Policies to renew the Scottish Government’s domestic agenda:
- Create a Scottish National Investment Bank
- Build the homes and infrastructure that people need
- Create a world-class childcare system.
- Give more power to citizens.
The Scottish Government has been in power for ten years. It has also just faced an election in which there were some clear signs of discontent about the risk of stagnation and a perceived lack of ambition.
All governments must renew themselves if they wish to remain relevant; the Scottish Government is no exception. It swept to power in a swell of optimism and has, until now, strengthened and consolidated its position by continuing to talk the language of hope and progress.
However, people may be beginning to question whether there has been sufficient progress to sustain their hope. The Scottish Government requires an eye-catching refreshed agenda to persuade them that their hope remains well placed. Common Weal has been publishing policy papers on domestic policy throughout this parliament and has built up a suite of well researched and popular proposals.
This short paper proposes six ‘collections’ of policies that the Scottish Government should embrace and pursue as a way to let Scotland know its ambition has not dimmed and its radicalism remains in place.
1: Create a Scottish National Investment Bank and use it to finance an era of green reindustrialisation.
2: Build the homes and infrastructure that people need and rebuild the town centres they deserve.
3: Create a world-class childcare system.
4: Take democracy seriously and give more power to citizens.
5: Send out the right signals.