The colour of politics - June 2011
If you believe in the thought that colours have meaning you’ll not be surprised to know that yellow, the colour of sunshine, is associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. It also has a warming effect which arouses cheerfulness.
And so it must have been for thousands of people across Scotland who voted a certain way on May 5 and woke up next morning to find themselves inhabiting a land bathed in yellow from coast to coast and across hill and glen.
It would be fair to say that the result of the Scottish Parliament election took most people by surprise, including most likely the majority of SNP members who might never have dreamed that their party would be given such a resounding mandate to govern for the next five years.
So now that the sun has risen on a new-look Scotland, what can we expect when we follow the yellow brick road to Holyrood – and what do we think might create a few clouds on the horizon?
The Chamber set out the priorities of its members in its election manifesto and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce produced a national document of priorities.
In comparing those with the SNP manifesto, published in the run up to the election, there are some encouraging indications of agreement between what is sought by business and what was pledged in the manifesto:
- AGCC highlighted the inadequacy of our current digital connectivity – an SNP Government is pledging fair access through a £50million digital connectivity initiative
- AGCC wants qualifications strategies to take greater account of industry intelligence - Government will publish proposals by the end of 2011 with the aim of ensuring training best meets the needs of business and trainees
- The Chamber network wants improved access to international trade support – the new Government is pledging a £2.5million fund in the year ahead to provide support for 100 Scottish companies.
- Chambers have called for improvements to procurement processes - the Government will introduce a new national database for supplier pre-qualifier information; companies winning significant contracts will be asked to produce a training and apprenticeship plan
But of course it’s not all sunshine – business rates and the negative impact which the removal of transitional relief had on hundreds of businesses was an issue before the election; it remains an issue afterwards.
In Transport there is a commitment to the AWPR and the dualling of the A90 north of Balmedie; improvements to the A96 and faster and more-frequent rail connections between Aberdeen and Inverness and journeys to the central belt are almost lost in the small print. Our more detailed priorities for improved rail services; a route development fund for air and sea; concerns over rises in air passenger duty have not made the final cut in the pre-election government manifesto.
The business proposal for a more realistic energy mix which includes ongoing support for oil and gas in addition to renewables has been overshadowed by a highly ambitious – and some will say, highly unrealistic – renewables target of 100% by 2020.
Requests for a review of some of the regulations which hamper and stifle business growth appear to have gone unanswered.
So as the Scottish Parliament enters a fourth term, we look forward to working with the new Government – and all our MSPs whatever their party - to help drive the economic recovery and growth which will bring benefits to everyone who lives in, works in, visits and invests in this country.
Undoubtedly we’ll find ourselves crossing swords with them over some of the issues we don’t agree on or which we think aren’t receiving the priority attention we’d like them too – representing business is as much part of our mandate just as running the country is part of the government’s.
With great power – and in this case a great majority - comes great responsibility, and the challenge now will be to deliver those pre-election promises to ensure that Scotland flourishes and grows over the next term of parliament and beyond.
According to Alex Salmond, “Scotland is on a journey and the path ahead is a bright one” – we hope that remains the case, because no one wants to end up in a situation where the road – even a yellow brick one – is paved with broken promises.
And so it must have been for thousands of people across Scotland who voted a certain way on May 5 and woke up next morning to find themselves inhabiting a land bathed in yellow from coast to coast and across hill and glen.
It would be fair to say that the result of the Scottish Parliament election took most people by surprise, including most likely the majority of SNP members who might never have dreamed that their party would be given such a resounding mandate to govern for the next five years.
So now that the sun has risen on a new-look Scotland, what can we expect when we follow the yellow brick road to Holyrood – and what do we think might create a few clouds on the horizon?
The Chamber set out the priorities of its members in its election manifesto and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce produced a national document of priorities.
In comparing those with the SNP manifesto, published in the run up to the election, there are some encouraging indications of agreement between what is sought by business and what was pledged in the manifesto:
AGCC highlighted the inadequacy of our current digital connectivity – an SNP Government is pledging fair access through a £50million digital connectivity initiative
AGCC wants qualifications strategies to take greater account of industry intelligence - Government will publish proposals by the end of 2011 with the aim of ensuring training best meets the needs of business and trainees
The Chamber network wants improved access to international trade support – the new Government is pledging a £2.5million fund in the year ahead to provide support for 100 Scottish companies.
Chambers have called for improvements to procurement processes - the Government will introduce a new national database for supplier pre-qualifier information; companies winning significant contracts will be asked to produce a training and apprenticeship plan
But of course it’s not all sunshine – business rates and the negative impact which the removal of transitional relief had on hundreds of businesses was an issue before the election; it remains an issue afterwards.
In Transport there is a commitment to the AWPR and the dualling of the A90 north of Balmedie; improvements to the A96 and faster and more-frequent rail connections between Aberdeen and Inverness and journeys to the central belt are almost lost in the small print. Our more detailed priorities for improved rail services; a route development fund for air and sea; concerns over rises in air passenger duty have not made the final cut in the pre-election government manifesto.
The business proposal for a more realistic energy mix which includes ongoing support for oil and gas in addition to renewables has been overshadowed by a highly ambitious – and some will say, highly unrealistic – renewables target of 100% by 2020.
Requests for a review of some of the regulations which hamper and stifle business growth appear to have gone unanswered.
So as the Scottish Parliament enters a fourth term, we look forward to working with the new Government – and all our MSPs whatever their party - to help drive the economic recovery and growth which will bring benefits to everyone who lives in, works in, visits and invests in this country.
Undoubtedly we’ll find ourselves crossing swords with them over some of the issues we don’t agree on or which we think aren’t receiving the priority attention we’d like them too – representing business is as much part of our mandate just as running the country is part of the government’s.
With great power – and in this case a great majority - comes great responsibility, and the challenge now will be to deliver those pre-election promises to ensure that Scotland flourishes and grows over the next term of parliament and beyond.
According to Alex Salmond, “Scotland is on a journey and the path ahead is a bright one” – we hope that remains the case, because no one wants to end up in a situation where the road – even a yellow brick one – is paved with broken promises.
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