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Stephen makes partner plea to SNP Stephen makes partner plea to SNP
(10 minutes later)
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen has urged the Scottish Government to work with his party to scrap council tax.Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen has urged the Scottish Government to work with his party to scrap council tax.
Mr Stephen said it was time to team up with the Scottish National Party to bring in a local income tax.Mr Stephen said it was time to team up with the Scottish National Party to bring in a local income tax.
He was speaking at the Scottish Lib Dems spring conference, the first since the party lost power in May last year.He was speaking at the Scottish Lib Dems spring conference, the first since the party lost power in May last year.
Mr Stephen also outlined his vision for more powers for Holyrood and hit out at the Nationalists' record in power.Mr Stephen also outlined his vision for more powers for Holyrood and hit out at the Nationalists' record in power.
During his speech on Saturday afternoon he announced a series of groups to look at issues from energy needs to constitutional matters.During his speech on Saturday afternoon he announced a series of groups to look at issues from energy needs to constitutional matters.
The Lib Dems and SNP both want a local income tax, but have disagreed on some of the detail on how to go forward.The Lib Dems and SNP both want a local income tax, but have disagreed on some of the detail on how to go forward.
Throwing down a challenge to First Minister Alex Salmond, Mr Stephen told delegates in Aviemore: "If you are serious about a local income tax, work with us.Throwing down a challenge to First Minister Alex Salmond, Mr Stephen told delegates in Aviemore: "If you are serious about a local income tax, work with us.
READ IN FULL Nicol Stephen's speech to the Scottish Lib Dems spring conference [40KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here
"Bring together now, in good faith, those in Scotland who want to see the council tax scrapped and replaced by a local income tax.""Bring together now, in good faith, those in Scotland who want to see the council tax scrapped and replaced by a local income tax."
READIN FULL Nicol Stephen's speech to the Scottish Lib Dems spring conference [40KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here
He added: "When you find that the poorest pensioners pay six times as much of their income in council tax as the richest people, you know that something has gone very wrong with fairness in Scotland."He added: "When you find that the poorest pensioners pay six times as much of their income in council tax as the richest people, you know that something has gone very wrong with fairness in Scotland."
However, if a deal could be struck, the two parties' votes in the Scottish Parliament would still fall short of the majority needed to make the policy a reality.However, if a deal could be struck, the two parties' votes in the Scottish Parliament would still fall short of the majority needed to make the policy a reality.
The former Scottish deputy first minister, whose party served in coalition with Labour for the first eight years of devolution, made clear that the Holyrood-sanctioned constitutional commission was a major priority for the Scottish Lib Dems. Wave energy
Mr Stephen announced that former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Steel will lead a group which will draw up his party's plans for constitutional reform in Scotland. The former Scottish deputy first minister, whose party served in coalition with Labour for the first eight years of devolution, also attacked "obscene" power companies whose profits rose along with the costs of electricity.
Fresh look The National Grid, Mr Stephen claimed, had failed to understand the needs of renewable energy.
Lord Steel led a commission set up by the party three years ago which produced a report on constitutional change, and this body will be reconvened to come up with detailed proposals. He went on to give his backing to plans for an offshore supergrid and announced a new energy commission, advised by Richard Yemm, who created the Pelamis wave energy generation scheme in Scotland.
These will then form the basis of the Liberal Democrats' submission to the body which Labour leader Wendy Alexander has promised will take a fresh look at the devolution settlement. Mr Stephen told the Lib Dem party faithful: "Isn't irony rich when the National Grid, the very organisation that should be creating the new supergrid, that gets fined £42m this week, not for cutting corners to do things fast, but for deliberately blocking new technology, like smart metres that can reduce energy costs in every household - that is obscene.
Mr Stephen told the conference the work of that body would be "a major priority" for the party during this parliament. Lord Steel will draw up his party's plans for constitutional reform
He also underline his party's drive to champion people's rights, amid concerns over detention without trial, DNA retention and ID cards. "It is obscene that when power prices go up six times the rate of inflation, power companies' profits go up 500%. The companies that should be making the big profits are Scotland's renewable energy companies."
Mr Stephen went on to place a high priority on the Holyrood-sanctioned commission on Scotland's constitutional future, announcing that the Steel Commission, headed by Lib Dem veteran Sir David Steel, would be reformed to create pressure for change.
Amid concern over detention without trial, DNA retention and ID cards, the Scottish Lib Dem leader also announced his own "stop and search hit squad" to keep an eye on any laws brought forward by the UK Government which would "erode civil liberties".
Mr Stephen said another new group would look at ways of encouraging young people to get involved with communities and politics.
And he said the Lib Dems' had set a goal of doubling the number of poorest children going into further education, while finding ways to strengthen vocational skills.