Why “Powers for Purpose” is worth supporting

Two years ago, Unite, with our colleague unions and fellow delegates argued that the Labour Party – the party of devolution – should be at the forefront of a distinct campaign to extend the devolved powers to Scotland’s parliament. We made these arguments on the sound basis that two-thirds of Scottish people consistently polled wanted more powers devolved to the Scottish parliament.  Many wanted it as a second question on the referendum ballot paper.

Little has changed in the collective mind-set of the Scottish people in these last two years.

Dissatisfaction with the status quo remains, and the majority of Scottish people want a parliament with powers to set-out a distinct Scottish left-of-centre agenda. We want our parliament to be able to offset the worst excesses of this regressive coalition government’s austerity agenda, to tackle inequality and poverty. We want our parliament to be able to create fairness in employment and the economy. And we want it to protect workers and communities with a legislative and social justice agenda that puts people and not profit, first.

The re-emergence of further devolution as part of the referendum debate demonstrates that the dynamics have changed. We have an opportunity now to move away from negativity and towards a more positive, transformative even, debate on Scotland’s future – something that is long overdue and badly needed.

Effectively, the Scottish people are being asked: how much power do you want and in what constitutional context – independence or more autonomy within the United Kingdom?

These are questions never posed to the Scottish people 300 years ago when the union was pursued so it is only right that we will grapple with these questions as they head to the ballot box on September 18. They do so against the backdrop of a cost of living and inequality crisis.

Today – in 2014, not 1814 – the UK’s five richest families own more wealth than the poorest 20 per cent of the population. UK inequality has increased by 42%. UK workers are around £2,000 worse off than they were in 2010 because wages are failing to keep pace with the soaring costs of living. If there is an economic recovery taking place then ordinary people certainly aren’t feeling the benefit – not in Scotland, nor across the rest of the UK  (Knightsbridge excepted!).

Something’s got to give, something needs to change.

That’s why, among the Scottish people, there is indecision on the constitutional question.  That’s why opinion polls are shifting from double digit leads to single digit leads. That’s why my own union Unite took the decision to endorse neither Better Together nor Yes Scotland. The ordinary working people that I represent are not interested in the politics of romanticism versus the politics of fear. They don’t want a diktat and they don’t want to be limited in their questions and participation.

What they do want is something better than the economic and political status quo beginning with proposals from across this constitutional debate on how things can be done differently, how life in Scotland can be made better, so they can make their own informed decision on 18 September.

We are only starting that process now.  Labour has recognised this and the raft of further devolved powers proposed in the Devolution Commission’s report are a demonstration of this. Not only is it sensible politics to bring forward the ‘Powers for Purpose’ report, it is also morally correct. It’s a response, not only to the debate on constitutional change but to the many difficulties ordinary people and their families are facing on a day-to-day basis.  It’s a response that says things can be done both differently and better.

This report sets out a distinct and enhanced devolution offering: a Labour vision for the future of Scotland, its politics and its people:

•  Taxation powers to ensure that those who can contribute more towards the collective good do so;
• Control of housing benefit powers with a commitment to banish the bedroom tax and ensure that the most vulnerable in our society are protected and sheltered without threat of exploitation ;
• Health and safety and civil justice provisions such as control of the employment tribunal system to ensure access to justice for all our people, and a justice system that puts people before profit;
• A progressive equalities agenda that tackles the scourges of inequity and tackles the equal pay gap and breaks the glass ceiling in our labour market; and
• Control of our railway network to prevent the push towards the ‘franchise fragmentation’ agenda and help deliver more accessible and affordable services for the Scottish public.

It’s not a perfect offering – nothing ever is. There are issues which Unite believes the Commission could have went further on, and there are proposals which will require further debate – but we have outlined the proposals which we in Unite can endorse. And the report itself should be welcomed for the democratic debate it will stimulate over the next six months and beyond.

‘Powers for a Purpose’ will prove a valuable contribution to the debate on Scotland’s future, a debate which will only intensify in the coming weeks and months. It celebrates the spirit of our democracy, and it demonstrates Labour’ s desire to make our country a better place – which is why Unite supports it.

Unite Scottish Secretary, Pat Rafferty, writes why his union backs the Commission’ s efforts