This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/21/scottish-labour-mini-manifesto-disillusioned-voters

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Scottish Labour unveils mini-manifesto to woo disillusioned voters Scottish Labour unveils mini-manifesto to woo disillusioned voters
(about 1 hour later)
The Scottish Labour party has launched an offensive to win back hundreds of thousands of disillusioned voters, pledging to cut child poverty, increase wages and reform the NHS.The Scottish Labour party has launched an offensive to win back hundreds of thousands of disillusioned voters, pledging to cut child poverty, increase wages and reform the NHS.
In what is effectively a political makeover after six years in opposition in Edinburgh, Scottish Labour released a mini-manifesto that it claims sets out a new "moral purpose" for the party as it opened its spring conference in Perth. In what is in effect a political makeover after six years in opposition in Edinburgh, Scottish Labour released a mini-manifesto that it claims sets out a new "moral purpose" for the party as it opened its spring conference in Perth.
Anas Sarwar, the Scottish party's deputy leader, said the 64-page "red paper", Together We Can, was designed to give voters a clear sense of why they should vote no in September's independence referendum and re-elect Labour governments in both the 2015 general election and 2016 Scottish election. Anas Sarwar, the Scottish party's deputy leader, said the 64-page "red paper", Together We Can, was designed to give voters a clear sense of why they should vote no in September's independence referendum and elect Labour governments in both 2015 general election and 2016 Scottish election.
Labour plans to send out an eight page summary of the document to all 2.5m households in Scotland, and thousands of copies of the full paper are being distributed to Labour constituency parties. Labour plans to send out an eight-page summary of the document to all 2.5m households in Scotland, and thousands of copies of the full paper are being distributed to Labour constituency parties.
Indicating that the document was a relaunch for the party, which was humiliated by Alex Salmond's landslide election Holyrood victory in 2011, losing 22 constituency seats to the Scottish National party (SNP), Sarwar said: "We've always said we want to build towards getting back into government. "We had a tsunami of an election in 2011 and people rightly asked the question 'what does the Labour party stand for and what is it's purpose in the 21st century?' – and this answers that question." Indicating that the document was a relaunch for the party, which was humiliated by Alex Salmond's Holyrood election landslide in 2011, losing 22 constituency seats to the Scottish National party (SNP), Sarwar said: "We've always said we want to build towards getting back into government. "We had a tsunami of an election in 2011 and people rightly asked the question 'what does the Labour party stand for and what is its purpose in the 21st century?' – and this answers that question."
Arguing that the interests of Scottish Labour voters were best defended within the UK, the document combines headline pledges by the UK party on a new minimum wage, a freeze on fuel bills and abolishing the bedroom tax, with policies specific to Scotland. Arguing that the interests of Scottish Labour voters were best defended within the UK, the document combines headline pledges by the UK party on a new minimum wage, a freeze on fuel bills and abolishing the bedroom tax with policies specific to Scotland.
Those include cutting Scottish child poverty levels by 50%; giving the Scottish parliament greater control over income tax rates and matching Ed Miliband's introduction of a new 50p top rate of income tax; accelerating the reform of Scottish land ownership; reversing funding cuts for colleges and extending the living wage to more public services, including the NHS. Those include cutting Scottish child poverty levels by 50%; giving the Scottish parliament greater control over income tax rates and matching Ed Miliband's introduction of a new 50p top rate of income tax; accelerating the reform of Scottish land ownership; reversing funding cuts for colleges; and extending the living wage to more public services, including the NHS.
He denied that the paper, which follows the release last Tuesday of Labour's plans to devolve greater control over income tax and control housing benefit, was a riposte to the Scottish government's independence white paper. Sarwar denied that the paper, which follows the release last Tuesday of Labour's plans to devolve greater control over income tax and control housing benefit, was a riposte to the Scottish government's independence white paper.
It was intended to reconnect Labour with its Scottish voters in the longer term, Sarwar said, with the aim of winning all three contests it is prioritising – the referendum, and two domestic elections.It was intended to reconnect Labour with its Scottish voters in the longer term, Sarwar said, with the aim of winning all three contests it is prioritising – the referendum, and two domestic elections.
Sarwar said Labour wanted to regain control of the political agenda. "The real choice is not just about who our prime minister or first minister is, it's not about dividing different parts of the United Kingdom. The real choice is how we create a new moral economy, right across the UK but also create real change," he said.Sarwar said Labour wanted to regain control of the political agenda. "The real choice is not just about who our prime minister or first minister is, it's not about dividing different parts of the United Kingdom. The real choice is how we create a new moral economy, right across the UK but also create real change," he said.
But Scottish Labour leaders have deeply resented the SNP's success in positioning itself in many voters minds as a centre-left party that champions social justice. But Scottish Labour leaders have deeply resented the SNP's success in positioning itself in many voters' minds as a centre-left party which champions social justice.
In an address to Scottish Labour's spring conference later on Friday, Ed Miliband, the UK party leader, will deliver the latest in a series of speeches by senior party figures, including Gordon Brown, in which the party has vigorously attacked Salmond's economic policies, portraying him as a tax-cutting friend of big business.In an address to Scottish Labour's spring conference later on Friday, Ed Miliband, the UK party leader, will deliver the latest in a series of speeches by senior party figures, including Gordon Brown, in which the party has vigorously attacked Salmond's economic policies, portraying him as a tax-cutting friend of big business.
Sarwar said the document was not a manifesto: many of its pledges, such as plans to pay NHS staff a living wage or increasing free childcare were not detailed or fully costed. Those would be set out before the 2015 and 2016 elections. "This is not a manifesto: it's an ambitions document," he said. Sarwar said the document was not a manifesto: many of its pledges, such as plans to pay NHS staff a living wage and increase free childcare, were not detailed or fully costed. Those would be set out before the 2015 and 2016 elections. "This is not a manifesto: it's an ambitions document," he said.
The document fails to answer questions already posed by Scottish Labour itself on how it would reform or end popular but costly policies such as free university tuition, the Scottish council tax freeze, now in place for six years, and free personal care for the elderly. The document fails to answer questions already posed by Scottish Labour itself about how it would reform or end popular but costly policies such as free university tuition, the Scottish council tax freeze, now in place for six years, and free personal care for the elderly.
Sarwar admitted the party was still working on these areas – leaving Scottish Labour open to further attacks from Salmond for threatening to end these policies, which played a central role in the SNP's elections in 2007 and 2011. Sarwar admitted the party was still working on these areas – leaving Scottish Labour open to further attacks from Salmond for threatening to end these policies, which played a central role in the SNP's elections in 2007 and 2011.