Coalition ministers to flood Scotland in SNP attack? Bring it on!

The SNP government is developing a Scandinavian style society where those less able are offered certain social guarantees - healthcare, education, transport, housing etc. Danish sociologist Gøsta Esping-Andersen notes that this particular adaptation of the mixed market economy is characterised by universalist welfare states (relative to other developed countries), which are aimed specifically at enhancing individual autonomy, ensuring the universal provision of basic human rights and stabilising the economy. It is distinguished from other welfare states with similar goals by its emphasis on maximising labour force participation, promoting gender equality, egalitarian and extensive benefit levels, large magnitude of redistribution, and liberal use of expansionary fiscal policy. All commendable aims and all a very decent fit for modern Scotland.

The Tories are looking across the Atlantic to an American GOP model where it is, to a very great measure, sink or swim depending on the strength of your bank account. The so-called Big Society is nothing more than a cloak behind which to hide sustained cuts. The big difference in this case is that whilst the Republicans crave small government with laissez-faire policies, the Tories crave big government with micro-managed cuts. This just does not work as economic impetus is stripped from the national machine.

The LibDems have lost the right to comment on anything of relevance as they have turned their back on everything they claimed to stand for in a cheap grab for a share of power. Alistair Carmichael's "bring it on" reference demonstrates that the LibDems are out of ideas altogether and have to quote recently forgotten Labour failures.

And Labour itself is a rabble scraping around for any straw at which to clutch. They forced the UK economy headfirst into the ground and now have the effrontery to question the SNP's fiscal policies.

The SNP ship is sailing along a rocky shore but that is all that it can do just now what with the constraints of funding imposed by an entirely unsympathetic Whitehall which is desperate that the good ship Holyrood should founder. That John Swinney can somehow balance the budget and sustain some form of growth is remarkable in itself and well beyond the comprehension of Geordie and Danny, the Treasury Twits.

But the real "bring it on" for my money is that these posturing, preening non-entities such as Carmichael really believe that they have anything valid to say about the future of Scotland. Let them come and let them preach - the more often the better I say. Let the people of our nation see on a repeated and regular basis that the coalition in London is completely out of touch with 21st century Scotland.

Scotland does indeed have two governments - one looks out for this nation's interests and one looks out for the interests of London. But let both governments state their case to the people of Scotland and then we'll see who is smiling.

Now that's "Bring it on!"