IF we look at what those successful, advanced economies of the world with low levels of inequality have that we don’t, there is only one answer: independence.
The Sustainable Growth Commission – a report for Scotland’s future economic success published last year – set out 50 recommendations on how our country could reach its full potential if decisions were taken in Scotland, not at Westminster.
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Central to those recommendations is an explicit rejection of the austerity model pursued by the UK in recent years and an insistence that an independent Scotland must tackle the inequalities in our society, starting with the gender pay gap.
With the limited powers of devolution, Scotland is already taking strides to tackle the deep inequalities which exist across society.
On several indicators we’re consistently the best in the UK when it comes to tackling inequality. But as part of the UK, Scotland underperforms when compared to the rest of the world.
This week, a new report revealed that Scotland outperforms all other parts of the UK when it comes to women’s employment – we perform best in opening up opportunities for female participation in the workplace.
But, while we may be the best in the UK, as part of that union we lag behind small, independent countries such as Iceland, Sweden and New Zealand; countries which consistently top tables on low levels of inequality.
The potential benefits of becoming an independent, economically successful country are significant. For instance, if Scotland got more women into the workplace by matching Sweden, which ranks second on the global Women in Work Index, then we would boost GDP by £9 billion. The Growth Commission report shows how Scotland could thrive as an independent nation, with the power to tailor our own economic policy, and the potential to keep up with the best small nations in the world; countries like Finland, Iceland, Denmark and New Zealand.
Tackling the gender pay gap; the expansion of free childcare, the Gender Representation of Public Boards (Scotland) Bill, and investment in a social security system based on dignity and respect have all hugely contributed towards ending inequality, but we have been repeatedly held back in our ambition by UK governments who treat Scotland as an afterthought.
Westminster politics has concentrated wealth among the very richest, creating a widening divergence between them and working families. Across the UK more than 14 million people, including 4.5m children, are now living below the breadline. These are statistics that should shame the UK Government and they’re entirely down to conscious political choices made by the Tories.
Front-line services, charities and religious groups have all condemned their assault on welfare.
And the UN’s rapporteur for extreme poverty and human rights described the UK Government approach as “punitive, mean spirited and often callous”.
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Only in recent days did the Minister for Work and Pensions finally admitted that people are being driven to foodbanks as a direct result of her Government’s flagship welfare policy – having refused to accept the evidence staring them in the face for over four years.
Our social security system is supposed to make things better for those who are struggling, and provide a safety net for the most vulnerable in society. Something has gone seriously wrong here.
In contrast, the Scottish Government is taking steps to alleviate the effects of the UK Government’s damaging cuts where it can have been praised by experts and front-line services up and down the country.
Our new Social Security agency is built on a promise to treat everyone with dignity, fairness and respect – eschewing punitive sanctions altogether.
For too long, Scotland has been left at the mercy of Tory governments it did not vote for; Tory governments determined to impose damaging policies on Scotland with no democratic mandate; Tory governments obsessed with austerity and cleaving an ever widening gap between rich and poor, regardless of the human or economic cost.
Austerity is not a necessity, and it’s not a choice we would make with the powers of independence.
The Growth Commission report explicitly rejects austerity as a prospectus for Scotland’s independent future.
After 10 years of Westminster budget cuts driving inequality and poverty, Scotland faces a stark choice.
With independence, we can match the richest, happiest and healthiest countries in the world. We can build a fairer society which tackles inequality with the full armoury of powers that would bring.
With independence, Scotland’s ambition can rise above being just the best in the UK – instead we can aim to lead the world.
By doing nothing, by continuing within an unequal, broken UK system we remain at the mercy of Tory governments we didn’t vote for – forcing continuing decline upon Scotland’s communities. Growing inequality and more austerity are too high a price to pay for a failing Union.
With independence, Scotland can do far better.
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