24/09/2014 Politics Scotland

Hello and welcome to Politics Scotland.

The SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon formally announces her

candidacy to replace Alex Salmond as party leader and First Minister.

We'll hear why she's keen to have the job.

And at the Labour Party Conference, Shadow health secretary

Andy Burnham outlines the party's plan for the NHS in England,

And NHS that puts people before profit. An NHS that cares for the

carers and one therefore your mum and dad. The NHS, the time to care.

The SNP's Nicola Sturgeon has put her name forward to replace

Alex Salmond as party leader and first minister.

The Glasgow MSP said she was still committed to Scottish independence

but would concentrate on being a "willing partner" in the process to

increase Holyrood's powers rather than planning another referendum.

At her launch this morning at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall,

Ms Sturgeon said she would be a First Minister for all of Scotland

I believe strongly today as I did last week that independence is the

best future for Scotland. And I am more convinced than ever that we

will become an independent country. But that will happen only when the

people of Scotland choose that course in the polling booth. I

except that last week the majority did not choose that future at this

time. 1.6 million people is a remarkable number but it wasn't

enough. So might ask will be to lead Scotland into an exciting new

chapter in our national story, to unite our nation around a common

purpose so that we can write that story together. If I am elected to

lead, I pledge today that the SNP and the Scottish government will be

full, active, genuine and constructive participants in that

process of change, wherever it happens, in Holyrood, in meeting

rooms and most importantly of all in discussions across Scotland. There

will be no sitting on the sidelines. Well after that formal announcement,

Nicola Sturgeon talked to Thank you for joining us. Looks like

you're going to get there after ten years. I think I am the best person

for the job at the time. We are entering a new chapter in

Scotland's national story. I will read them into that chapter so that

we hold Westminster parties to account, and to get the powers that

we were promised at the end of the referendum campaign. I look forward

to the challenges and virginity is ahead. Would you welcome a

challenge? I relished the opportunity to get in and debate

with fellow party members on the best way forward. Whether I am

contested for the post of leader or not, I will spend a significant

meant -- amount of time engaging with party membership. We have a

larger membership than we had this time last week. We had more than

30,000 new members joining. They want to be part of taking the

country forward so that we have a newly empowered Scottish Government

better prepared to deliver for the people of Scotland. In terms of

being leader of the party and First Minister, what would change? Nobody

comes close to my admiration than Alex Salmond. He has been a fitness

-- magnificent leader. I am not Alex Salmond. He was the right person to

bring us where we are now. As we go into this new phase, I think what is

needed is someone who can argue their case, who can do that with

passion and conviction. I have demonstrated I can do that and

someone who can reach out to others across the political divide to find

Common Cause and common purpose so that we can move forward as a

country towards an empowered Scottish Parliament better able to

deliver on the aspirations of people of Scotland that were so well

expressed during the referendum. I think some people tried to persuade

him to stay on. I was sad, Alex Salmond was set in the decision he

was made. That is one of the characteristics of the man. He is

often ahead of the curve in these decisions and he does what he thinks

is right, not just for himself, but for the party. My job is to pick up

the substantial legacy of Alex Salmond and to take that into the

next chapter. The referendum himself, more powers and prospects.

