Views
The economy should be top priority for all politicians - for The Inverness Courier
THIS year has been dominated by the worsening economic crisis facing the whole country. It seems very likely that 2009 will be the same. Politicians on all sides will be guided by Bill Clinton's famous slogan "It's the economy, stupid."
Families all over the Highlands have felt the effects of the recession. Too many people have lost their jobs, or been unable to afford to pay for the necessities of life as prices have risen. Those pressures are especially acute at Christmas. Every politician, at every level of government, should make dealing with economic problems — and their effects on local families — their top priority in 2009. I certainly will.
There is, actually, a lot that government can do to help. But getting it right depends on being honest about what the problems actually are. It is simply not good enough to heap all the blame on global factors — as Gordon Brown often does. Mistakes and bad decisions made by the Labour government — and its Conservative predecessor — have made things a lot worse than they need to be for British people.
Banks did not just lend too much to too many people who could not afford it in a vacuum — they were encouraged to by a government that was just as greedy as the bankers themselves. Gordon Brown was happy to heap praise on bankers and their bonuses when times were good — even as Vince Cable, for the Liberal Democrats, was predicting that by building the economy on such weak foundations we were heading for disaster.
In 2009, much more needs to be done to try to stimulate the economy. But in spending taxpayers money to boost the economy, we need also to think about what kind of country we want to emerge on the other side of this recession. There is no point just promoting more short-term consumption — as the UK government's misguided VAT cut has — we need to build for the long-term too.
In 2009, the choice we face is not just between doing something or doing nothing. It is about making sure we do the right things, too. That's why I have been so disappointed by the Scottish government's failure to grasp the scale of what's going on. Kicking major transport projects into the long grass, making it harder to build affordable homes, and cutting nearly £100 million from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, will all make it harder for us in the Highlands to beat the recession.
It would be easy to forget, given all the focus on the economy, that the world is still facing dangerous climate change. Those who oppose action on the environment will say that now is the wrong time to be taking action — as the Polish government did at the recent EU summit.
They are wrong. Better public transport — especially railways between Inverness and the central belt — and cleaner cars will also reduce costs for many people. Very often, what is good for the planet is good for the pocket too.
Big infrastructure projects can create jobs in the short-term – and change the country for the long-term. By insulating every home, school, and hospital in the country properly, we could cut energy bills and tackle climate change. By building more affordable homes, we can help to meet the pressing need for housing in the Highlands.
By investing in renewable energy, we can help to ensure that the Britain of the future does not have to go cap in hand to unsavoury or untrustworthy regimes to meet our energy needs. With the right vision, we can respond to the recession, and give hope for the future too.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Like most people, I am looking forward to a few days break with the family over the festive season. I hope that you enjoy a happy and prosperous 2009. Happy New Year!
Posted on: 30/12/2008
