We’re in!

After so long a wait and so much controversy, we are at last moving into the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood today.

Greens argued at first that existing buildings should have been used to house the Parliament. But once the decision was made to build a new home for the new institution, we have been supportive of getting the job finished.

Now that it’s open for business, I hope that the lessons can be learned and that we can then get on with making the Parliament as successful an institution as it can be.

I’m proud to serve Glasgow and Scotland as an MSP. I’m proud to do it in as stunning a building as Holyrood. But I’m under no illusions – we have a long way to go before we develop the confident and mature political culture that we deserve in Scotland.

But as the man said, we’re getting in then we’re getting on. Business starts next week, and I’m keen to get started.

Second homes

I?ve written on several occasions about the sale of green spaces for luxury housing. It?s an issue I won?t be giving up on, but at the same time we must recognise that housing supply is a real problem for Scotland, with ever-rising property prices and too few homes available in the social rented sector. While commercial developers are busy filling our parks with luxury housing, campaign groups are calling for 10,000 new affordable homes to be built each year.

You would think that in this situation we?d be making the best possible use of the homes we already have. But in fact the reverse is true ? we?re actually subsidising people to own a second home, by letting them off paying most of their Council Tax.

This is such a problem that in some villages in the north, over 90% of the housing stock is made up of holiday homes. All very nice for those few people who can afford a second home, but not for the rest of us. Housing supply in the area is reduced, so local people find themselves squeezed out. Less Council Tax is collected, so services have to be funded with lower budgets. Homes are empty for a large part of the year, so the life of the community and the local economy suffer.

Second home owners argue that they are only actually in one place at a time, so they only receive the same level of council services as everyone else. It?s no big surprise that they want to keep their discount, but Council Tax is a property-based tax, not a charge for services received. If it was a simple service charge, I?d pay less too ? I have no kids at school, I don?t use social work services, and I try not to produce much rubbish.

In reality of course I can afford to pay more Council Tax, not less, and I?d be happy to do so if it was going to lead to better services, including ones I don?t personally use.
If someone can afford a second home, they can quite clearly afford to pay their Council Tax.

So I was disappointed that Scottish Ministers passed up the opportunity to reverse this situation. Instead of removing the discount, they have merely decided to allow each Council to vary it between 10% and 50%. So the very least that many second home owners can expect is an annual three-figure subsidy.
Rather than reducing it, rather than abolishing it, I would have gone further and introduced a disincentive for second home ownership.

Homes are (I think most of us would agree) in short supply in Scotland, and except for those few individuals who absolutely need to work in two parts of the country there can be little reason for anyone to have two homes when others have none.
So an additional surcharge would be entirely justified, as recompense to the community for the many additional costs. We could also require change-of-use planning permission if a home is to become a second home. This would give local authorities much stronger control over the proportion of second homes in their housing stock.

To be clear, I want to see Council Tax replaced with something fairer and more sensitive to sustainability ? Land Value Taxation for example. But in the meantime there is nothing to prevent Ministers from tweaking the system to ensure that we get the best use out of the homes we already have. We all need a home, and while some people go without there can be few who would claim to ?need? such a luxury as a holiday home.

Ban the Bomb!

This month people in Scotland once again have the opportunity to stand together in opposition to Britain?s weapons of mass destruction, the Trident nuclear submarine system based at Faslane. The Big Blockade which will take place on Monday the 23rd of August is the latest in the long series of actions organised by Trident Ploughshares and Scottish CND. By taking part, you can raise the profile of this vital issue in a pre-election year, before decisions are made about the future of the UK?s nuclear weapons programme. By opposing Trident now we will also be working to prevent development of replacement nuclear weapons systems.

Many people who haven?t taken part in the blockades before are a bit anxious beforehand. Police confrontations aren?t everyone?s cup of tea after all. But the support which the blockade organisers provide is excellent, and it is made clear to everyone that the choice to risk arrest is a personal one ? nobody is put under any pressure to do anything they are not comfortable with.

The day begins early. From 7am or earlier, the gates around the base will be blockaded by peaceful occupation of the road. It?s important to stress the non-violence is these events ? everyone who takes part is expected to agree to the guidelines: respect and sincerity to be shown to everyone; no physical violence or verbal abuse; no alcohol, recreational drugs or weapons of any kind.

