Here's a short video interview with Joel Barnett which appeared on the BBC yesterday:
Is the Barnett Formula a thorn in Lord Barnett's side these days?
Well, in one sense it is: in the sense that it's so unfair and my name is attached to it ... I'm not proud of having my name attached to something that's so unfair now.
He's not saying anything new, but it's a timely reminder of why it needs to be replaced with the sort of needs based formula worked out by the Holtham Commission. And of the fact that it gives Scotland extra money at the same time as it short changes us.
But Labour did nothing to change it when they were in power, and now the Tories and LibDems are refusing to do anything about it either ... on the prextext that they have to sort out the UK's finances before they can be bothered to deal with something that's patently unfair to Wales.
But if we in Wales complain about it, we're called whingers. Remember that in next year's Assembly elections.
3 comments:
I notice that the reason he gives is that the formula is too generous to Scotland. He doesn't mention the fact that it leaves us short!
The tories, or at least their lib dem lap dogs, don't want to do anything about it precisely BECAUSE it would hurt Scotland if it were reformed! How ironic!
one things for certain.....if there's a no vote in the referendum in march this antiquated formualu will in all probability never be changed.......
leigh richards
If Wales is short-changed at the level of £300M or so per year, and we have roughly 0.5 million children aged 5-18 (Stats Wales), this is one neat explanation of why Wales' schoolchildren are underfunded comparatively to their English counterparts to the tune of £604 per head (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12280492). Given previous Labour failure to revise Barnett, and current Conservative/Lib-rat failure to do so,surely this equates to £300M reasons to vote Plaid in May....
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