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Labour's Johann Lamont questions free-for-all policy approach

cottish Labour leader Johann Lamont has questioned universal benefits which sees rich people receiving tuition fees and prescriptions for free.

In a speech to party members in Edinburgh she said it was time to end a "something for nothing" culture.

She added that First Minister Alex Salmond was passing the buck to already stretched local governments.

But the nationalists accused Labour of having no policies of its own to bring to the table.

Ms Lamont insisted that the SNP had a vision for Scotland "all on the never never."

She told the gathering: "Alex Salmond says he'll make Scotland a progressive beacon.

"Well, I have to ask what is progressive about a banker on more than 100,000 a year benefiting more than a customer on average incomes from the council tax freeze?

"What is progressive about a chief executive on more than 100,000 a year not paying for his prescriptions, while a pensioner needing care has their care help cut?

"What is progressive about judges and lawyers earning more than 100,000 a year, not paying tuition fees for their child to follow in their footsteps at university, while one in four unemployed young people in Scotland can't get a job or a place at college?"

Ms Lamont said that taxes would have to rise or services would be cut in order to maintain popular but expensive SNP pledges on areas such as the council-tax freeze and personal care for the elderly.

She added: "I believe our resources must go to those in greatest need.

"But if the devil's greatest trick was to convince the world he didn't exist, Salmond's most cynical trick was to make people believe that more was free, when the poorest are paying for the tax breaks for the rich."

SNP Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon said Ms Lamont was embarking on a disastrous approach.

She explained: "Almost one year on from her election as leader and Labour still have no policies of their own to bring to the table.

"At a time when people are facing serious wage restraint and rising living costs, the council-tax freeze, the abolition of charges for prescriptions, support for higher education, apprenticeships and the elderly are all part of the support we in society give to each other."

Apparently, Council tax could rise by as much as £700 a year under a Labour administration:

http://www.newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-economy/5933-council-tax-could-rise-by-p700-under-scottish-labour

A real vote-winner?

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Work as if you live in the early days of a better nation.

These policies are a guaranteed vote-loser for Lamont. Why has she done it ? Is she just stuoid ?

I think I will suggest to her that she should go further and end free access to public parks and libraries for rich folk.

I honestly cannae understand how this woman can be in charge of the north british imperial labour party. I really cannae. Whenever she opens her daft gub , she appears to drive more people to vote to free scotland.

It really is embarressing watching her , imagine this daft senga representing scotland on the world stage?

it is such a sad reflection of democracy in this country that this unintelligible slevering foolish woman can be promoted way beyond her minute ability to be in any sort of position of power , relying on the dis interested plebs to keep her and her pathetic party in any position of authority they can muster.

i am just shocked listening to this crap.

is this for real or is there some alterior motive behind this incompetence by the north british labour party , or maybe they really are this stupid and i am giving them too much credit.

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abair ach beagan agus abair gu math e

I think maybe the question should have been is she better than bendy wendy. As we all know bendy , or agent bendy as she became known , did a lot of good by sending people over to the side of the good guys however lamentable has surpassed that by leaps and bounds and more and more ordinary labour voters are taking the road to damascus as can be seen by the growing support that " labour voters for independence" is getting so as long as that brainless muppets keeps on speaking before engaging her brain then the year 2014 could become a song title sung by patriots in the decades to come.

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alba gu brath
if its no Scottish its crap

Maybe she has been bri .bed by Salmond to play the daftie ?

maybe shes just a daftie

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alba gu brath
if its no Scottish its crap

Just watched the Great British Labour Party Conference from Manchester. More Union Jacks than at an Empire Loyalist rally. Seems to me that Daftie Lamont said what she did last week about "freebies" inj Scotland on orders from her master, Mr Milliband.

Jolly,

What you said about the Council Tax rise being a vote loser. I agree, if you pay for the Council Tax? But a lot of Labour Numpties pay nothing, and under Lamont's plan would pay nothing for Prescriptions, Dentist, Opticians ect. So these people don't give a flying f@@k anyway. She's playing people down and doing what Labour in Scotland has done for 25 years now. Playing to the lowest denominator . If you have aspirations, Don't vote Labour, if you love your country Don't vote Labour, if you are on the minimum wage, Don't vote Labour, as you will have to pay Prescription charges and your Council Tax will go through the roof. That's what I've been saying to folks around me for ages. By on large, if they are under 50, or support Rangers forget it. Labour used to say SNP stood for "Still No Policies", while confusing people by saying the the opposite at the same time. I remember a programme that was on when I was at School called City Lights, a "Comedy" full of Labour Lovies, that every week attacked Scotland or the SNP. In one episode, I remember the Mother saying to her Banker son, "That woman has got more Policies than the SNP". Dear God. Well we can say to the "Scottish" Labour Party, "Your initials are SNP", "Still No Principles".

Stephen.

I have just re-read my earlier entry and I meant to say over 50's in general are Anti-Independence and of course, not under 50's like I mistakenly said.

Stephen.

Erm, Stephen, Elaine C. Smith was in it. She's now SNP. Don't remember Gerard Kelly being very political, could be wrong.

Still beat the pants off what was on the same channel on the other side of the Border, "Keeping Up Appearances". Or the likes of Burnistoun, Gary Keep Our Tanks in Afghanistan and Still Bad Make-Up.

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"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".

The up side of not winning Glasgow during the Council elections is that Labour are stuck with Lamont until the Referendum.

:)

Now all we need is for the UK Conservatives to promise a referendum on the EU in their next State Election manifesto. That will boost their appeal in England.

Faced with the prospect of a UK Conservative-UKIP government in the Spring of '15 an awful lot more Scots will use their "Get out of jail free card" in the Autumn of '14.

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Chan eil mise nam Bhreatannach