IN her maiden speech as leader of the party, Dugdale set out plans to redistribute wealth, power and attainment in Scotland.
KEZIA DUGDALE has set out plans to tax high earners, reform private school funding and regulate businesses to bring about a redistribution of wealth, attainment and power in Scotland.
In her first major speech as Scottish Labour leader, she warned that “there is no cheap or easy route to equality”.
She said the “left-wing posturing” of the SNP must come to an end and they must be replaced by a party with real socialist policies and plan for how to pay for them.
Ms Dugdale reiterated her pledge to introduce a 50p rate of Scottish income tax for those earning more than £150,000.
She also complained about the privileges of wealthy private school pupils, who enjoy easy access to internships and jobs at family firms which she said perpetuates inequality.
Ms Dugdale believes “schools should always be in government control” and reiterated her pledge to end the charitable status of private schools.
She warned that “unregulated capitalism” wastes both human and natural resources, but would not say what regulations she would introduce to tackle the problem.
Ms Dugdale recognised her plans will make her unpopular with some sections of society.
“I support a 50p rate of income tax,” she told journalists after her speech at Edinburgh College.
“I have talked repeatedly about tackling educational inequality and, rightly, I have said a lot more about how you do it than the First Minister has.
“So, in that sense, I am talking about putting taxes up for people that earn over £150,000 a year.”
She added: “If we’re serious about tackling the gap between the richest and the poorest in society you have to get serious about how we’re going to pay for it.”
She continued: “I support the end of the charitable status of private schools.
“I don’t profess for a second that removing the charitable status is going to do what I want to do to close the gap between the richest and the poorest kids.
“We have to do that in the state school system but it is my priority to focus on closing the gap in the state school system.
“I do believe that when it comes to schools they should always be in government control, and that is why I reject the idea of free schools, for example.”
Ms Dugdale praised “widening access programmes” such as Edinburgh University’s partnership with the Law Society to encourage disadvantaged students to consider professions like law which are dominated by middle and upper-class practitioners.
Scotland will soon be given limited income tax varying powers ahead of the full devolution of income tax when the Smith Commission proposals are implemented.
In her speech, Ms Dugdale said: “The new tax and welfare powers mean that those who position themselves on the left will have to put their money where their mouth is.
“Power means that left-wing posturing will have to be replaced by socialist policy.
“If you believe in the redistribution of power and wealth, as I do, you’d better get ready to say how you’ll achieve it.”
She added: “The interests of the rich and the poor, those sat in the boardroom and those stood on shop floor, are not always aligned.
“I would keep universal services and the gains of devolution. But let’s be clear we cannot have a more equal society without redistribution.
“We cannot fund public services unless the wealthy, as well as the rest of us, pay a fair share.
“Public services that work well for the advantaged aren’t necessarily right for the disadvantaged.
“I’m under no illusions that challenging the new Scottish establishment, with radical policies on redistribution and reform, will provoke a reaction.
“I know that I will face the personal attacks that have become an unfortunate but unavoidable fact of political life in Scotland.
“I believe those who indulge in such attacks will only harm their own cause.
“Not everyone will like it but no-one will be in any doubt in the months ahead about where I stand and what my party stands for.”
More politics news here.
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe