http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=1221772006'ALEX Salmond has pledged to recruit a council of economic gurus to help steer Scotland's economy if he is elected as First Minister next year.
The SNP leader wants to copy a 50-year-old model from the US under which a Council of Economic Advisers provides the president with impartial advice on the best way forward.
The group would be entirely independent and, under Salmond's plan, would be made up of the country's top academic economists and business people. The council would have the job of monitoring what the SNP is describing as its new "golden rules": annual 4% growth, a 3% growth in 10 years in the population, and a target to become one of the world's 15 most competitive countries.'
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Good idea Alex, now give it some meat
At least the SNP are beginning to 'talk the talk' when it comes to economics; they have spend the past few years with their economic policy under review and they are setting out their stall.
On smaller government
'In a move which the SNP believes will put it on the side of "small government" in political debate, Alex Salmond, the party leader, will promise to slash the number of Executive departments from nine to six if he becomes first minister next May. Mr Salmond has told Sir John Elvidge, head of the Scottish civil service, that he wants to create a government machine modelled on private sector companies which have small headquarters.
On local tax
'More than 500,000 pensioners would be exempt from paying a local income tax introduced by an SNP government, the party was expected to announce today. SNP Holyrood leader Nicola Sturgeon will pledge that senior citizens who are exempt from paying income tax will not have to pay the new charge - which would replace the council tax should the SNP win power.'
This has led some political commentators to suggest...are the 'Tartan Tories' back?
