| The bonds would be one of the sources of funding for a new Scottish Trust for Public Investment (STPI), from which funding would be drawn to pay for projects such as the electrification of the east coast rail line between Aberdeen and Edinburgh.
Commenting on the proposal, Mr Salmond said today the savings bonds element would offer the opportunity to mobilise funds from Scots at home and the millions more abroad, who would relish the opportunity to make an investment in the country and be rewarded for so doing.
The MP said that, although it was the 21st century, some of Scotland’s infrastructure was 50 years behind in comparison with many other European countries.
The proposal for an STPI was at the forefront of the joint campaign by himself and Ms Sturgeon to lead the SNP.
The trust idea was unveiled as one of 40 policy ideas contained in the duo’s joint manifesto when it was launched at the Dundee Contemporary Arts centre today.
Salmond and Sturgeon are standing as leader and deputy leader respectively of the SNP, with former leader Salmond continuing to represent the party’s interests at Westminster — until he seeks election to the Scottish Parliament on 2007 — while Sturgeon leads the party at Holyrood.
The 40 policy ideas range from a non-means tested Citizen’s Pension for older people and a new integrated tax and benefits system, to a greater devolvement of powers and resources to local level to ensure local services meet local needs.
Salmond and Sturgeon were introduced at their campaign launch press conference in Dundee today by their campaign manager Shona Robison, SNP MSP for Dundee East.
The joint contenders have been buoyed by the first opinion poll of the leadership campaign, which indicated that 82% of SNP voters want Salmond back as leader of the party.
Mr Salmond said today the manifesto was “new and exciting, contributing a lot to the debate and offering a lot for the people of Scotland.”
There was currently a “gaping chasm” between the politicians and the public of Scotland, which had to be addressed.
The campaign being mounted by himself and Ms Sturgeon was aimed a mobilising “the heads, hearts and souls” of Scotland. It was a three-year campaign to replace Jack McConnell as Scotland’s First Minister.
Ms Sturgeon said although some of the ideas contained in the joint manifesto could be implemented under devolution, the time was right to reactivate the independence debate in Scotland. Independence was needed to get the country’s economy moving. |
