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| Kezia Dugdale: Holyrood under SNP is 'a conveyor belt for Tory cuts' | Kezia Dugdale: Holyrood under SNP is 'a conveyor belt for Tory cuts' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Scottish Labour is to promise voters it would never cut taxes at the same time as cutting spending, in an effort to step up attacks on Nicola Sturgeon’s record as first minister. | Scottish Labour is to promise voters it would never cut taxes at the same time as cutting spending, in an effort to step up attacks on Nicola Sturgeon’s record as first minister. |
| Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, told her party’s spring conference in Glasgow she would introduce strict fiscal rules to stop Holyrood from cutting taxes and spending at the same time, as a poll highlighted her party’s dire popularity rating. | Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, told her party’s spring conference in Glasgow she would introduce strict fiscal rules to stop Holyrood from cutting taxes and spending at the same time, as a poll highlighted her party’s dire popularity rating. |
| In a direct challenge to the Scottish National party leader, Dugdale accused Sturgeon of hypocrisy for rejecting Labour’s proposal for a 1p increase in Scottish income tax rates while allowing Holyrood to become “a conveyor belt for Tory cuts” in her government’s recent budget. | In a direct challenge to the Scottish National party leader, Dugdale accused Sturgeon of hypocrisy for rejecting Labour’s proposal for a 1p increase in Scottish income tax rates while allowing Holyrood to become “a conveyor belt for Tory cuts” in her government’s recent budget. |
| Dugdale said many Scots were excited when Sturgeon promised she would be “the great anti-austerity alternative” in last year’s general election television debates, which established the first minister’s reputation. | Dugdale said many Scots were excited when Sturgeon promised she would be “the great anti-austerity alternative” in last year’s general election television debates, which established the first minister’s reputation. |
| But Sturgeon then “came home to force through the Tories’ cuts in Scotland. Because we don’t get Nicola the socialist who says let’s change things, we get Nicola the nationalist who says we can’t,” Dugdale said. | But Sturgeon then “came home to force through the Tories’ cuts in Scotland. Because we don’t get Nicola the socialist who says let’s change things, we get Nicola the nationalist who says we can’t,” Dugdale said. |
| “What good is strength if you don’t use it to protect those without power, without opportunity, without wealth?” | “What good is strength if you don’t use it to protect those without power, without opportunity, without wealth?” |
| To cheers from delegates, she referred to Sturgeon’s populist use of smartphones while campaigning when she asked voters to back Labour “if you want a government less interested in taking selfies and more interested in taking on the establishment”. | To cheers from delegates, she referred to Sturgeon’s populist use of smartphones while campaigning when she asked voters to back Labour “if you want a government less interested in taking selfies and more interested in taking on the establishment”. |
| Dugdale pointed at Sturgeon’s decision to abolish air passenger duty, a tax worth £220m. The SNP insists it is raising other taxes such as higher band council tax rates, and introducing a new property sales tax that hits higher-value homes. | Dugdale pointed at Sturgeon’s decision to abolish air passenger duty, a tax worth £220m. The SNP insists it is raising other taxes such as higher band council tax rates, and introducing a new property sales tax that hits higher-value homes. |
| Related: Scottish Labour could call the SNP’s bluff on income tax | Owen Jones | Related: Scottish Labour could call the SNP’s bluff on income tax | Owen Jones |
| Dugdale spoke as the Labour-leaning Daily Record newspaper published a new poll by Survation suggesting her headline pledge to increase income tax by 1p for a £500m spending increase for schools and councils has failed to add votes. | Dugdale spoke as the Labour-leaning Daily Record newspaper published a new poll by Survation suggesting her headline pledge to increase income tax by 1p for a £500m spending increase for schools and councils has failed to add votes. |
| The poll puts Labour 34 points behind the Scottish National party at 20% in the constituency vote and 18% on the second list vote, confirming Labour is likely to lose at least a third of its seats. There are only seven weeks to go before May’s Holyrood election. | The poll puts Labour 34 points behind the Scottish National party at 20% in the constituency vote and 18% on the second list vote, confirming Labour is likely to lose at least a third of its seats. There are only seven weeks to go before May’s Holyrood election. |
| With the Tories also on 18% of the list vote, further analysis suggested the Tories could win one more seat than Labour, a result that would be a humiliation for Dugdale. Senior Labour figures were dismissive of that data: other polls by TNS put the Tories as low as 13% in the constituency vote. | With the Tories also on 18% of the list vote, further analysis suggested the Tories could win one more seat than Labour, a result that would be a humiliation for Dugdale. Senior Labour figures were dismissive of that data: other polls by TNS put the Tories as low as 13% in the constituency vote. |
