Walk the talk

It is not enough, for example, to complain about the time it took his party to support a council tax freeze. What on earth happened to Labour’s commitment to look at a review of that tax’s valuation bands? Labour has done nothing on the matter since the inception of the Scottish Parliament. Even the Conservatives seemed to have something more radical to offer on local government finance at last spring’s Holyrood election.

Mr Macintosh will need to provide more evidence that he is prepared to confront Labour’s more old-fashioned instincts. He will do himself a favour if he gets support for an effective minimum price for alcohol. This would show he supports radical health measures.

The Eastwood MSP ought to be careful, too, about the way forward on the Calman measures and the Scotland Bill. The proposals are convoluted and likely to fall foul of any campaign which contrasts its details with the relative simplicity of fiscal autonomy. Therein lies an elephant trap for whoever becomes his party’s Scottish leader. Will that person have the freedom to put the case for real autonomy if he or she sees it as the best way to serve the Scottish people?

Bob Taylor

Shiel Court

Glenrothes