Do you except that the referendum was fixed camel --, as it is

suggested in social media? I was disappointed in the result of the

referendum, but hugely introduced by that result. 1.6 million people

voted for independence. Those who did not vote for independence, did

so on the basis of new powers. It is my job to make sure that that change

is delivered, to make sure that Westminster parties are held to

account, they cannot renege on the promises, that the Scottish

Parliament get substantial powers, to protect our public services,

create new jobs and to tackle the inequality that is such ask are on

our nation. What about if these powers do not come through? There

have been some worrying events and the last week. There is a process

for English forts for Inglis issues. -- English. I hope it is my

responsibility to go into the job with an open mind and with good

faith. I am going into this process assuming that the other parties will

hold true to the promises that they made. If they don't, then what they

have got to fear is not so much what I will do, but what the Scottish

people will do. The Westminster parties will pay a heavy and

electoral price if the renege on the promises that were made. I hope that

does not happen. But if that does happen, I will be first in the queue

to say they have to pay the price. You are saying that about the 2015

general election. Not another referendum. I will be very clear on

if and when there will be another referendum. We have had one. You can

hear my voice has not recovered from that referendum. It is not

politicians who will dictate when and where another referendum will

take place. It will be the Scottish people. If the Westminster parties

do renege on their promises, there will be many people, not just those

who voted yes, but many who voted no who will say, hold on a second,

maybe it is time to think about this again. What I am saying, I am not

planning for another referendum at this stage, but circumstances will

dictate that, not what politician said on television interviews, but

my focus on priority is to work with others to ensure those promises are

kept, that Scotland get substantial powers it needs to make a big

difference in the lives of people across the nation. If they don't,

you might have to test the question. I will approach that according to

the right time. I made it clear that the SNP is going into this process,

not because we are secretly wanting it to feel, but we want it to

succeed. I look at the referendum result last week and I see the

majority for substantial change. I have a job to do and play my part to

bring about that change and that is what I will focus on. You mentioned

twice during your opening remarks, the question of the referendum and

the European Union. RUC that if the UK votes to leave the European

Union, taking Scotland weather, that that may be a case to asp another

referendum? I am not sitting here right now saying that. I am making

the point that circumstances will dictate if and when there is another

referendum. Should the European referendum that sees the results of

Scotland taken out of the European Union against their will, that will

be something that will cause considerable concern and anger in

Scotland and we need to -- may lead to circumstances where people look

at the alternative. It is important at the outset of what I hope will be

my leadership of the SNP, the leadership of the country, that I do

not assume that things will go wrong. I will look ahead that things

were Scotland will go right. My job and my responsibility is to bring

that about. Do you think Scotland will become an independent country

and when? I will not speak of our timescale. I think we are on a path

to independence, but it is not me that will determine that timescale,

it will be the people of Scotland. What has been established is that

the people of Scotland are in control of the destiny of this

country. For now, my task is to respect and accept the outcome of

the referendum and to work to implement what I think was the will

of the people last week and that is substantial change for this country.

Nicola Sturgeon, thank you very much indeed.

Joining me for the duration of the programme is

the former executive editor of the Scotsman, and founder of the

Good afternoon to you both. Let's pick up on what Nicola Sturgeon was

talking about there. It is looking like a coronation. It is indeed.

There is no lack of talented people in the SNP. I think the main

interest will be the selection of who is good to be Nicola Sturgeon's

deputy. That can pose interesting problems for the SNP to gain a

balanced between the national party and speaking to the whole country,

rather than this popular search of new members, mainly brought in from

the left wing of Scotland, that has come to join the SNP. If we look at

who is in the frame for being her deputy. With that follow that

because she is a woman, it would have to be a man? Because she is an

MSP, it might need to be an MP? I think there has to be some sets --

sensitivity around these issues. There may be a problem for the SNP

if it chose as its deputy leader someday from the West Coast. It

would also be a problem if it chose someone else who was markedly to the

left. It is a left-leaning party. But it is also a broad church and it

has to be attentive to the 55% who did not vote for independence in the

referendum and to try and bring most of these people over to the SNP

side. I will be looking for candidates for deputy who would be

more appealing to that sector. As they discuss policy moving forward,

Nicola Sturgeon alluded that they had 58,000 members, that is over

33,000 on where they were this time last week. Who knows what sort of

policy agenda was -- agendas those people might want to bring to the

party. My sense is that it has brought, it has attracted many of

the activists in the referendum campaign, DS campaign. But let's be

mindful to the other very broad constituent. Who the first minister

blamed for losing the independence referendum, that is the older

people. Demonstrative in their views. Look at any chart, projection

for the voting constituency in Scotland. The numbers over 60 from

Scotland rise from around 1 million currently to 1.4 point 4,000,020

years. So they are not going to die off. -- 1.4 million in 20 years.

