Council-controlled income tax would be "drastic
and damaging to Scotland," says McConnell
Labour leader Jack McConnell has opened out the debate on the future
of local taxation, saying there could be a longer term change after
this election on which all the parties would have to agree.
He conceded it could be partly based on how much people earn, even
though Labour has been harsh in its criticism of the Scottish National
Party and Liberal Democrats for advocating a replacement of council
tax by local income tax.
The First Minister warned of the upheaval that could mean, and that
there could be moves within five years to change the system once again
if local income tax was found to be unfair and unpopular.
Labour is proposing only minor changes to council tax system at this
election, and Mr McConnell repeated that he believes income
tax in the hands of councils could be "drastic, radical and damaging
to Scotland".
But Mr McConnell said at an event organised by The Herald and supported by
the Scottish Chambers of Commerce that he would like eventually to find a
different system of tax on which parties could agree, that would be partly
based on property and partly based on income.
He said: "I would like to find a way of making the system of property
tax, whether its called council tax or anything else - probably it
would be wise to find a better name that expalins what it's for, local
services - I would like to find a form of local taxation that was
partly property based and partly more related to people's income".
In a wide-ranging discussion at Glasgow's Mitchell Library with Alf
Young, senior columnist at The Herald, Mr McConnell also explained why
he thinks it is important for Labour to field Tony Blair in its
campaigning, despite the Prime Minister being damaged by controversial
decisions.
"When he comes to Scotland and makes an argument, whether people like
him or not, whether they agree with what he's done, he is still the
great commuincator of British politics. He's able to crystallise an
argument far clearer than anyone else. Maybe people, after 10 years, have got a resistance to hear what he has to say, but he's still got a
contribution to make."
Much of the hour-long conversation was dedicated to Mr McConnell's
manifesto emphasis on education, promising it should get priority
access to any new funding over the next four years.
He handled questions about the proposal to increase the school leaving
age, effectively to 18 and said the proportion of young people going
into higher education should increase above 50%.
He said that if he retains his post as First Minister after next
Thursday's election, he will decide whether to run a minority
administration or form a coalition depending on which is the best way
to get the educational reforms and extra spending that he wants to
see.
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