Nicol Stephen uses Herald election event to claim Scotland can achieve
economic success without leaving the Union.
THE Lib Dem leader in Scotland has argued the country could match the higher
growth rate of other small nations without breaking away from the UK.
Fresh from launching the Scottish Liberal Democrat manifesto, Nicol Stephen
arrived at the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, for the latest of Scotland Decides
events with the major party leaders.
Given that these conversations with The Herald’s Alf Young are in
association with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, it was appropriate that
he was pinned down on his record as enterprise minister, particularly
Scotland’s less than stellar economic growth rate.
He agreed that long-term growth at 1.8% was poor but added that with the
rate of growth now running at 2.3% things were improving.
His target would be to get Scotland up alongside the other small European
nations at about 4%.
He argued for a “substantial level” of fiscal autonomy for Holyrood and said
he would like to see a new constitutional convention to discuss the next
phase of devolution.
Mr Stephen was asked at the outset what defined him as a Liberal Democrat
and he said it was the desire to empower individuals to take decisions about
their own lives and their own communities.
Contrasting Labour’s trade union history with the Tories’ big-business
approach, he said: “It is about creating opportunities. We have a reputation
for getting things done, such as abolishing tuition fees, providing free
personal care for the elderly, or free eye and dental checks.
“These were defining policies of the first years of our parliament. I know
Labour would not have done these things. I know how tough it was to deliver
free personal care.
“I was there when the phone calls were being made by the Health Minister
from Westminster putting pressure on not to do this.”
Liz Cameron, executive director of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, asked
about the current fragmented system governing higher education, training and
skills, but Mr Stephen said that, while he supported greater co-operation
and co-ordination, he did not support the creation of a new body.
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