It's fair to say... It's fair to say that for all Alex Salmond has

received praise, Nicola Sturgeon will try and be in a different

mould. I did detect a difference in tone, I thought the way she knocked

out the talk of a UDI being declared, that change would come

through the ballot box, was interesting. The second point was

the one raised here about going into discussions with Lord Smith, and

being more positive than Alex Salmond had suggested previously,

which I think, looking at the 55% who didn't vote, they would be

supportive of that. So that was a good note to strike and it does

indicate a difference in the tone of the SNP going forward. For the

moment, thank you. Now, to Holyrood where MSPs are continuing their

debate on the referendum which began yesterday. So, my next positive

remark was going to be that I welcome the remit that Lord Smith

published yesterday in which he said is to facilitate an inclusive

process across Scotland to produce by the end of November heads of

agreement with recommendations for the further devolution of powers,

and the keyword is inclusive. We have excited, and imagine the word

being excited alongside politics, we have a great amount of democratic

engagement, but the real test is, can recapture the enthusiasm, the

ambition and the energy that was represented by that mammoth turnout

in the referendum and ensure that the settlement that is proposed by

Lord Smith captures those ambitions and puts them forward in a fashion

that can give confidence to people in Scotland, that despite the fact

that my side of the argument was unsuccessful last Thursday, the

powers of this Parliament have been decisively enhanced for real purpose

to enable us to address the challenges and the issues that face

the people of our country. Last week 's referendum was indeed the biggest

exercise of popular sovereignty in Scotland's history. Record numbers

of people registered to vote and record numbers took part. I met some

inspiring voters who will ball century and more ago, when only

adult male householders over the age of 21 were allowed to vote. Many

other voters like my younger daughter were born in the last 17

years, after we agreed in our last referendum that there should be a

Scottish parliament. Each and every vote in last weeks referendum was a

big one and in response to the question to whether Scotland should

be independent, a clear majority voted no. Scotland and England have

shared a common head of state for over 400 years, we have shared a

common Parliament for more than 300. Last week for the first time, the

whole people of Scotland were invited to vote on whether or not to

sustain that union and week of the people of Scotland, have determined

for ourselves that our country should continue as part of one

United Kingdom. The 2 million people who voted no were not merely the

largest minority in an electorate divided among nonvoters and yes

voters, they were a clear majority of those who chose to take part.

