MUCH has been made of the Valentine’s weekend deadline for the Full Fiscal Framework without, perhaps, much understanding of why it is when it is.
Quite simply it’s scrutiny. The February 12 stopping point allows Holyrood’s devolution (further powers) committee and our MSPs time to scrutinise what has been negotiated.
The Scottish and UK Governments agree the deal must be future-proofed. Despite what readers of this paper may feel about the inevitability of independence, this deal will be for a long-time.
Those who support independence will always welcome more powers for Holyrood.
The more the people of Scotland can see the Scottish Government take responsibility for, the more competent and assured they will feel when it comes to vote in that second referendum.
But those more powers for Scotland must not come at any cost.
The Prime Minister knows there will be public support for reducing the Holyrood budget. His Chancellor, who has been told by two economic think tanks in as many days that his forecasts are likely wrong, will be keen to claw back cash where he can.
That is why these negotiations are so vital. But £3 billion over the next 10 years is too much to lose for these powers.
For the two governments, the sticking point seems to be over the understanding of the Smith Commission’s promise of no detriment. This, it seems, is the crux of these new powers.
It’s not about wanting more than we deserve rather paying the right price for the right powers.
It should not be an attack on Scotland’s block grant for the sake of it, but rather the right way of reducing it so that it remains in sync with the money-raising powers coming to Holyrood.
Promises were made to the people of Scotland during the referendum and in the immediate aftermath. It’s probable that David Cameron now wishes they hadn’t been.
But they were. We expect them to be delivered.
Scotland squeezed: But Sturgeon pledges to stop Scotland £3 billion short-change
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