Inverness MSP Emma Roddick to lead Thursday's parliamentary debate on UK income inequality
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HIGHLANDS & Islands MSP Emma Roddick from Inverness is to lead a members’ business debate on UK income inequality in the Scottish Parliament this week.
Ms Roddick’s motion for debate, which highlights concern over the scale of UK income inequality and its implications for people across the Highlands and Islands and the rest of Scotland, has gained cross-party support and will be debated in the parliament chamber on Thursday [9th February].
Ms Roddick said: “I am very grateful to be able to bring this debate on what is a pressing issue to the parliament this week.
“I, like many, was alarmed to read the Financial Times' recent analysis of income inequality in the UK and what this will mean for households across the country over the next couple of years.
“As a representative of the Highlands & Islands, I am particularly worried about my constituents in rural and islands communities who are already bearing the brunt of this catastrophic cost-of-living crisis.
“The direction the UK is heading, as set out in the Financial Times' analysis, reinforces the need to carefully consider Scotland’s place within this union and learn from Independent European countries comparable to Scotland that are significantly outperforming the UK.”
According to the analysis, the average Slovenian household is set to be better off than its British counterpart by 2024, and that the richest will get richer.
The debate in the Scottish Parliament from 12:45pm onwards on Thursday February 9 on TV: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/
The full motion is: "That the Parliament notes with alarm a recent Financial Times analysis, which shows the scale of income inequality in the UK relative to other countries in Europe; records its concern over the implications for people across Scotland, including rural and island constituents in the Highlands and Islands, amid what it considers an unprecedented cost of living crisis; recognises that, according to the analysis, the average Slovenian household is set to be better off than its British counterpart by 2024, and that the richest will get richer; believes that this analysis has reinforced the findings of the Scottish Government’s Building a New Scotland papers, which, it considers, demonstrates how independent European countries comparable to Scotland are wealthier and fairer than the UK, and considers that it is important to learn from comparator countries and create a fairer Scotland, combining economic dynamism with social solidarity."