Alex Salmond yesterday described the Scottish assembly referendum of 1979

as a botch job because nonvoters were counted as if they were against

the majority view, with the result that the side that gained most votes

were not able to have its wish is taken into effect. Those who lost

last week should not make that same mistake and they should accept the

result is the sovereign will of the Scottish people, expressed by the

two majority of those who chose to exercise their sovereign right. The

community of the realm in the 1300 1602 was a much smaller and more

limited elite than the mass electorate of today or even the

electorate of 1914 but the point about popular sovereignty is that it

the final word. Those that support the sovereignty of the people must

not then pick apart the result. 2 million people voted for Scotland to

stay in the union and they did so because in their judgement it was

the best direction for Scotland to take. They were not tricked into

making the judgement, Polish voters in Aberdeen voted for Scotland to

remain in the UK for much the same reasons as most other Aberdonians

voted no. They too believe the benefits of Scotland. The claim made

yesterday that the polls voted no through fear is an insult to the

intelligence and a slower on the integrity of those who argued that

these nations are Better Together. -- a slower. I thank you for giving

way. There were many, many polls in Aberdeen who were threatened by no

campaigners, saying that they would be deported -- many Polish in

Aberdeen. It was so severe that the yes campaign but too many Polish

voters, does he deny that happened? He would have done himself a favour

by except in the position I put to him that voters of whatever ethnic

group and nationality, made that on the basis of the information put in

front of them. It is equally wrong to say that pensioners voted for the

union only because they were misled or they fail to take into account

the interests of future generations. Dementia nation of older voter

should have no place in the discourse of our modern society --

enunciation. It is highly valued around the world, in part because

older people think more than most about what the world will be like

after they have gone. I believe it was precisely because of what they

judged to be in the best interests of their children and grandchildren

that so many older people voted for Scotland to stay in the union and

future generations, I think, will be grateful for their immaturity and

judgement. The truth is that all those who voted had a choice,

between independence and a self-governing Scotland, and over

55% chose devolution and not independence. That majority included

majorities in most age groups but Scotland was for this purpose one

constituency and the will of the Scottish people as a whole has been

made clear. The commitments given by the Labour Party and other parties

over recent weeks and months will lay the basis for future devolution

which will be delivered following next week's election. Alex Allman

said he could to the verdict of the people and called on everyone else

to do the same. -- Alex Salmond. I'm glad Nicola Sturgeon has made a

commitment to work with others on taking forward proposals for

further, and I know how tough it can be to lose the vote at the end of a

hard-fought campaign, it is easy to believe you are a title to win

because you think you have made your case. Easier still to go into denial

or like somebody to blame when you fall at the final hurdle but I think

we all now need to accept and move on from last weeks clear decision

and work together across parties to secure the kind of changes in our

country that will make it an even better place in the future. One of

the many positive aspects of the campaign was the sheer level of

engagement, members of our communities engaged at all levels,

whether social media, public meetings or the big TV debates,

people were interested in this debate and who wouldn't be

interested in the biggest, most important debate Scotland has ever

had? It was a busy campaign regardless of where you were yes or

no, I am sure the energy drinks sales probably want through the roof

with campaigners, although I am currently trying to get the numbers

of team Paisley off that kind of addiction. I'm glad to say the

people of Paisley voted yes, they are a yes town, traditional working

class areas wanted independence for Scotland, traditionally low turnout

numbers came out in massive numbers to vote for this type of radical

change and that is the type of engagement we must embrace as

politicians, we must ensure that these people still feel powerful and

still want to engage because they felt their vote would make a

difference. They really wanted to go for something different in the

future. I hope the Westminster elite stick to that and remember it when

they make their decisions because the many campaigning stories we have

all had, as were mentioned yesterday, young men and women going

to school are shaking hands at the polling stations, another young man

walking through the streets who had already been to the Parliament,

shouting Georgie boy, he was voting on telling me how he was voting.

Matthew who works for me says, what other politician is treated that way

in Paisley streets? I take it as a commitment to the back are

compliment myself. There was another moment when a young boy to corrupt

me and said, she wanted to take a selfie and she said, I adore you,

George. That debate has lasted 2 days but

as well as discussing the fall out from the referendum

SNP MSPs will also be focussing As we've heard, Nicola Sturgeon has

announced her candidacy to succeed Alex Salmond at the top of the SNP

and as First Minister. So what do politicians

at the parliament make of these developments

and how are they dealing with last Let's join

our political correspondent The Scottish Parliament is back and

on day two after the referendum result, there is going to be a

continuation of the debate about how the vote went. We are expecting to

hear from backbenchers but also from the government and party leaders.

