Search

Several measures such as two year extension of residency visas, resistance to New Labour's market -based public sector reforms are introduced in Scotland. The Scottish Executive has decided to resist any new generation of nuclear power stations. Scotland is becoming a more open society.

Scottish Parliament building situated at Holyrood was completed three years later than the expected period and resulted in more expenses than the estimated costs were analyzed. Incompetence, irresponsibility, inability of the architects to communicate, lack of knowledge of the politicians regarding the building and lack of control displayed by the civil servants are responsible for the things that went wrong with the building.

The increasing territoriality of British politics is evident in the way politicians are becoming more articulate about their regional interests. Members of Parliament, in particular, are promoting alliances based on regional interests rather than ideologies. A territorial dimension to public finance is also emerging. However, comparing spending figures and the management of priorities among the regions and nations within the UK is difficult since circumstances are markedly different from each other.

The Scottish Parliament is perceived as operating with financial responsibility, despite initial concerns about over-spending on its parliamentary building. It is also considered to have a realistic fiscal policy.

Economic practices in Scottish city councils are inefficient and incompetent. Corruption, cronyism, nepotism and factionalism is prevalent in these councils. North Lanarkshire has misused about 4.8 mil sterling pounds while East Ayrshire cannot account its budget of 3 mil sterling pounds. The national government needs to address this problem immediately, otherwise, the Labor Party will be losing its foothold in the region to the Scottish National Party. Many Scots have now become disenchanted with the party's budget appropriation and accounting standards.

The announcement by Prime Minister Tony Brown that his government plans to abide by its policy of prudent government spending stymies even his partymates, who believe that the economic recovery being enjoyed by the UK in recent times should encourage the government to increase its spending. Politics seems to be at the root of Blair's prudent budget policy, hoping that the healthy public finance would catapult him to another term.

Results of BBC poll of polls which led to the formation of a third labor landslide and highly reduced the probability of Michael Howard to become prime minister, are presented. The likelihood of who will become the prime minister of England are discussed.

UK Chancellor Gordon Brown is extremely ambitious, but is unlikely to ever become Prime Minister. The economy cannot expand indefinitely, and he will be held responsible when it begins slowing down.

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown are both drawing on policies developed during previous Conservative administrations. In fact, the Conservatives made most of the significant reforms which form the basis for the reviving economy.

The New Labour Party's economic position, also dubbed as the Fourth Way opposes the monetary practices of the Maastricht Treaty but supports the treaty's monetary discipline. The UK government led by Prime Minister Tony Blair cannot deny the success of the launch of the new euro currency by the European Union. The New Labour Party is becoming more Keynesian in nature based on its economic policies on employment, schools and welfare. The party aims the continuation of the modernization of UK's public institutions.

Scotland's government plans to absorb Glasgow City Council's housing department debts, amounting to over 1 billion sterling pounds, if the city council agrees to sell its entire housing stock. The Scottish Office guaranteed to pay for the residual debt and breakage costs if the sale pushes through. The sale of the 100,000 council houses, which is subject to the result of the feasibility study by Hacas Exchequer Service, is expected to be completed by spring 2000. However, concerns on the implication of the privatization and the council's public obligation for the homeless were raised.

The international economic climate remains deeply worrying, with one-third of the world suffering from recession. Even without the alarming forecasts by the media, the dire economic straits experienced by some of the world's largest economies such as Japan are still bound to happen. The so-called tiger economies, including South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, are undergoing an economic slowdown reminiscent of the Great Depression. In the UK, farmers are heavily affected by the collapse of world prices. The US is widely looked upon to keep the global economy working, but its prospects are not so bright due to its massive cumulative trade deficit.

Media coverage of the House of Commons' debates is undermining the moral of some legislators as it seems as if their debating 'old news. Moreover, the government has an almost deliberate neglect for the House of Commons that it is almost a common sentiment that they are waste of government funds and space. It would be a welcome move if the media is not allowed any information on debates as it would at least give them a cause to leak information.

