Want Holyrood to do better? Andy Maciver shares three (unpopular) ways to improve the Scottish Parliament in his latest column.

I am a fully paid-up member of the devolution supporters’ club. Devolution, not just for Scotland but for Wales and Northern Ireland, and for the English regions in the form of mayoralties, was the right thing for Britain.

We were an overly centralised country; a global outlier. Pushing power nearer to people was compelling.

I would go further. I’d like to see more power being passed from Westminster to Holyrood.

Cutting taxes could attract more companies to Scotland.(Image: Newsquest)

For instance I’d devolve Corporation Tax, and then cut it in an attempt to attract more multinational headquarters, and the workers and taxes that would follow.

I’d also devolve Fuel Duty and Vehicle Excise Duty, and then scrap them so that they could be replaced with a fairer system of road pricing which would provide a revenue stream to reinvest into better infrastructure.

I could go on, but I’m reluctant. I’m reluctant to call for Holyrood to have any more power at all. In fact, I’m reluctant even to express support for the power Holyrood has right now.

Because when I do, and someone replies to ask “do you really think we should hand the power over Corporation Tax to people who spend their time debating seagulls”, I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.

This is where I am compelled to debate myself rather than anyone else.

The best thing about debating yourself, of course, is that you always win, and in that spirit I am pleased to have been able to convince myself that my high regard for the institution of devolution is perfectly compatible with my low regard for the performance of the Scottish Parliament.

Holyrood has........

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