There will because in statements later, plus there will be health

questions this afternoon. I'm joined now here in the Parliament by

members of the Scottish Conservatives, SNP, Lib Dems and

Labour. I would like to ask, Ruth Davidson spoke about the grief and

hurt many are now feeling, how did you as an MSP and also your party,

plan to help heal that? What we had last week was an emphatic result,

people are already looking at the referendum through the rear-view

mirror. But we do going forward is to ensure that we settle on and

deliver the additional powers we promised. What is this Parliament go

for 18 months? The regular business of Parliament is on hold. Given that

we know these powers are coming, it's time for this Parliament to

prepare for that and it's time to look at how this Parliament will be

shaped. That's the business ahead. You are shaking your head about the

fact that he has said Parliament has been on hold, Alex Salmond dressed

that yesterday. What would be your response? That is an unrecognisable

destruction of what has happened here, legislation has been passed,

Parliament and committee has been very active. Maybe Jackson and his

body can't do two things at once but we can and we have been involved in

making sure use the powers one of the same time advocating a case that

Scotland should be independent and we should run our own affairs. I

accept absolutely decision has been taken, the referendum result is

clear and we have to move on and stop the problem we have now is to

make sure that Westminster delivers on their promises, their promises

were very high in the run-up to the referendum and they must be sure

they deliver. That is where 57,000 people on the members of the SNP, we

have seen incredible rise in our membership. Your leader spoke

yesterday of having federalism and a more nimble Scottish parliament, how

do you envisage that taking form? Federalism, which is the answer for

many people, I hope that will now come out, it's not just Liberal

Democrats saying it, there are Labour members saying that if they

put aside Scotland for a moment, it is sensible way to reconstruct our

country. The point about a nimble Parliament is important. We had life

by one issue, issue, independence, that has now been decided, no we

have to move on and make sure our Parliament response to what people

look for. It has been a bruising time, but we have dealt with it. We

need to come up with some real challenges for the very real

problems that people expect us to do. Joe one alarm and spoke

yesterday in her opening statement in the need to except the result and

move on. -- Johann Lamont. How do you expect to take up that? There

will be substantial new power is delivered to the parliament in

2016. We need to prepare for that. It will be a different place with

different responsibilities. We need to work towards that. I have always

believed in devolution for many years. We are only part way through

and as a result the people of Scotland are going to see a push for

devolution across the United Kingdom, that is only good news and

I am excited about taking that forward. We need to persuade those

people who voted yes that this is a valid alternative vision. We are

embarking on an exciting new journey which is relevant for Scotland but

also for the people of the United Kingdom as well. Johann Lamont has

touched on the fact that a number of people who voted yes were those who

voted Labour traditionally. How do you plan to address that # we need

to understand the reasons why they voted yes. It is about deprivation,

we need to be able to say the right things to people about that. Some of

it depends on the geography and the circumstances as well. In terms of

party membership, the SNP pointed out that they have had a huge surge

in their membership which could take them beyond the Lib Dem membership.

This has been something that the Lib Dems have been on a joint platform

with the other parties on Better Together. How do you take this

forward as your popularity as a party? It was the right case to make

the case for the UK. I think his -- it is great that more than 2 million

people voted no thank you. It is not a surprise that the membership for

the yes parties has gone up. We are working towards more powers for the

Scottish government and the rest of the United Kingdom. I hope all the

main parties, all the parties in Scotland, will put good people onto

his work, to make sure we deliver on what we all want to see, that is a

much stronger Parliament within our United Kingdom, but one that has

real tax powers and real welfare powers and that can make a

difference to all the things that matter to people. That is something

we should get on with and that is why I think the timetable being set

out as demanding. I share Stewart and Jackson's, all our attributes

and working towards that timetable to deliver it. That is what people

expect us to do. Nicola Sturgeon has announced plans to stand for a

candidate as First Minister. What would your response be to that. Who

would you expect to be her deputy, what would you consider that? I am

not going to be standing for either the leadership or the deputy

leadership. There are two good reasons not to stand for it. I think

it is a boost for the party for Nicola to stand for the leader of

the SNP and First Minister. I am looking forward to party conference

this year. -- the party conference. We have job-creating powers, more

furnace and Scotland and a stronger voice in the international stage, we

will be campaigning on and speaking about in the next few weeks. -- be

earnest in Scotland. Despite what Stewart Maxwell said earlier, we

have 18 months of this Parliament to run, all we have been told was that

independence would make this better. We heard that Nicola Sturgeon wants

to be First Minister. What this government is going to do for the

next 18 months, what are the practical policies that Nicola

Sturgeon is going to stand for. Lucy Adams talking to the MSP is there.

From Edinburgh to Manchester where Labour's annual conference is

Ed Miliband delivered his leader's speech yesterday but today the focus

seems to be on what he forgot to mention rather than what he did say.

Speaking off the cuff from scant notes

the Labour leader it seems omitted a section explaining how his party

would tackle the UK's budget deficit if he wins the election next May.

This morning the shadow health secretary Andy Burnham has been

Labour say they'll invest in the service to rescue it

Of course during the referendum campaign Labour

seemed to suggest that any talk of falling budgets or privatisation

which could have a knock on effect in Scotland was a scare tactic.

