Scotland's new income tax!

[mummyhaschangedhername]

Was this expected? What the general feeling about this?

NotReally his childminder and HCPs also raised concerns.**

Fairfax yes they did, but SW and the police weren’t interested. The Named Person Act was designed to make sure that agencies couldn’t just not listen.

But it wasn't a case of SW not listening - the woman his case was assigned to was off sick and it wasn't transferred properly

I live in England but would much prefer to live in Scotland and pay more tax. Any move, however small, towards a fairer society is a good thing. There's a killing way to go, but it's a step in the right direction.

Yes, and the point of the Named Person Act is that it wouldn’t happen again because it would mean that one person involved going off sick wouldn’t have that level of impact. SW were also incompetent, since they saw injuries on Liam and his sibling plus the creepy cage set up in the house and did nothing.

Nyx the NHS in Scotland should be better.

You run out the old SNP defence of we are shite but Englands worse, well tough the Scottish Government keeps getting new powers so it should use them.

Comparing Scotland to England does not mitigate the disasters the SNP have made of Health, Education and Transport.

CD, I do not say we are shite! I will say we're not perfect but we're certainly not shite.

What powers are there Scottish government holding but not using? Previously unionists have said 'you have powers over income tax so use them', knowing that's a poisoned chalice. But now the SNP have proposed these new changes. But what powers are you talking about that they could use but aren't? Please tell me.

Comparing Scotland to England doesn't mitigate anything, no, but it shows how we are doing compared to a Tory government in charge of the NHS. And comparing to Wales shows how we're doing compared with a labour government. And in both respects Scotland is doing better. What do you suggest we do? Who would you prefer to run the Scottish government who would do things better?

I’d take the Scottish education system (which could do with improvement) over the shambolic system of academies, free schools and grammars.

Police Scotland was a horrendous idea. Terrible idea, atrocious planning and execution.

The NHS in Scotland is like everywhere else, underfunded and overworked. Until we educate people not to waste resources, and to use it properly there will always be shortfalls. Yes, more funding is needed, I agree. However in the last year the NHS has been incredible for my family with one exception which was down to personality not funding.

Transport is fine, I don’t see what the problem is?

I don't agree with the increase being used to fund public sector pay increases. There's far too much inefficiency in the public sector that needs to be cut, too many people with a "once I am in I've a job for life" mentality.

I also think they have underestimated the impact this has on companies trying to recruit professional staff. There's not enough suitable Scottish candidates and people from elsewhere are put off by the higher tax versus England.

transport is not fine where i am in Central Scotland. Public transport is infrequent and horrendously over priced. Commuting to Edinburgh is a joke - trains overcrowded and often delayed, traffic queues over new bridge even worse than old one. Potholes numerous everywhere. Trams project came in way over time and over budget, just to deliver one line from city to the airport. A9 still not fully re-duelled and delays dreadful.

To be fair I hate the fucking trams. They started them when I was pregnant with DS1 and I’d had 3 kids with a 7 year gap between eldest and youngest before they bloody finished!

Iamtheresurrection

I disagree with your post. It is giving me the rage actually. I'm a Physio working with District Nurses and we are understaffed and underpaid and the nurses are past breaking point.

I can't actually say any more without grinding my teeth in anger.

You are of course entitled to your opinion and in the past perhaps what you describe was true. But currently we are in desperate need of a pay rise and staff.

I really want to swear. But I won't.

Sorry everyone else.

Nyx a whole load of welfare powers

www.heraldscotland.com/news/14885035.SNP_criticised_for_leaving_welfare_powers_with_Whitehall/

Every time you hear someone in the SNP complain about welfare remember they could use their powers at any time.

Calyx can you explain how you know you are underpaid? What is your measure of fair payment? I am a public sector worker; I receive a wage which is lower than if (when) I was in the private sector, but I have flexi-time (which is worth far more than a monetary payment when something comes up with the children) and also a (rare in the private sector) final salary pension. I don't consider myself underpaid, just paid with different benefits.

I think the district nurses are underpaid and are limited to band 5 although they do management and complex/palliative/extended skill work. No raise for years and well under inflation. Shifts 12 hours with more and more palliative and social work issues than they should be doing. One came in with a broken foot (crutches and in a taxi) as didn't want to let the patients and staff down.

I am band 6, no children, coping fine. The team is not coping and I can't help with bloods and syringe drivers. Money cut year on year and no more 'efficiencies' to cut.

I'm not on food banks yet but my colleagues who work their days off and miss their holidays because of staff shortage are using them.

I am angry and upset about this. They don't get lunch breaks when they should or flexible working even though it's on the contract.

If you want to think this is lying then go ahead. Whatever. I think a small income tax rise on the top 70% of earners in Scotland to get them a rise (under inflation and well overdue) is necessary.

Fuck austerity and driving down costs until people die. Fuck the Tories and Labour who vote with them.

Top 30% of earners. Sorry.

CD, use what powers to do what, exactly? They are trying to raise cash to do they can. That article said they were putting systems in place. And? What are they not doing that they could?

SNP are killing this country.

How much money have they wasted on baby boxes - seriously who will put their baby to sleep in a cardboard box???
Could you imagine a HV reaction to my baby sleeps in a box or a drawer. There are plenty 2nd hand moses baskets and cribs available for nothing or next to nothing.

Minimum price on alcohol - how to create a grey market with people driving to Asda Carlisle to stock up on cheap drink!

Tax the high earners remember those are the people who create work for other people. Who drive the economy forward and often think work 24 / 7.

Named person - let's spend a fortune on a policy that shares private information against your human rights willy nilly. Seriously do you want your kids school to be informed of your medical issues as it may affect your child's well being (happiness)? Then when the supreme court agrees it's illegal (against human rights) spend more money faffing trying to make it legal.

I used to support them now I have totally turned against them.

Who would you recommend we tax? And if you think the SNP are"killing this country", who would you rather have? Conservatives, whose policies are literally killing people?

But your outrage over baby boxes is depressing, really. When you think about the really awful things people do have to worry about.

@AvoidingDM
oMg you could be me writing!
I was going to come back and post but thought what’s the point when Scots people think ooo they’ve put Gaelic on the signs, that’s what we need, the saddo alkies can’t buy cheap booze - that’s solved the Scottish heavy drinking problem
Wee need autonomy- jobs jobs jobs, industry, educated to a world standard. THATs how you reduce drink and poor child rearing not baby boxes and spies.

I'm all for it. But then I used to.live in Sweden. Common Weal and all that

I really don't think high earners are the ones who necessarily create jobs for others. Trickle down economy hasn't worked so it's good that Scotland is trying something different. As long as they are using the money where they said they would. Raising council tax would be unfair as it hits the low and middle earners the hardest.

Transport is fine, I don’t see what the problem is?

Hahahahahahahahhahahahahha - I might die laughing. Do you actually have to use public transport? Are you deranged?

Nyx - they could use their powers to pay the CAP payments to farmers within a year of them being due. Now their failure to do that is killing people.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/23/nicola-sturgeon-apologises-farmers-second-year-eu-subsidy-payment/