Politics and Pensions
Scotland's health secretary - Nicola Sturgeon - has done the right thing in telling nurses and other health workers - that she will not back strike action over planned changes to public-sector pensions.
Now the SNP government is in the happy position of blaming to root cause of the problem on someone else - the coalition government in Westminster.
But that doesn't change the fact that the Scots who would suffer from strike action - are the sick and vulnerable - what's the point of taking it out on them?.
Now some would say that the Scottish government should refuse to implement the Westminster government's policy - but that would simply throw the baby out with the bathwater - or the patient out with the bedpan.
Because the truth is that the key changes in public sector pensions are supported on a cross-party basis - at a UK level anyway - which is where such matters are decided.
Westminster's proposals are based on a report from none other than John Hutton - the last Labour government's former work and pensions secretary.
Hutton's aim is to end final salary pension schemes and introduce career average schemes - which is fairer to everyone - and benefits women workers especially.
So it suits the SNP government to let Westminster take the flak - and for Labour to keep its head down when the party is in fact supportive of the Hutton reforms.
And why wouldn't they be?
Since the Labour leadership in opposition is chock full of people who were - until very recently - colleagues of John Hutton in the last Labour government - Ed Miliband, Ed Balls, Yvette Cooper etc etc.
Now the SNP government is in the happy position of blaming to root cause of the problem on someone else - the coalition government in Westminster.
But that doesn't change the fact that the Scots who would suffer from strike action - are the sick and vulnerable - what's the point of taking it out on them?.
Now some would say that the Scottish government should refuse to implement the Westminster government's policy - but that would simply throw the baby out with the bathwater - or the patient out with the bedpan.
Because the truth is that the key changes in public sector pensions are supported on a cross-party basis - at a UK level anyway - which is where such matters are decided.
Westminster's proposals are based on a report from none other than John Hutton - the last Labour government's former work and pensions secretary.
Hutton's aim is to end final salary pension schemes and introduce career average schemes - which is fairer to everyone - and benefits women workers especially.
So it suits the SNP government to let Westminster take the flak - and for Labour to keep its head down when the party is in fact supportive of the Hutton reforms.
And why wouldn't they be?
Since the Labour leadership in opposition is chock full of people who were - until very recently - colleagues of John Hutton in the last Labour government - Ed Miliband, Ed Balls, Yvette Cooper etc etc.