Joining me now from Manchester are Scottish MPs

Good afternoon to both of you. John Robertson, what is the problem with

the NHS in England that needs to be fixed? It is probably the same as

the NHS up in Scotland. It is a case of priorities. People are trying to

access the treatment that they need and deserve, then we have to look at

it. We feel the government has spent millions of pounds of reorganising

the NHS, but could have spent the same amount of money and employing

nurses and doctors. It is a case of priorities now and our priorities

are people and getting them into hospital, getting them to the GPs

and making sure that the NHS that they thought they had is the one

they get. During the referendum campaign, Labour kept saying that

there would be no change to the NHS in Scotland as there was a No vote.

The point is that the NHS is devolved to the Scottish parliament

so the Scottish Parliament already makes the decisions about how they

want to run the NHS in Scotland. I think the point here is what we're

good to have with the Labour government next year is a huge boost

of investment into the NHS in Scotland will benefit from that

through the Barnett formula with additional spending for the health

service in Scotland, which is a great thing. The challenge is to the

Scottish Government now as to whether they are going to put that

money into the NHS or not because it is their decision. Because decisions

about the NHS are devolved to Scotland. Are they going to use this

money for the NHS in Scotland? Do you favour the Barnett formula? As a

Labour MP who is hoping to stand again next year to be elected, of

course I do. You would not expect me to say anything else. There is going

to be a deep change-up in Scotland and that change in Scotland is going

to rip their break all the way down south. -- Reeve are great. So, yes.

We still need that money. Not just to make things better. If someone is

going to give me something, I will not say no. -- reverberate. Ed

Miliband, who aspires to be prime minister in a few months time,

forgets to talk about the deficit, the biggest issue facing this

country. Ed has been very clear. Ever since he became the leader of

the Labour Party that he would have a responsible approach to spending.

What we heard yesterday was the number of policies which will

radically change people's lies in this country and all of them work

not about borrowing more money, they were about on tobacco companies,

taxing people with high-value homes more to get that money that we need

into our public services. That is further public services. He did not

tell us how you will reduce the deficit, that is something the

public need to, don't they? He has been very clear about our approach

to that,... How would the deficit be reduced? Did you miss Ed Balls

speech? There was a whole speech by him and the problems we are going to

have and what we need to do. What Ed Miliband were saying yesterday was

reprioritise the NHS and that is one thing that appeals to every single

person in this country, it is very important that the elderly are

looked after. Harry Smith made a wonderful speech today before Andy

spoke. I don't think there was a dry eye in the hall. I shared a story

hemp -- myself. He said how his family did not have an NHS. We had a

sister who died in the house. We don't want anything like that. That

is what this is about. To say he forgot to mention something about

the deficit when wall we have talked about in the last few years as a

deficit... That is by his own admission. You said that you hope to

be elected in a few months time. Are you going to chap on the doors and

the west of Glasgow and tell people that is a Labour MP you are in

favour of much more austerity in the user, if Ed Miliband is a number ten

Downing St? I hope to go out to people, not just a tock about why I

want them to be like me. I need to find out why those people,

particularly in Glasgow, will not vote Labour. White some of my

supporters did not vote. Could it be that they were against austerity? It

could be. They have got to tell us that. At the end of the day I need

to explain to them that you can only cut it up so many ways. Most people

understand that. I think, actually, the Scottish people are bit more

clever that some people give them credit for. They understand that

there is only so many ways things can go round. They need to know what

the priorities are. You may well be in London for the next couple of

days because there is a potential for a recall of Parliament to look

at this issue of helping, this international coalition, of error

strakes against -- air strikes against Syria and Iraq. Do you know

which way you will vote? We need to hear what the Prime Minister is

going to see this evening. It is a very serious situation. We support

the action that the US and the Arab states are taking at the moment.

This evening, I believe we will hear from the Prime Minister, and it is

important we hear that and that we are then able to go forward. There

hasn't yet been no request for the UK to be involved. We want to see a

Security Council resolution will stop as to how this matter is taken

forward. What is happening in Iraq and Syria is a serious threat to

global security, to our security here in the UK. We have seen some

awful things to happen to some of us citizens, there are terrible things

happening on the ground to people in those countries. We need to do

everything we can to resolve this. What is your position, John

Robertson? Was Labour wrong last year to stand in the Prime Minister

s' way when he had a desire to do something in Syria? At salute

Lynott. I was probably one of those who stood in his way. -- at salute

Lynott. This is about communities. -- absolutely not. If it was just

the Americans backed up by the British, I would not be in favour.

