Jim Murphy is new Scottish Labour leader.

[weepiper]

Electors of England, what is your view on mansion taxes raised in England being used to provide the Devolved NHS in Scotland with 1000 more nurses than whatever the SNP will subsequently pledge?

I believe they don't like it up 'em.

 

[danny la rouge]

I believe they don't like it up 'em.

I'm not so concerned with what the "wealthy English" think, more the ordinary voter who may have had other priorities for any mansion tax windfall to the Exchequer.

 

[Sue]

I imagine it'll go down very badly indeed. Free prescription charges, for example, seem to massively wind people up -- they're always, always mentioned when people are being indignant about how 'cushy' the Scots have it on 'their' (English) taxes -- so can't see this'll be any different.

And this against a backdrop of the NHS down here massively creaking at the seams, with hospitals seemingly daily declaring major incidents as they can't cope with the number of patients turning up at A&E etc.

 

[weepiper]

I'm not so concerned with what the "wealthy English" think, more the ordinary voter who may have had other priorities for any mansion tax windfall to the Exchequer.

I should think they'll be pretty fucked off too. I can't blame them really.

 

[danny la rouge]

I imagine it'll go down very badly indeed. Free prescription charges, for example, seem to massively wind people up -- they're always, always mentioned when people are being indignant about how 'cushy' the Scots have it on 'their' (English) taxes -- so can't see this'll be any different.

Except that it is different: the former is an oft-repeated myth and misunderstanding, whereas this really would be using English taxes to pay for Scottish services.

 

[Sue]

Except that it is different: the former is an oft-repeated myth and misunderstanding, whereas this really would be using English taxes to pay for Scottish services.

Yes, it is different but think this just feeds into those erroneous perceptions. Be interesting to see how this is reported in the press.

 

[danny la rouge]

Yes, it is different but think this just feeds into those erroneous perceptions. Be interesting to see how this is reported in the press.

What's interesting is that the Labour Party seems either to share those misconceptions, or (more likely) to think Scottish voters do, and that this is the only way that Labour will keep seats in Scotland - by paying for Scottish services with English taxes. Which is dire.

 

[William of Walworth]

Electors of England, what is your view on mansion taxes raised in England being used to provide the Devolved NHS in Scotland with 1000 more nurses than whatever the SNP will subsequently pledge?

Most significant thing (to me) about Murphy's bizarre statement, is how on earth he can make pronouncements like that, at a time when every other senior Labour spokesperson (generally) has to run everthing with cost implications past Balls/Miliband first, before being allowed to say it in public.

 

[danny la rouge]

Most significant thing (to me) about Murphy's bizarre statement, is how on earth he can make pronouncements like that, at a time when every other senior Labour spokesperson (generally) has to run everthing with cost implications past Balls/Miliband first, before being allowed to say it in public.

That's because it has been run past Balls/Miliband. This is a General Election strategy for May 2015. The Labour leadership clearly thinks it can only keep seats in Scotland by taking such measures. Which, actually, is incredibly insulting.

 

[coley]

Electors of England, what is your view on mansion taxes raised in England being used to provide the Devolved NHS in Scotland with 1000 more nurses than whatever the SNP will subsequently pledge?

I just wish you lot would hurry up and get your independence

 

[danny la rouge]

I just wish you lot would hurry up and get your independence

Indeed. But it's hardly fair to blame us for Labour's electioneering.

I personally think Labour's attitude towards Scottish votes is insulting.

 

[coley]

Indeed. But it's hardly fair to blame us for Labour's electioneering.

I personally think Labour's attitude towards Scottish votes is insulting.

The only interest they have in Scottish votes is in order to cling to power in Westminster and your right, their attitude is insulting.

 

[danny la rouge]

The only interest they have in Scottish votes is in order to cling to power in Westminster and your right, their attitude is insulting.

Indeed. That's exactly it.

 

[kebabking]

unsurprisingly, its gone down like a bucket of cold vommit here in middle England...

direct quote from a non-political (in the widest sense) colleague over tea this morning 'they must think we're fcuking stupid..'. the first reaction i can see is disbelief, people (me included) are somewhat stunned that Labour think they can tell the Scottish electorate that it'll be partytime on our credit cards, while saying to us that its going to be austerity 2.0 for us and somehow thinking we won't notice headlines from sources other than the Worcester news...

its just astonishing, and as has been said by others just a teensy-weensy bit insulting to the intelligence to all concerned. the mans a cock - and i'm not taking about Jim Murphy..

