A tale of two Budgets
Left Foot Forward’s Devolution Correspondent Ed Jacobs looks at the Scottish and Welsh draft Budgets, published yesterday.
Wales
Welsh Lib Dem council set to privatise adult social services
Later today, Welsh budget minister Jane Hutt will present the Assembly government’s draft budget in what amounts to the toughest fiscal environment since the birth of devolution. She will do so as it emerged that Liberal Democrat run Swansea Council is considering outsourcing its entire adult social services department by 2012 to save costs.
Wales and Scotland set to publish draft austerity budgets
Over the next fortnight, the devolved bodies are expected to publish their draft budgets against the background of the toughest fiscal environment since the birth of devolution. Last week Left Foot Forward reported on the double whammy being faced by Northern Ireland with health minister Michael McGimpsey warning of “large numbers of redundancies” in the NHS and substantial concerns over the impact of the UK government’s welfare reforms on the most vulnerable.
Anger in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as Osborne’s cuts hit home
There was disappointment, anger and devastation as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland learned the full scale of the cuts they would have to endure in the CSR.
Tories’ “irrational fear” of Scotland and Wales
Ed Miliband accused the Tories of being “pessimistic”. With elections due in Scotland and Wales, the Conservatives have marched to the new Labour leader’s tune.
Memo to Ed: The challenges in Scotland and Wales
Left Foot Forward looks at the challenges facing the new Labour in Scotland and Wales, where there will be assembly elections next year.
The week outside Westminster
Ed Jacobs looks back at the week’s events in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Welsh Tories express “great concern” over Coalition’s constituency shake-up
Two Welsh Conservative MPs have expressed their concerns over coalition plans to cut the number of Parliamentary constituencies. The Government plans which are contained within the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill passed its second reading in the Commons on Monday.test
The Week outside Westminster
Scotland • The Herald warned of a winter of discontent. It was reported that the Coalition’s welfare reforms will cost Scotland at least £480 million while there was a warning that mass public sector redundancies would be needed if Holyroodtest
The week outside Westminster
Round of the week’s political news from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.