Well, the Big Man has spoken, and it was an excellent speech (Newsnet Scotland has the full transcript, and it is well worth a read). The Alex Salmond Appreciation Society members were having multiple orgasms, whereas at the other party conferences people were checking for pulses.
The difference between the parties could not be clearer. The voters in England must be wondering if they can apply for Scottish membership, since the Scottish Government seems to be the only one that actually wants its people to live.
NHS Scotland - free prescriptions, public ownership, reduced waiting times, Health Service Chief Execs getting bottoms kicked.
NHS Everywhere Else - PFI, PFI, PFI, PFI............ oh yeah and some treatments available, and would you mind paying for this broken arm to be fixed? Come on, we need to pay the rent.......
Council Tax Scotland - frozen
Council Tax Everywhere Else - loans now available to pay for them
Water Rates Scotland - appropriate levels and publicly owned
Water Rates Everywhere Else - eye-watering rates (no pun intended) and profits to mainly overseas companies (Sahara Water Ltd, Gobi Desert Inc.......)
There is plenty more in the same vein.
The Scottish Government is not perfect, nor is the SNP. No party or government ever is nor ever will be.
But take a long and hard look at Westminster, and compare it to Holyrood, and you will see a marked difference.
The Tories have no mandate in Scotland. The Lib Dems are in dangerous decline. Labour is in disarray. The SNP is the only party that has the trust of the electorate. That is a major achievement in a short space of time.
The world is changing. Politicians can no longer control as they please. The other parties must change - the SNP has recognised this and one hopes they will not succumb to the corrupting influence of power.
Scotland is leading the way in climate change action - perhaps they are also showing what can be done on the political front as well.
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