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At the upcoming Scottish Labour conference, new leader Michael Marra will advocate for more decentralization of power and funding away from Holyrood. He argues that centralization has cost Scotland £30 billion in economic growth over the last decade compared to Manchester's progress. Marra criticizes SNP proposals for local government reorganization as further centralizing control rather than devolving new powers, and calls for a focus on addressing the skills shortage crisis affecting industries like shipbuilding.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-27,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
At the Labour conference in Manchester, Scottish Labour leader Mark Marra will advocate for more decentralization of powers from Holyrood (the Scottish Parliament) to local councils, colleges, and industries. According to Marra, if Scotland's regions had grown at the same pace as Manchester over the past decade, its economy would be £30 billion larger, highlighting the negative impact of centralization. He criticizes the SNP for proposing a reorganization that could further centralize control without devolving new powers. Marra also emphasizes the importance of addressing Scotland's "skills shortage crisis," noting that half of employers report shortages while funding for apprenticeships has decreased. This situation is illustrated by welders from other countries being hired to work on Scottish warships due to a lack of qualified local workers, which he describes as a failure of Holyrood's centralized skills policy.
Written for “Scots Politics Decentralization Calls” on 2026-10-04,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
“Had our regions grown at the same pace as Manchester in the last decade, the Scottish economy would be £30 billion larger.
asserted
economy → grow → decade
“That’s the cost of the centralisation agenda.
asserted
That → ’ → agenda
And the SNP are coming for more, proposing a reorganisation of local government that appears to centralise control and doesn’t devolve a single new power.”
asserted
that → come → power
Mr Marra will call for new devolution deals and encourage support for skills in Scotland which he says is facing a “shortage crisis”.
asserted
he → call → crisis
He continues: “I want to see a new generation of devolution deals for Scotland.
asserted
I → continue → Scotland
“And the best place to start is skills.
asserted
place → start → ?
Scotland faces a skills shortage crisis.
asserted
Scotland → face → crisis
Half of employers in Scotland report a skills shortage, meanwhile, funding for apprenticeships has fallen.
asserted
funding → report → apprenticeships
“We have welders from the Philippines and South Africa working on the next generation of Scottish warships because not enough Scottish workers have the skills.
asserted
workers → have → skills
We haven’t trained enough Scots to work in shipbuilding.
asserted
We → train → shipbuilding
Read More
“Shipbuilding – Scotland is famous for it.
asserted
Scotland → read → it
We’re world class at it.
asserted
We → ’re → it
There should be a sense of national pride that the ships being built in Scotland are providing opportunity and security for Scottish workers.
asserted
ships → build → workers
“So, my message to Bute House is put control and money in the hands of the councils, colleges and industries who know what their local economies need better than any bureaucrat in Edinburgh.”
asserted
economies → put → Edinburgh
The party conference starting on Sunday will be Mr Marra’s first as the new Scottish Labour leader.
asserted
conference → start → leader
Minister for Innovation, Technology and Tertiary Education Alyn Smith said: “If Michael Marra is serious about Labour engaging positively then I’m ready to work with him.
asserted
I → say → him
“The Government is changing how we plan for skills and training to better meet the needs of employers and communities across Scotland.
asserted
we → change → Scotland
“Our new skills planning model will take into account local priorities and evidence, ensuring regions retain the flexibility to meet their own skills needs.
asserted
regions → take → needs
“We are also developing a national skills plan to help ensure post-school education and training responds more effectively to Scotland’s national and regional skills priorities.
asserted
education → develop → priorities
“Local government is going to change significantly, and we will be exploring the benefits of a regional model and how to ensure decisions are made at the most appropriate levels.
asserted
decisions → go → levels
“If the Labour Party is willing to end the sniping from the sidelines we have seen over the last few years and properly engage with us, I think we could work well together.”
uncertain
we → end → us
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