Citizens of this country, over and Syria and Iraq, they are doing

horrible things. We need to protect people from these British citizens.

If we can bring them to book and take them to court then we should do

that. This is a completely different ball game than it was before... This

is about communities are working together. In this case we should be

part of it. Thank you both for joining us from Manchester.

Still with me former executive editor of the Scotsman,

and founder of the blog Scot-Buzz, Bill Jamieson.

Let's talk about what we picked up whether politicians there. Quite

turn ad mission for Ed Miliband to mention -- quite an admission for Ed

Miliband not to mention the deficit. I think it was a glaring omission,

and what he needs do is to reassure voters that actually, it is high up

on the Labour agenda. The deficit is huge at the moment. This week, the

problem got even worse than we thought it was. The annual deficit

is going up, it's not declining in the way that the OBR forecast in

March, it is significantly higher. Perhaps more worrying is the figure

of outstanding debt has jumped up in the latest calculations, 1.3 8

trillion, two over 1.4 trillion. That is a phenomenal talent to

tackle. All the time, whether you are a Labour Chancellor or a

conservative town to look flying out of the Treasury every year, this

year it is 53 billion. A colossal sum. Would you make of the ideas he

gave us to increase public services. Were they creative ideas, attacks on

tobacco companies, mansion tax? Some of them centred very familiar, the

mansion tax... The last time it was discussed, the tax industry had a

field day, pointing out all the anomalies and the loopholes that

could be created. It is there raise a substantial amount on a mansion

tax unless you bring the level, the qualifying level, rather lower than

2 million. The hoary old chestnut of cracking down on tax evasion, and

efficiency savings. The tax on the tobacco companies, we don't have

details on that but he has to raise considerably more than what we have

been told. The speech itself, the reaction to it has been somewhat

mixed, because it was a fairly low-key delivery, given that we are

so close to an election, one might have expected perhaps more energy

from the Labour leader. Certainly something different, I just felt, we

have heard so many of these slogans before, working together, then the

pledges on more nurses. That always brings a Labour Party conference to

its feet but there needs to be something more, something new. And

we searched in vain to hear something new from the person who is

aspiring to be Prime Minister. Although we know talking about the

NHS is a hot button issue, with people north and south of the

border, which is why we sought in the referendum campaign. It is never

going to be resolved because the problem is, our expectations of what

we would like to have from the NHS is constantly on the rise and the

iron law of democratic just spoils on pressure on NHS spending, no

matter how incensed it is. Now let's go back to Holyrood. What we should

concentrate on now is the future, creating a future which does not

exist but will be determined by the decisions that we make. So now is

the time for respect, abandoning polarisation and coming together as

much as possible and nurturing the culture of participation and

involvement that was boosted so much by the referendum campaign. In that

context, I welcome much of what Nicola Sturgeon said this morning. I

send her my best wishes. I do want to mention one concern I have about

Nicola Sturgeon, I refused to rule out a referendum, that is contrary

to what the First Minister said and also what she said about this being

a decision for regeneration. It seems this morning that a political

generation may have become a mere five years. It may well be that

somebody else is going to do that. The two big issues for us, looking

forward, are the new powers that we will receive, and of course how to

make use, not just of those powers but the powers we currently have. I

think even more important is how we use all the powers that we will soon

have. I know that many people in the community is that I hold most dear

did vote yes, by no means all but many of them did. They were doing

that in the hope of more social justice and I believe the challenge

for us is to start delivering on that social justice with the powers

we have now and the powers we will soon acquire. Why is there not a

poverty and assessment... I thank him for that intervention. I

understand what you're saying, but we don't have the powers to change

welfare reform which is impacting on some of our most vulnerable people.

