Scottish Labour is up for a debate. Are you Alex?

Brave, bold and honest. Three words that summarise Johann’s speech this week. But I want to add a fourth, correct.

48 hours after the SNP’s mock outrage we had the new Chief Constable of Scotland’s single police force announcing 3000 job losses, Glasgow City Council facing a £50 million budget cut this year, 1 in 4 young people unemployed and food banks opening across the country.

Sorry Alex and Nicola, this is all happening on your watch.

That is why Johann Lamont’s intervention is so timely and important because people at the rough end of SNP choices know that the First Minister’s rhetoric doesn’t match up to the reality faced by individuals, families and businesses across Scotland.

Each of them has to live on a budget and has to make choices. But as the Government’s budget cuts bite deeper, the choices will get harder. And that is perhaps the most disappointing element of the SNP’s response. The unwillingness to accept or even engage in a debate on the tough choices facing people everyday.

The SNP continue to maintain the pretence that no matter the economic circumstances, no matter the impact on the the most vulnerable, no matter the cuts in police or reduction in nurses and midwives, that nothing has to change. This is simply not a credible position.

It is a position based on an economic model that says services provided for free come without a cost to the rest of us. They are wrong. Non-chargeable is not the same as free. It is the worst of ‘sticking plaster’ politics to get us through to the referendum.

It is an economic model that says you can have the public services of Scandanavia but the tax levels of Monaco. The desire to slash taxes for big business while household budget are under pressure. The pretence of talking left while acting right.

Johann’s call was for a serious debate on the price of what we provide against it’s cost and the two are not the same. The Council Tax freeze comes at a price, free school meals come at a price, free personal care comes at a price. But still we have not had a serious debate about the cost and impact to the rest of the Governments budget by not charging for these services and others.

It is time for the SNP to stop pretending the economic crisis is having an impact on every other country in the world – except Scotland. Johann is up for the debate, Scottish Labour is up for the debate. Are you Alex?

Anas Sarwar is the Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party and Member of Parliament for Glasgow Central.