Many people will link arms on the road, or use tubes, chains and other devices to lock themselves together, preventing the police from removing them from the road. Others support their colleagues from the side of the road ? a much needed role since people may spend hours lying on the tarmac, unable to move. Sandwiches and cups of tea are always welcomed, and there?s always a need for moral support too. When the police come in to remove people, witnesses are also needed.

Many people form ?affinity groups? ? small groups who agree to look out for one another, keep track of people if they get arrested, make sure the rest can get home OK, and generally take care of one another?s welfare. For some, the affinity group is also a good vehicle for some creative work, in banners, props, costumes and so on. The organisers encourage this sort of thing ? one of the things I really appreciate about the Blockades is the positive atmosphere, the celebration of peace and the alternatives to war.

As the day wears on there will be music, speeches, and usually a steady supply of some pretty decent veggie-burgers.

Even if you can?t join us on the day there are other ways in which you can help. Many people who risk arrest will need help in raising money to pay their fines, and Trident Ploughshares and Scottish CND themselves spend money that?s been raised by volunteers, to organise the whole event. If you want to help but can?t get to Faslane on the 23rd, why not organise a local fundraiser the week before? Raise some cash to help the campaign, and get some local publicity for the issue too.

If you can be there, and want to know more about the transport arrangements, legal issues, or anything else, here?s where to get started:

Big Blockade Action Line ? 0845 4588361
bigblockade-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

:-)

[grin]

Duck, and cover!!

Duck, and cover! That was the title ? and the message ? of one of the most ridiculous propaganda films ever made. Responding to the great fear of the time, the US government made the film to show people what to do when the Bomb went off. Faced with the prospect of atomic annihilation the smartly dressed American boy-or-girl-next-door had only to throw themselves to the ground and cover their head to avoid death.

No doubt there would be some unruly kids who didn?t watch closely in school when the movie was shown, didn?t listen to the ?Duck and Cover? turtle as he shouted his warning before popping down into his shell. Without the protection of a classroom desk, a coat, the page of a newspaper or even their own arms, no doubt their poor heads and bodies would be incinerated, but not the duck-and-cover kids, no!

My first memory of this kind of patronising rubbish was the advice the British government dished out to prepare us for the WMDs of the 80s. All those good, patriotic British subjects (the sort who would never question the need for keeping nuclear weapons, or join one of those disruptive CND marches) were to keep themselves well stocked up with candles, matches, tinned food, and bottled water. Oh and don?t forget white paint and a screwdriver – when nuclear war broke out, they should paint the windows, and take the doors of the hinges, to prop against the wall shelter behind. That way, the unleashed heat of a million suns would never get at them, right?

Well the more things change, the more they stay the same. Today?s government is busy distributing millions of booklets to prepare us for ?emergencies?. According to the Independent National Steering Committee on Warning and Informing the Public (the what?!) we are all living our lives in cotton wool, and becoming complacent in our safety. Key to the problem, it seems, is tinned food and candles. Forgive me if I?m over-reacting here, but anyone who?s ever had a power cut will have thought about this stuff.

The leaflet, and the TV warnings which accompany them, also mention terrorism, of course. Among the pearls of wisdom are the suggestion that if a bomb goes off in your building, you should find the safest way out. Oh? right?OK. Out, you say?

The threat is different now from what it was when I was growing up, and so is the message. Just telling everyone to keep themselves busy until they?re dead was all very well in those days, but now the Government wants us to consider the possibility of chemical, biological and radiological attacks, as well as the conventional bombs, floods and fires. So the message too is less specific.

But the more worrying purpose of this kind of material will still be served. Just as a population that does not fear growing old will refuse to buy lotions and potions for wrinkles, a population which does not fear imminent attack will not be willing to give up its civil liberties to prevent them.

By all means, keep some candles and some tins of beans in the cupboard. Keep some bottles of water and some spare batteries for the radio. Go on a first aid course if you?re really serious. But don?t keep this leaflet.

I?m thinking of writing one to send back to the government. Something like ?Preventing Emergencies ? what you need to know?. My first piece of advice? if you feel threatened by someone who shares you planet, try whenever possible to avoid dropping bombs on their relatives. Further suggestions welcome, but please send them direct to Downing Street.