What I regret is all we hear about in motion to the debate about social

equality is what we cannot do, were as we to concentrate more on what we

can do. I made a general point... I'm a bit surprised by his remarks

about the lack of qualities assessment given that he knows that

on an annual basis we publish a qualities assessment of all of the

government budget members which summarise... Of course, I know that

but there is not a focus on poverty and income inequality and that is

what I was reporting to. Much as I support more devolution to local

government in general, why are there not more national initiatives for

combating poverty. Certainly, issues of social justice and equality are

going to be my novel one priority for my last 18 months in this

Parliament, I know they will be of the Labour group in this Parliament

and I hope they will be the number one priority of the Scottish

Government. Firstly, there is a clear timetable and contrary to what

Sandra White said, there will be delivery in accordance with that

timetable. Secondly, and this is something I have noted in the

comments of many yes supporters in the last few days, what was promised

by the leaders and by Gordon Brown was not Devo-Max. Some people are

saying, if it is not Devo-Max, they have renamed on their promise. You

know Gordon Brown doesn't support that, everybody knows that none of

the Better Together parties support that, it doesn't exist anywhere in

the world. But what I will say it, my final words are that I certainly

support excessive fiscal and other powers coming to this Parliament and

I may not be entirely satisfied with the level of devolution that is

delivered, but I will certainly welcome it. Devolution is a

process, not an event, a process we can continue because of the no vote

last week. In the very near future we will have the start of a

semi-autonomous state within a fiscally federal UK and I hope

everyone in this chamber will welcome that. I am told Bill

Jamieson. I want to move to Westminster for a moment or two, and

the potential recall of Parliament, it may happen on Friday. There is a

meeting this evening between the Iraqi Prime Minister and David

Cameron, if there is a formal request for British involvement,

Parliament will reconvene to discuss that. How do you see it going? Three

conditions have to be fulfilled in order for the UK to come militarily

involved directly in the conflict against Isis. The first is a UN

resolution. The second is to have absolute clarity in terms of the

military objectives, what is it that the UK can do in Syria? Because it

is quite complicated thing for the military to undertake. That will

have to be clear. And the third, of course, is consultation and approval

by Parliament. So it is right he should take this issue to Parliament

to be discussed. Do you think you will get this approval? Last year

Labour blocked a foray into Syria, this year second starters are

different but at the same time there will be dissenting voices,

particularly because of what happened in Iraq. I think the

horrific actions that Isis have taken seen on all our TV screens,

have so appalled people that they feel it cannot go on and this group

cannot keep gaining territory in Syria and threatening the whole of

the Middle East. I feel that on this occasion, the majority of MPs will

feel that the UK ought to join in. Do you think we might get a

different view from politicians in Scotland? We were told that people

were in less of a rush in Scotland, against the idea of a war in Iraq

that the rest of the UK? I think people have been appalled and

chilled as much in Scotland as in the rest of the UK, I wouldn't

imagine they would be a significant point of view between Scottish and

the rest of the UK MPs. Talking about the debate we have been

watching in the Scottish Parliament over the independence referendum,

pretty good-natured, a couple of interesting points made there,

Malcolm Chisholm talking about more social justice, they don't have the

levers of power to deliver that, but does the Parliament no need to come

up with something new, as it were, to offer the people? It was

interesting, listening to the debate, you just felt, if this is a

new start in Scottish politics, it looks very familiar to me. We'll

soon find, wants the Finance Minister presents the budget for the

next financial year, it'll be a case of reverting to the status quo

intent of the documents and of course, politics, no matter how much

we wish it to be reinvigorated, at the end of the day, politics does

come down sorting out priorities, working within constraints, getting

hard choices. That is what the Scottish parliament does and why

what will hear over the next few weeks may sound very similar. The

signing of the said, it can't be as nice as usual but politics is quite

tribal. We may see some consensus, maybe it will last six weeks if we

are lucky. I don't see a great breadth of goodwill spreading out

for very long. It is very tribal, feelings are partisan and don't

forget we are in the run-up to a big Westminster election in 2015 and you

will find that electricity charging through the Scottish Parliament just

as much. And it depends what we get from Westminster as well. Thank you

for joining us. That's it for today, Sunday politics will be back

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