Back Labour, Brown Urges Yes Voters

Gordon Brown has urged Scots who voted for independence in the referendum to back Labour in next year's general election, claiming this will result in £450 million more for the health service and to tackle youth unemployment. The former prime minister also said pensioners would be in line for more money, saying that Scotland could receive an additional £100 million a year as a result of pooling our resources across the whole of the United Kingdom''. While the political debate north of the border has been dominated by the independence referendum for the last three years, the former Labour leader said it was time toreset the button of Scottish politics'' and focus on how to improve the lives of ordinary people. Many of the 1.6 million voters who backed independence in September's referendum had previously supported the Labour Party. With Ed Miliband now trying to oust David Cameron from 10 Downing Street in next year's general election Mr Brown said his party must persuade Yes voters that the Parliament we are creating is the best way to advance social justice for the future''. Mr Miliband has already pledged to legislate for more devolution, which would see Holyrood get the power to control income tax bands, with the money raised from the levy staying in Scotland. The Parliament in Edinburgh could also be given the power to top up benefits, as part of the package of measures drawn up by the Smith Commission. Mr Brown, who was one of the driving forces behind the pledge the Westminster parties made for more powers for Scotland ahead of the referendum, said the changes that have been proposed would make Holyrood more powerful than the federal states in America. If Labour wins the 2015 UK elections, Mr Brown said the party's proposed bankers' bonus tax would net #200 million to tackle youth unemployment in Scotland. Meanwhile he suggested a mansions tax could provide a £250 million boost to the health service north of the border. Mr Brown told Labour councillors in Glasgow:Things have changed and it is time to reset Scottish politics, because the Scottish parliament that is proposed with these new powers will have a £32 billion budget, it will collect taxes to the tune of £20 billion, whereas today it collects taxes of only 34 billion. It will have £2.5 billion extra to spend on welfare, it has uniquely the power now to be able to tax the richest person in the country in Scotland and to come to the aid, with benefit top ups, of the poorest person in Scotland.'' He added:With this powerful parliament it is time to rest Scottish politics. Because the argument will be in the future no longer what the Scottish Parliament can't do, it is about what the Scottish Parliament can do." The argument is no longer about constitutional change, it has got to be about economic and social change. The issue now and for the next two years and beyond is about improving the lives of the people."For the last three years we've been talking about Scotland in the abstract, now we've got to talk about how we change and improve the lives of Scottish people.''