University,

I am joined by Michael Neuman, an adviser for Medecins Sans

Frontiere on operations with migrants.

Good evening. We usually think of Medecins Sans Frontieres working

with famines, in armed conflicts. What brought you to Calais? The

situation is despairing. We know most of the places the migrants have

come from. We know some of the reasons why they have come up. We

can only witness the total desperation of the situation. Bubba

the state is overwhelmed, but it is totally unwilling to act on that

situation. You think there is more they can do? Certainly. We are

talking about population of about a few thousand. We look at the influx

of refugees who came to Europe last year, it is about a million people.

Eight and a thousand came to Germany. -- 800,000. Tell me about

the conditions you found there. You have people living on the sand, in

very basic tenants. Inadequate water supply, very little food. We have

been tried to provide health care to these people, together with our

organisation, but most of the work that has been done in the past few

months has been the work of volunteers, local groups and our

association. Many of these people have come from the United Kingdom.

The French government needs to address the needs of some women,

children, adults, in these dire conditions for up to six to nine

months. How do you as a Frenchman feel about this happening in your

country? I have had experience before with the organisation for the

past 16 years in very different places. In other places, I phoned

that the Russian authorities were taking better care of the citizens

in the lakes of Chechnya. It says a lot about my reaction and feelings

about how my state allows these people to be left in the situation.

What sort of help is your organisation being able to offer? We

have been able to provide an adequate level of to these people.

We have been providing shelter, as shelter, as well as legal

counselling who are looking for a solution. The do not want to stay

there. They see the situation as transient. Most of them want to

reach the United Kingdom, so they are looking for a means of legal

advice and counsel, so we help with that. And we have been working with

the local municipality to move about 2500 migrants from the small place

the 11 to a better camp. But all that is insufficient and will not be

enough. There needs to be, of course, with any humanitarian

situation, a political solution. It needs to be resolved, both from

London and from Paris. Thank you very much for joining us.

In the 1970s, as the age of the New Town had changed many

parts of Scotland, Erskine on the River Clyde was transformed

from a 100-year-old hamlet to a larger, modern town.

And many say that is really the last time it changed at all.

Now, Renfrewshire Council is trying to engage people

In 1971, the Erskine Bridge was in which they shape the development

In 1971, the Erskine Bridge was officially opened by Princess.

In 1971, the Erskine Bridge was an exciting moment for the region 's

history and help pave the way for the local tone of this evening. And

it decade since it was established, not up huge that has changed about

Erskine. People want to still live here, but are there fewer reasons to

stay question mark. That is something the local council want

stay question mark. That is address. Renfrewshire Council wants

to regenerate it... Giving local residents are big sea. That has not

always been the approach in the past. I used to work for the Council

many years ago. I was involved in planning. We would do plans and

nothing would ever happen. Urban planner Nick says he has been

surprised by their reaction. It has been great and very surprising. I

rather been great and very surprising. I

Erskine, being a new tone, they may not be much community spirit here.

But I was completely wrong. All these people in the room sure

there's a lot of community spirit. Residents working to get involved,

even though that is a degree of scepticism. We have been advised by

Renfrewshire Council that visitors from Erskine health to all the

expectations, but we want to see justice for the tone. There has been

a lot of projects which field. I would just like

a lot of projects which field. I fantastic massive one. Do you

a lot of projects which field. I they can deal of? It depends. We can

have our dreams, they can deal of? It depends. We can

that projects like the one in a Erskine could turn into a big public

relations exercise? That is what we are trying to avoid. We are talking

to the community and getting their ideas. The deputy leader of the

council says he can understand why some locals are pessimistic. I

understand the cynicism about politicians and politics. The

reality is that I think working alongside communities, shaving

problems and being honest about not immediately having resources

available, it is an honest place to start. It is clear residents of the

Erskine of ambition for the tone. By asking them to get involved, the

expect the local council to deliver. Our reporter Ian Hamilton headed

down to London recently. Given it was the first

time his guide dog Renton had travelled on a plane and Renton

is not what you would call petite, they decided to capture

the journey on a phone. The resulting film was uploaded

to Facebook this morning and, if you are not among the 45,000

who have viewed it so far, This will be made gay dog 's first

flight and an evil plane. A big dog in no clearly big space. We are

heading for a meeting at New Broadcasting House. I am at Glasgow

airport. We are waiting to through security. Insecurity, the check

under the harmless of Renton, to make sure he was not trying to

smuggle anything. While we were being searched giving the security

people a good sniff? And the departure lounge, we were informed

we would get put onto the aircraft first, to give the dog came to

settle. But as you can see, this piece he was going into was not all

that big. I must say, the crew were excellent and rough for more

interested in the dog is wealthier than Maine, which is feeding off I

suppose! And to mark the occasion, he was given his wings. Since a

victim, people have been asking if Renton was frightened about taking

off and landing? No, he just lay down and went to sleep. That was

just his first flight and he was just a scam on the return journey. I

will not hesitate to take on a flight once again.

