Part Two: The Union Ripping off Scotlands Future WESTMINSTER AUSTERITY

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Published on 19th Nov 2024

Scotland's pensioners are facing a harsh winter, abandoned by policies crafted in Westminster. The Winter Fuel Payment, once a universal benefit, has been slashed to a means-tested system, leaving many Scots without this crucial support. At the same time, the removal of free TV licences for over-75s has added insult to injury, further straining the limited incomes of our elderly. Why should Scots accept these decisions, made by a government focused on English priorities, that leave our most vulnerable to bear the cost? If Westminster’s policies continue to dictate Scotland's budget, is it any wonder that ordinary Scots are left suffering the fallout of a Union that forces financial dependency on us?

This dynamic of dependency is woven into the very fabric of the Union, where even Scotland’s devolved powers are constrained by Westminster’s control over its finances. The Barnett Formula, which determines Scotland’s block grant, ties our funding to spending decisions in England. When Westminster cuts public spending, Scotland’s budget shrinks proportionally, forcing the Scottish Government to manage critical services within ever-tightening financial limits. The result? Ordinary Scots, from pensioners to public sector workers, bear the brunt of policies designed to prioritise English needs.

Take public sector pay as an example. In recent years, Scotland managed to avert serious public sector strikes by offering better pay to workers such as nurses, teachers, and council staff. These pay offers were a necessary response to growing unrest among workers already stretched to their limits. However, the Scottish Government had to fund these pay awards from an already limited budget, constrained by austerity-driven cuts from Westminster. Public sector pay is devolved, but the funding to support it depends on the block grant. Westminster’s refusal to properly fund public services in England forced Scotland to absorb the financial strain, diverting resources from other critical areas to maintain industrial peace. While Scots benefited from avoiding strikes, the cost came directly from sacrifices in other parts of the budget.

This financial strain has been compounded by the Labour government’s recent decision to increase employers’ National Insurance contributions. Public sector employers in Scotland, including the NHS, councils, and schools, must now pay these higher contributions back to Westminster. This represents a real-terms cut to Scotland’s budget, as the Scottish Government must allocate more funds from its existing block grant to cover these costs. Once again, Westminster’s policies syphon money away from services in Scotland, reducing our capacity to invest in education, health, and local communities.

The effects of austerity and Westminster’s control over finances ripple across all aspects of Scottish life. Local authorities, which rely on funding from Holyrood, have been devastated by budget cuts. As Westminster slashed local government funding in England, Scotland’s block grant shrank in turn, forcing councils to make difficult decisions. Community centres have closed, libraries have shuttered, and public spaces have been neglected all vital resources that many Scots depend on. These closures hit rural and disadvantaged communities the hardest, where such facilities are often the only accessible public resources. Why should a family in Aberdeen or a senior in Dumfries lose their community lifelines because of decisions made to serve English priorities?

The Scottish NHS, though devolved, is another victim of this system. While Scotland has made efforts to protect healthcare services, the funding allocated to NHS Scotland is tied directly to Westminster’s spending decisions. Austerity-driven cuts to NHS England resulted in reduced funding for Scotland, leaving NHS Scotland to manage increasing demand with limited resources. The consequences are clear: longer waiting times, reduced availability of treatments, and significant strain on staff. Mental health services, already underfunded, have been particularly affected, with Scots struggling to access timely support. These are not abstract issues; these are real people left without care because Scotland’s healthcare budget is ultimately shaped by Westminster’s priorities.

The welfare system paints an even starker picture of Scotland’s limited autonomy. Benefits like Universal Credit and Housing Benefit are reserved to Westminster, leaving Scotland unable to fully protect its citizens from the impacts of austerity. Cuts to these benefits have pushed thousands of Scots into food insecurity, with food bank usage reaching record levels. Families, pensioners, and even working people now rely on emergency food parcels to survive, a damning indictment of a Union that forces Scotland to depend on policies crafted without its needs in mind.

Housing is another area where Westminster’s control creates systemic challenges. While housing policy is devolved, the benefits that help people afford housing are not. Cuts to Housing Benefit have left Scots unable to pay their rent, pushing many into homelessness. Despite Scotland’s efforts to build affordable housing and prevent homelessness, austerity-driven welfare cuts have undermined progress, forcing more Scots into precarious living situations. Housing insecurity is yet another reminder that Scotland cannot fully address its challenges while key decisions remain reserved to Westminster.

Education, like healthcare, is devolved but constrained. Cuts to education budgets in England reduced the funding available to Scottish schools through the Barnett Formula. This has resulted in larger class sizes, limited resources, and overburdened teaching staff. For parents and teachers, the impact of these cuts is clear: children in Scotland are being denied the educational opportunities they deserve because Westminster’s austerity policies dictate our budget.

At every turn, Scotland’s ability to govern effectively is undermined by its financial dependency on Westminster. Even where Scotland holds devolved powers, its capacity to act is limited by a system designed to serve English interests. The recent Winter Fuel Payment crisis, the removal of free TV licences for OAPs, and the growing pressure on public sector budgets all highlight the same issue: Scotland’s needs are secondary in a Union that prioritises another country’s agenda.

Why does Scotland tolerate this? Why should a nation with vast resources and immense potential remain bound to a system that actively restricts its ability to care for its people? Westminster’s austerity policies and financial decisions have shown time and again that the Union is not fit for purpose. Scotland’s priorities—fair pay, robust public services, and a compassionate welfare system—are consistently undermined by decisions made elsewhere. The Union is not simply failing Scotland; it is exploiting Scotland. Every cut, every budget constraint, every decision made in Westminster is a reminder that Scotland’s autonomy is limited by a system designed to benefit another nation. Independence is not just a political aspiration; it is a necessity. It is the only way for Scotland to take control of its finances, its policies, and its future. A Scotland free from the constraints of the Union could ensure that no pensioner faces a winter without heat, no family relies on food banks, and no child is denied a quality education.

The question is not whether Scotland can afford independence; the question is how long we can afford to stay in a Union that robs us of our potential. The answer is clear: Scotland deserves better. We must keep fighting until we are free of the shackles of this union.