 

[newbie]

wannabe London mayor Diane Abbot just described it as expropriation from London to buy Scottish votes.

fightfightfight

 

[butchersapron]

Labour polling slightly improved over last week - cross breaks from YG have it SNP 46/Lab 30. That means both +3 though. Going to be a terrible squeeze on others.

 

[brogdale]

wannabe London mayor Diane Abbot just described it as expropriation from London to buy Scottish votes.

fightfightfight

Much as Murphy's desperation to demonstrate independence was, in UK terms, politically spectacularly inept...Abbot appears not to know how her own party's policy will work.

 

[brogdale]

wannabe London mayor Diane Abbot just described it as expropriation from London to buy Scottish votes.

fightfightfight

and she called him John Murphy.

 

[newbie]

that's how the center lets the periphery know how little they matter

 

[gosub]

Much as Murphy's desperation to demonstrate independence was, in UK terms, politically spectacularly inept...Abbot appears not to know how her own party's policy will work.

or how Barnett formula works. Just coz it mainly effects London doesn't mean mansion tax isn't a national tax. Holyrood could do what it likes with its portion of the extra revenue

 

[JTG]

Remarkable. It's like with every move they make to try and shore up the Union and their vote, they weaken its long term prospects ever more

 

[brogdale]

or how Barnett formula works. Just coz it mainly effects London doesn't mean mansion tax isn't a national tax. Holyrood could do what it likes with its portion of the extra revenue

All true, but looking to those English marginals where the GE will be decided, Miliband can't be happy with Murphy's desperate punt for domestic credibility.

 

[gosub]

All true, but looking to those English marginals where the GE will be decided, Miliband can't be happy with Murphy's desperate punt for domestic credibility.

Making election pledges for things that aren't covered in the election doesn't do much for credibility

 

[DotCommunist]

Jim Murphy promises ALL THE NURSES

 

[danny la rouge]

Jim Murphy promises ALL THE NURSES

Infinity nurses!

 

[danny la rouge]

or how Barnett formula works. Just coz it mainly effects London doesn't mean mansion tax isn't a national tax. Holyrood could do what it likes with its portion of the extra revenue

Indeed. Even if all the Mansion Tax returns were eligible for Barnett formula consequentials (which it isn't), he can't just allocate it all to Scottish NHS spending. He appears to think he can allocate it in addition to the Barnett allocation. If he doesn't think that, I'm at a loss to work out what he thinks he's promising, if he does think that, it shows he doesn't know what he's talking about. Which is a worry.

 

[gosub]

Indeed. Even if all the Mansion Tax returns were eligible for Barnett formula consequentials (which it isn't), he can't just allocate it all to Scottish NHS spending. He appears to think he can allocate it in addition to the Barnett allocation. If he doesn't think that, I'm at a loss to work out what he thinks he's promising, if he does think that, it shows he doesn't know what he's talking about. Which is a worry.

Think it would be eligable, as its a national tax, but would be PART of Barnett. Think he's saying tax take would be increased and Barnett would rise according and here's how Scottish Labour would spend their share... I say I think that, what I believe is Murphy thinks having a spatt with London will make him seem less of a quizling

 

[danny la rouge]

Think it would be eligable, as its a national tax, but would be PART of Barnett.

That's what I mean. It's not all of the Mansion Tax
that would be allocated, it's a Barnett share.

Think he's saying tax take would be increased and Barnett would rise according and here's how Scottish Labour would spend their share...

But even if that is what he's saying, he doesn't know yet what number of nurses he's paying for, because the SNP hasn't announced its pledge yet (nor will they until a year after a hypothetical Labour Westminster win, because it's a Holyrood issue, not a Westminster issue). All he knows us it's SNP pledge + 1000.

And there's nothing a Labour Westminster government can do about Holyrood NHS expenditure allocation.

 

[gosub]

That's what I mean. It's not all of the Mansion Tax
that would be allocated, it's a Barnett share.
But even if that is what he's saying, he doesn't know yet what number of nurses he's paying for, because the SNP hasn't announced its pledge yet (nor will they until a year after a hypothetical Labour Westminster win, because it's a Holyrood issue, not a Westminster issue). All he knows us it's SNP pledge + 1000.

And there's nothing a Labour Westminster government can do about Holyrood NHS expenditure allocation.

Agreed, but after a year of vote NO and the NHS is privatised, agreement that Health is a devolved matter is a bit refreshing

 

[danny la rouge]

Agreed, but after a year of vote NO and the NHS is privatised, agreement that Health is a devolved matter is a bit refreshing

There seems little understanding of how devolution works on the Labour side, though.

(Furthermore, I'm still not persuaded the NHS is at all safe from privatisation).