Steps undertaken by the Labour Party with regards to Chancellor Gordon Brown's Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) proved to be disadvantageous to United Kingdom's national budget. In terms of social security spending, the party's decision to implement CSR methodology has resulted to unnecessary budget increase of 27 billion pound sterling. Such increase made social security spending significantly much higher than on health, particularly spending involving the National Health Service.

Prime Minister Tony Blair's latest policy initiatives may prove to be unwise in the long term. A case in point would be the decision to restore the mayorship of London. While the move is expected to benefit Blair's ruling Labour Party, it may lead to the reelection of his rival Ken Livingstone. The devolution of government in Scotland is another example of Blair's penchant for risk-taking. While the plan is popular, it is likely to resuscitate the fortunes of the Scottish National Party. Likewise, the much-lauded Irish peace accord opens the way for the IRA's political wing to gain power.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, along with the New Labour Party, brought several radical changes in the history of the British government. The successes of the New Labour include the Stormont Peace accord and Gordon Brown's Budget which gave relief to the working poor without antagonizing the middle class. However, several controversies also surround the New Labour such as the Formula One fiasco and the cut in lone parent benefits. On the other hand, the legacies of Tony Blair include the establishment of a parliament in Scotland and the House of Lords reform.

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom is seen to adversely impact the Scottish Liberal Democrat Party. The Scottish party has opposed the coalition government. In addition, UK prime minister David Cameron is seen to encounter difficulty in dealing with Scottish Liberal Democrats.

The Scottish Parliament has been exhibiting minimal activity. Very few legislations are scheduled for passage in the chamber. The general election is also seen as reason for the lack of activity.

Scottish auditor general Bob Black said the government will face a funding shortfall of three billion pounds sterling. The government is pushing through efficiency savings of two percent a year. It is also planning cuts in social services.

A new Conservative government in the United Kingdom could result in Scotland's secession, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Vince Cable said. The Conservative government of the 1980s has made unpopular decisions involving Scotland. The Scottish Constitutional Convention demanded sovereignty following the introduction of the poll tax.

The Scottish government's decision to allow convicted bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi to return to Libya has angered the public. Megrahi was deported on humanitarian grounds. Scot's believe that the decision has damage the country's image.

The Calman Commission's report on Scotland's devolution is seen to result in changes to the United Kingdom's constitution. The report has been welcomed by critics as a major contribution to the debate on constitutional reform. It has recommended for the legislature to become more independent in both raising and spending funding.

Members of Scottish Parliament have avoided expenses scandals by publishing their expenses. But the Scottish parliament has had its share of scandals involving funding. The United Kingdom parliament has recently been scandalized over their members' expenses.

The Scottish government should be allowed to raise taxes to save jobs and services owing to budget cuts. Public spending is seen to have cushion the impact of the economic crisis on Scotland. The Scottish National Party has opposed UK chancellor Alistair Darling's proposed budget cuts.

Political parties in Scotland have been working in harmony, reflecting lack of power over the economy. Lawmakers have been one in supporting increased alcoholic drink prices. Opposition parties have also expressed support for the extension of the Scottish Parliament's economic powers on borrowing and taxation.

The Scottish Labor Party has expressed support for increasing the Scottish government's borrowing and tax-raising powers. But United Kingdom prime minister Gordon Brown remains unconvinced of the need to increase the Scottish government's powers. Tax-raising powers is seen to enable the Scottish government to pay debts.

The victory of the Labour Party in the Glenrothes by-elections is seen as an indication that Scotland's support for the Scottish National Party (SNP) has decreased. the SNP are still favored however, to win the next Holyrood elections. Other views and information on the SNP and on Labour's victory are presented.

The Scottish National Party's claim that the country's banks could have been spared from the financial crisis had Scotland been an independent nation. The rise in Scottish nationalism is seen to stem from the success of its economy. But the local banks are not Scottish but are of English ownership.

The collapse of Scotland-based HBOS PLC may have been prevented if Scotland had been independent. HBOS is the oldest bank in Scotland. English politicians, however, said the bank's collapse resulted from its dependence on international markets.