BY TIM PARSONS
British Prime Minister, David Cameron and SNP leader, Ms Sturgeon are struggling to see eye to eye on Scotland’s wish for full financial responsibility. Cameron, still basking in his majority defeat of Ed Milliband last week, is in the enviable position of calling the shots like he has done for the past 4 years. The Conservative leader today reassured Scotland that he would make it one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world, amid increasing distrust by Scots of the U.K. government, but his pledge did not cause a party or celebration by the SNP leader. In his first trip to Scotland since winning the elections, he promised extensive new powers for Scotland, including authority to set income tax rates. He also decided to move attention away from the political issues that have surrounded Scottish politics in terms of their independence, focusing instead on ”bread and butter” issues like jobs and public services”.
However, Ms. Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party, coming off a record U.K. electoral performance—the party (after winning 56 of the 59 seats) in the British parliament, based in Westminster. compared with the 1 seat won by Conservative Party in Scotland .“As more powers are devolved to Scotland, it is time to move beyond the debate about processes and focus on those bread-and-butter issues that affect every family in our United Kingdom,” such as jobs and public services, Mr. Cameron said in a statement ahead of the meeting.
However, Ms. Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party, coming off a record U.K. electoral performance—the party (after winning 56 of the 59 seats) in the British parliament, based in Westminster. compared with the 1 seat won by Conservative Party in Scotland .
Ms. Sturgeon, who wants Scotland to be independent has told Mr. Cameron that she wanted him to go further than his current proposals for devolution to Scotland. She added that the talks had been “constructive” and that the two leaders had discussed austerity and greater powers, among other issues.
“David Cameron and I are a world apart politically but, where we can, I am determined that we do business in the interest of people in Scotland and across the U.K. and I’m determined to have a constructive and business-like relationship,” Ms. Sturgeon said in a statement after the meeting . Mr. Cameron who has seen her her proposals, does not support full fiscal autonomy, and as such the two politicians will probably never see eye to eye on that one.
Britain’s political leaders don’t want the Scots to leave the UK and have long promised to strengthen the powers of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, but this has not satisfied the SNP who despite failure in their bid for Scottish Independence, continue to gather much support by Scots who strive for far greater powers than currently possessed.
Earlier this year, Mr. Cameron drafted proposed legislation giving Scotland control over more than 60% of its spending, powers to set some tax rates and bands, and some new limited powers over welfare. Mr. Cameron told Ms. Sturgeon that he plans to introduce legislation to parliament later this month designed to give Scotland control of over 60% of its spending powers to set some tax rates and bands and some new limited powers over welfare. The SNP are unsatisfied with the proposals and want ultimate control of all tax and spending decisions in Scotland- an arrangement of “full financial responsibility,” or full fiscal autonomy.
It seems Now that Cameron has won another term, he will have his way with Scotland, though top political heavyweights in Scotland believe there will not be much progress in terms of relations unless Cameron makes some big compromises.