That was reporter Ian Hamilton and his guide dog Renton,

Joining me now to discuss some of the day's news are the model

and actress Eunice Olumide and the journalist Paul Gilbride.

Welcome to both of you. Let us talk to you first about that 1p income

tax proposal. How would you both feel about that? No. It is one of

those things where your automatic reaction is definitely not. If you

can justify what it is going to be spent on, that could potentially be

a justification. I do think that people in general are becoming much

more sceptical about taxation and that is because you see a lot of

companies, that is in reference to corporation tax, the likes of

Google, Starbucks and other companies who work out ways that the

come across as making a lot less profit than the actually do by using

offshore accounts. So, you think people may say, why should we be

paying? Yes, I think it has to be very justified for people to agree.

We have Kezia Dugdale seen he thought -- she thought teachers

would be happy to pay more if it was being invested in schools and local

services. Possibly if they have any vested interest. But most people

involved full zero. This not closely at about whether Labour will make

people pay more taxation. This is about them trying to put clear red

water between themselves and the Scottish National party. This is not

so much about positioning themselves to win more seats, it is about them

trying to save some. Trying to get back some of these voters who

deserted them in the general election. Is it otherwise move

trying to push the Scottish National party back into the same corner as

the Conservatives? Yes, it is a clever move, but will it attract a

lot of new voters to the party? Probably not. It is very clear for

the money is going, will that help persuade people? As I said before,

it is imperative that people know what is happening to the money, we

get is being spent. It is only in that situation that people will feel

comfortable about that and I think that is only fear. And remember, the

1p for Scotland from the Scottish National party did not work out so

well? No, but again, it seemed a good idea at the time. Gordon Brown

was the Chancellor at the time. If we look at John Smith in 1992, we

were a nation waiting for the Labour Party to form the next government.

It did not happen because the party was not trusted on taxation. It does

not have a good record. Letters move on to David Cameron and the European

Union deal. It could pave the way for a referendum in June. Needless

to say, Nigel Farage was not impressed. This package is hardly

worth talking about. It was pathetic. There's not one single

poor comeback the United Kingdom. There is no possibility of us

controlling our borders. Will that swing it for a lot of people,

controlling the borders? I think a lot of people have made up the

remainder of this topic already. I think people will be influenced by

certain aspects of what David Cameron has achieved not achieved.

For me personally, I do think it is good to see that -- save the

European Union. Whether we think it is a good thing about bad thing, it

is important to be part of, so that we can help to encourage more

positive direction and perhaps even lead in a more positive week. And we

that is beneficial for Europe and beneficial for countries with the

European Union. If you are against is staying and the European Union,

this will not change of opinion and if you were for it, you look for it

anyway. There is no substance from what he has brought back. It is a

fig leaf to give waverers within its own cabinet and partly an excuse not

to step out of line and back button scheme. I think external factors

will dictate whether Britain votes to stay in the European Union. If it

is held in June, the polls say -- the opinion polls appear to show

that people will vote to stay in. If it is left later, that could be a

factor. I want to talk about happiness. A new survey says that

65-79 -year-old are the happiest of all in the United Kingdom. It said

young people along with the retired having more satisfaction. Do you

feel that is true? I think it is. I think when you get to the final team

in your life, you have been set through so much, you appreciate

life. It is one of the things we make the lacking is an appreciation.

We do have a lot learnt when we live in a society as connected as we do

and you can see other people make up more than you, you focus rather than

focusing on being grateful for what you have actually got. That could

lead to anxiety and feeling like you are not doing as well as you

actually are doing. We are just about to run out of time, but any

tips for contentment? Do not worry about things that keep you awake at

night. That sounds like very sensible advice.

That is all from us tonight. Thank you for watching.

I will be back at the same time tomorrow night.