| With its strong echoes of the former chancellor Gordon Brown’s “fiscal rule” against borrowing to fund day-to-day spending, Labour strategists said the fiscal rules would be introduced into legislation for the next Scottish parliament if it won power in May. | With its strong echoes of the former chancellor Gordon Brown’s “fiscal rule” against borrowing to fund day-to-day spending, Labour strategists said the fiscal rules would be introduced into legislation for the next Scottish parliament if it won power in May. |
| A new Scottish fiscal commission, which is due to operate in a similar manner to the Office for Budget Responsibility in London after Holyrood gets up £18bn in tax and welfare powers, would be empowered to oversee the new rules. | A new Scottish fiscal commission, which is due to operate in a similar manner to the Office for Budget Responsibility in London after Holyrood gets up £18bn in tax and welfare powers, would be empowered to oversee the new rules. |
| Dugdale said the rule, due to be spelled out in further detail later, would guarantee public spending would rise in real terms before the next general election. It would be invested in a new 48-hour treatment guarantee at GP surgeries; increased education spending; improved care packages and more council housing. | Dugdale said the rule, due to be spelled out in further detail later, would guarantee public spending would rise in real terms before the next general election. It would be invested in a new 48-hour treatment guarantee at GP surgeries; increased education spending; improved care packages and more council housing. |
| Related: Scottish government to set up benefits agency to streamline welfare | Related: Scottish government to set up benefits agency to streamline welfare |
| Scottish Labour officials fended off questions about the decision not to invite UK leader Jeremy Corbyn or shadow chancellor John McDonnell to address the conference, arguing that would risk overshadowing Dugdale less than seven weeks before the Holyrood elections. | Scottish Labour officials fended off questions about the decision not to invite UK leader Jeremy Corbyn or shadow chancellor John McDonnell to address the conference, arguing that would risk overshadowing Dugdale less than seven weeks before the Holyrood elections. |
| The only UK shadow cabinet minister to speak was shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith, while Alan Johnson, the former home secretary, spoke for Labour’s pro-EU referendum campaign. | The only UK shadow cabinet minister to speak was shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith, while Alan Johnson, the former home secretary, spoke for Labour’s pro-EU referendum campaign. |
| McDonnell was in Glasgow to meet family living in the city, but took the day off after addressing a Federation of Small Businesses conference on Friday. He is due to speak at the constituency campaign launch on Sunday for Elaine Smith, a leftwing Labour MSP fighting to hold her Coatbridge seat against the SNP. | McDonnell was in Glasgow to meet family living in the city, but took the day off after addressing a Federation of Small Businesses conference on Friday. He is due to speak at the constituency campaign launch on Sunday for Elaine Smith, a leftwing Labour MSP fighting to hold her Coatbridge seat against the SNP. |
| The newest, youngest and least known of the five party leaders at Holyrood, Dugdale is still struggling to make an impact with voters: the latest poll, by Survation for the Daily Record, gave her a net favourability rating of -9, the lowest of the Holyrood leaders. Sturgeon is on +21. | |
| Dugdale’s aides point to David Cameron’s pro-EU speech in Edinburgh dominating television coverage of the Scottish Tory conference earlier this month at the expense of Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson. | Dugdale’s aides point to David Cameron’s pro-EU speech in Edinburgh dominating television coverage of the Scottish Tory conference earlier this month at the expense of Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson. |
| Yet the Survation poll also points to significant problems for Labour with Corbyn. It puts his favourability rating at -19, worse than the Lib Dem UK leader Tim Farron on -11, implying his leadership at UK level may be damaging the party’s chances in Scotland. | Yet the Survation poll also points to significant problems for Labour with Corbyn. It puts his favourability rating at -19, worse than the Lib Dem UK leader Tim Farron on -11, implying his leadership at UK level may be damaging the party’s chances in Scotland. |
| Great campaigning with @EdWestCLP & @Cat_Headley in Edinburgh sunshine this am https://t.co/wlyDYK1tZG | Great campaigning with @EdWestCLP & @Cat_Headley in Edinburgh sunshine this am https://t.co/wlyDYK1tZG |
| Yvette Cooper, the former work and pensions secretary, came to Scotland on Friday to bolster Labour’s efforts to build up Dugdale’s profile in Edinburgh, where she is fighting against the odds to win the city’s Edinburgh Eastern seat. Cooper too remained away from party conference, canvassing instead in Edinburgh Western on Saturday. | Yvette Cooper, the former work and pensions secretary, came to Scotland on Friday to bolster Labour’s efforts to build up Dugdale’s profile in Edinburgh, where she is fighting against the odds to win the city’s Edinburgh Eastern seat. Cooper too remained away from party conference, canvassing instead in Edinburgh Western on Saturday. |