Yousaf units out ‘radical’ plans for unbiased Scotland’s written structure
H
umza Yousaf has outlined “radical” plans for an unbiased Scotland to have a written structure – with the First Minister saying such a doc might defend staff’ rights to strike and assure healthcare that’s “free at the point of need”.
Mr Yousaf additionally made clear the SNP-led Scottish Government would desire a new structure for the nation to rule out Scotland being a house for nuclear weapons.
With a last structure solely being developed after Scotland has voted for independence – and never coming into drive till after folks have backed it in a referendum – the First Minister and SNP chief conceded he couldn’t say for sure what can be in such a doc.
He stated: “By helping enhance and protect important rights, it will make a genuine and significant difference to people’s lives.”
In the context of the Westminster system, these proposals do sound radical
He spoke as he launched a brand new paper on plans for a written structure, which is a part of a collection of papers from the Scottish Government because it seeks to make a contemporary case for independence.
The Tories, nevertheless, branded the brand new paper as being the “height of self-indulgence from Humza Yousaf”, hitting out on the SNP chief for spending “taxpayers’ money publishing yet another paper in relation to independence and trying to waste parliamentary time on it next week”.
Mr Yousaf stated: “A written constitution that protects, for example, an adequate standard of living, it is not abstract, I think it is fundamental to people’s lives right now.”
He instructed how having a written structure would “embody a set of longer-term, more fundamental values about what a country is for” and set out a “common understanding of a nation’s priorities”, as effectively making a “standard below which no government should ever fall”.
He added: “In the context of the Westminster system, these proposals do sound radical.”
With the UK not having a written structure in place – one thing Mr Yousaf stated made the nation a “global outlier” – he claimed Westminster might abolish the Scottish Parliament, which has been in place since 1999.
Speaking in Glasgow, the First Minister: “That’s not an abstract concept – it is worth remembering the UK Government is already seriously considering the repeal of the Human Rights Act, one of the most significant achievements of any UK Parliament in the last 30 years.
“In future, Westminster sovereignty could even allow the UK Parliament to repeal devolution through nothing other than a simple majority vote.”
A vote for independence would see the Scottish Parliament develop an interim structure, which might then come into drive when Scotland leaves the UK.
After independence, a constitutional conference can be established to develop a everlasting structure, with this to be thought-about by Holyrood and in addition put to the folks in a referendum.
Mr Yousaf stated such a doc might “protect the right to take industrial action” for staff and will additionally set out “provisions on the right to adequate housing, the right of communities to own land, or our right as citizens to access healthcare which is free at the point of need”.
He went on to state: “In the Scottish Government’s view, it should also include provisions stating very clearly and explicitly that Scotland will not host nuclear weapons.”
The First Minister insisted the “vision” within the Scottish Government paper “contrasts quite starkly” with Westminster, the place he stated “rights are being systematically eroded”.
Scottish Conservative structure spokesman Donald Cameron stated: “The SNP are so obsessed with their push for independence that they are now pressing for not just one divisive referendum but two to take place if they ever get their way.”
The Tory MSP stated the First Minister “knows that the obsession with breaking up the United Kingdom is the only issue that can keep the warring factions in his party together”.
Mr Cameron continued: “Humza Yousaf has a total brass neck saying the cost of living is the number one issue for him, when he is happy to spend taxpayers’ money publishing yet another paper in relation to independence and trying to waste parliamentary time on it next week.
“The paper itself is full of holes and talks up completely misguided plans to ban nuclear weapons in an independent Scotland.
“Using public money to campaign for independence is completely the wrong priority for Scotland.
“People want the SNP-Green government to be focused on their real priorities right now such as rising bills, fixing our NHS and strengthening our economy.”