Rome wasn't built in a day...

Interesting news story on the BBC about the SNP's supposed U-Turn on PFI schemes.

For one, it is a bit rich for Labour and the Lib Dems to be gleefully crowing about the SNP back-pedalling on the subject since the PFI schemes were their idea in the first place.

And more to the point, although the issue is presented as black and white in the cold glare of an election campaign, the real solution is more of a hazy shade of grey. To rip up PFI contracts the day that SNP got into power would of course be crazy. Once such a juggernaut of a decision is on the move, it takes a while to reverse it, even if it is as stupid a one as PFI.

So I'm all for the SNP saying they'll see the current PFI projects through, while they hold their noses doing so. A not-for-profit trust (the longer term SNP plan) is a far better financial policy than the short-term PFI approach. Interest payments that had been going to private companies will stay within the public purse, albeit the rate of new schools and new hospitals being built will continue at a slower pace. Personally I think this is a compromise worth making in the long term.

After all, Rome wasn't built in a day, as much as New Labour might have tried to pull it off, whatever the cost.







EDIT: I apologise to any readers who now have the Morcheeba song stuck in their head as I currently have...