John Swinney should act on public’s downbeat view on cost-of-living crisis
People want open and honest debate on policy choices made at Holyrood that contribute to the ever-rising cost of living
The cost-of-living crisis taking precedence over the NHS as the most pressing issue for Scots should serve as an alarm call for political leaders.
The Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker, by the David Hume Institute and the Diffley Partnership, found 77 per cent believe the economy is in worse shape than a year ago.
Perhaps even more worryingly for John Swinney, almost three quarters of Scots believe economic conditions will deteriorate over the next year.
These findings are a stark illustration of the scale of the economic problems the First Minister and his new cabinet now face.
The SNP is correct that the Scottish government does not control many of the “levers” of the economy. And it is also true that Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has taken a heavy toll globally.
But Scottish ministers must do what they can to alleviate the cost of living through the powers they have, rather than simply pointing to what is beyond their control.
Since his party’s election victory in May, Mr Swinney has been at pains to reassure Scotland’s business community. Last week he told CBI Scotland leaders his government will engage “substantively” with them over the coming years.
And the appointment of Ivan McKee as Scotland’s first Public Sector Reform Secretary is a welcome sign Mr Swinney is serious about tackling waste and plugging a black hole in the nation’s finances projected to be £5 billion by the end of the decade.
But ministers have yet to spell out where cutbacks are going to fall. And, since her appointment on Wednesday to the dual role of Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary on Wednesday, Jenny Gilruth has denied Scotland’s benefits bill is too high - despite it being forecast to hit £9.2bn by 2030-31.
Perhaps the most important lesson ministers can learn from the Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker is that the public are crying out for an open and honest debate on policy choices made at Holyrood that ultimately contribute to the ever-rising cost of living.