Salmond: I'll save public sector workers from axe

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond was today set to commit the SNP to pursuing a policy of no compulsory redundancies across the public sector.

He was expected to tell the party's spring conference in Glasgow his administration had avoided compulsory redundancies in the Scottish Government and the NHS and was determined to do so in the future, as well as extending the policy across the public sector.

Mr Salmond was due to argue that the security of knowing they would not be forced out of work was a fair return for asking for pay restraint.

The First Minister was also set to give a clear pledge that the SNP will not introduce any kind of student tuition fees or graduate contributions.

He was due to insist that the SNP would protect and defend "the historic Scottish principle of free education, based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay".

Mr Salmond will say his pledge is in stark contrast to the wholesale withdrawal of state support for higher education being pursued in England.

He was expected to say: "Some of our university principals fear that we will fall behind England. We will not. We do not intend to withdraw the state from higher education. Any funding gap will be closed

"We would only fail if we were to betray our traditions and mortgage the future. So when it comes to the question of university fees or graduate taxes, I know where I stand.

"The rocks will melt with the sun before I allow tuition fees to be imposed on Scottish students - upfront or back-door."

The conference was today debating a call to give the public more say through referendums on issues from environmental measures to education policy or healthcare reform.

So-called "citizens' initiatives" would mean votes being held once a certain number of names had been collected on a petition.

Similar systems are used in the United States, Switzerland, New Zealand and Spain.

The plan was being proposed by Lothians SNP candidate Alex Orr.

He said in Scotland the system could allow people to vote on issues such as an increase or decrease in the council tax.

Mr Orr said: "Implementing citizens' initiatives would revitalise our stagnant political process and restore credibility and trust in the political system, engaging people directly and giving them a real say over issues that matter most.

"It is time we gave power back to the people and this direct democracy measure will serve to do just this."