SNP ministers have so far made £32 billion of spending pledges for an independent Scotland without saying how they would be funded, according to a new analysis of their "extravagant" promises. In a double blow for the Nationalists, one of the country’s most senior pension experts told the Daily Telegraph their latest pledge to examine lowering the retirement age after separation would require “big cuts” to public services. Better Together, the pro-UK referendum campaign, released a list of the SNP’s 17 spending commitments for an independent Scotland covering areas such as pensions and defence. The total of £32.1 billion includes the estimated £6 billion cost of reversing the UK Government’s plan to increase the state pension age to 67, the latest Nationalist suggestion unveiled at the weekend. The latter will be included in a Scottish Government report, published today, on the SNP’s plans for state, private and public pensions after independence. Among the other promises Scottish ministers have made recently, without calculating the cost, have been renationalising the Royal Mail and higher annual increases in the state pension. But the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned Scotland faces making £5.9 billion of tax increases and spending cuts immediately after independence to stabilise its finances. Alistair Darling, the former Chancellor and leader of Better Together, said Alex Salmond should admit either making “false promises” or planning tax increases after independence to fund the “ever more extravagant claims”. (D) telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/10326954/SNPs-32-billion-of-independence-spending-pledges.html
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 13:16:34 +0000
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