I don't think anything was actually reformed though was it? Cameron was in fact humiliated by the EU during his attempts to limit immigration and prevent anymore takeover of the UK and its institutions by the EU. The EU persuaded itself that it is adored and respected by all EU citizens and could not believe anyone would want to leave. This false belief emboldened them and allowed complacency and arrogance to take root. If Sturgeon wants to join then she better be quick about it, it isn't going to exist for much longer.

Does Norway always copy what Sweden does? Because that's what the SNP are doing right now. They claim they can't increase tax to offset the austerity they claim to despise, because raising tax in Scotland to improve Scottish services won't stop people from moving to England to have lower taxes and lower services. If they refuse to do it now, what makes you so sure they'll have the guts to do it in an independent Scotland?

If Scotland must copy what England, Wales and Northern Ireland are doing anyway, why not have some influence on what they are doing? This is the fundamental flaw of the supposedly socialist ideal for separation. The whole thing relies on abandoning the socialists in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to perpetual right-wing governments, whose tax policies we'll copy for fear of people leaving.

On the other hand, if you want Scotland to be independent, because you think we're the rich bit with all of the resources, that's not socialism either.

best talent? who are they? dull & boring footballers? ....

Ferguson and Law v Sturgeon and Salmond?

No contest at all.

The Scottish Government has considerable powers though, certainly a lot more than we used to have.

Now, they can use the powers at hand to change Scotland or they can choose not to use them.

It seems that at the present they are choosing not to use them to better folks lives in Scotland and you surely have to ask yourself why they arent.

Are you really trying to claim that simply following UK Council tax policies for example is the best they can do for Scotland? Or simply following UK income tax policies for the life of this Parliament is a choice forced upon them by Westminster.

Perhaps instead of being condescending you can answer why the Government chooses NOT to use powers it already has?

Well there's no guarantee an Independent Scotland wont be dead Centre or slightly right of centre. It certainly wont be leftist as Scotland isn't a left wing country. Left wing parties hardly get any votes at all.

Some pennies on income tax and fiddling about with or replacing the council tax. Is this really what unionists see as the Scottish Parliament having the powers to change the economy and create wealth? Laughable.

The unionist vision going forward is for Westminster to remain firmly in the driving seat with Scotland stuck in the back being taken places it doesn't really want to go. Meanwhile the UK's mismanagement of the Scottish economy will continue to delight the more obsessed unionists who can then point at a deficit we have no control over and tell us it is a bad idea to try and change it. A deliberately deceitful agenda designed to hoodwink the gullible.

It was Brexit Lite

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politic...endum-35622105

It was part of the SNP's own manifesto to replace council tax, and now after many years of freezing, thus reducing the real income of councils, they are tinkering with it, which will raise a lot less money than the proposals by Labour and the LibDems.

The LibDems and Labour had a proposal that would raise £500,000,000 for education in Scotland, but the SNP didn't want to do that, in case it scared people into moving to England. So instead they tinkered with council tax to raise a fraction of that sum, and are whining about Westminster.

So long as they get votes from people who are willing to "shoosh for Indy", they'll take full advantage and continue to reduce public spending, knowing that it will make the case for independence easier.

Anyone who genuinely cares about public services and the poor would demand that the SNP does something to improve them, but it is growing ever more apparent that the most vocal independence campaigners couldn't care less about anything other than independence.

Because they would have nobody else to blame if they started to manage things.

The SNP's 2007 manifesto had commitment to abolish the council tax and replace it with a local income tax. However, the minority SNP government incurred the wrath of the Westminster government who said it would hold back £400 million in Council Tax Benefit if it implemented its proposals.

The SNP's 2011 manifesto kept the commitment to freeze the Council Tax for the whole of the parliament, while overfunding the Local Authorities..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...itics-34326185

"Local government has been more than adequately compensated for revenues lost through the council tax freeze, new research has suggested."

The SNP's 2016 manifesto is interesting because it not only says they will review business rates, they will also reform and cap increases on Council Tax to 3%, and consult on devolving a portion of income tax to councils.

So Council Tax is to be reformed..

only a couple of weeks ago..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...itics-37837010

"MSPs have voted to increase the top four bands of council tax"

and

"Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said the changes were "the first step in a journey of reform"."

The government does not have all the income tax powers.. They are being devolved gradually..

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Governmen...ateofincometax

"The Scotland Act 2016 provides the Scottish Parliament with the power to set the rates and band thresholds that will apply to all non-savings non-dividend income tax paid by Scottish taxpayers. The Scottish Parliament will be able to set the rates and band thresholds (excluding the personal allowance) for the first time for tax year 2017/18."

What's the betting they won't?

Then why did they publish proposals?

This link, is in the article in my last post

It begins..

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00497813.pdf

"The Scottish Government has set out proposals for the use of additional income tax powers which will be devolved to Scotland in 2017/18. These additional powers will allow the Scottish Government to vary rates of tax by band, introduce new bands and vary the thresholds between bands.

This note sets out the analytical basis supporting the proposed income tax policy to increase the higher rate threshold of income tax in line with inflation in 2017/18 and by no more than inflation in the following years, maintain the additional rate threshold, and maintain the basic rate at 20p, the higher rate at 40p, and the additional rate at 45p."

You really believe the SNP will increase taxes to raise money?

The powers are there if they wanted to do it.

I don't think the constitutional set up with Scotland receiving a block grant, makes it necessary.

Whichever party is in government is required by law to balance the books

They are more likely to reform devolved tax powers with a long term view towards federalism or independence taking place.

You still haven't answered the question about your economic priorities and we all know why the SNP won't use their tax powers the evidence is there on the council tax rebanding which is partly responsible for the 21% increase in the Tory vote in two Aberdeenshire by-elections last week.

But keep going your vacuous answers clearly show why independence as currently proposed would be an economic and social disaster for Scotland.

What happens in the post independence Nirvana that is sans block grant?

Surely Scotland could do with more tax revenue just now. With just a single 'penny for Scotland', cuts to the SNHS and police would not be necessary. So come on Nicola, whats the delay ?

You already know that the SNP have already stated that they won't be changing income tax in the lifetime of the Parliament.

Unless they do a U turn, its not going to happen. Stronger for Scotland.....

Why is it not necessary? Every extra penny raised are funds over and above the Block grant.

You have no idea what Scotland's next block grant will be. Further austerity measures quantative easing brexit considerations.

Indeed. I seem to remember earlier this year that the UK Government tried to slice £7bn out of the Scottish budget. Fortunately we have Government at Holyrood that stands up to such nonsense. No doubt the UK proposal was met with little resistance from Ruthie and Viceroy Mundell. Of course that was followed a few months later with them and other unionist parties playing the key part in sabotaging a very lucrative £10bn investment in Scotland. Better Together

Shame we wont get that no detriment clause if we go independent...

That deal fell through 3 months ago, but we only find out now... now it's become public apparently it's all the fault of other parties and the SNP waited three months to lay the blame elsewhere... yeah that rings true, not.

If I remember the SNP also told us there was no deal, just a MOU.

Whatever it is it is looking like some 17 billion more than on day one of independence.

I'm quite prepared to see some studies and get some links stating anything that actually proves your point you know.

However, like every other Nat here you offer no solutions to a real problem.