29 Jan 2020

The SNP has been accused of embarrassing the Scottish Parliament by ensuring a key parliamentary day has been dominated by “pointless” debates.

MSPs were forced to talk about whether or not to fly a flag on the pavement outside Holyood today, before the First Minister led yet another debate about independence.

That’s despite a range of domestic challenges, including a crisis in the NHS, plunging standards in Scotland’s schools and a funding fiasco for the country’s police force.

The Scottish Conservatives were even told ministers couldn’t make an urgent statement on policing today because there was no time in the parliamentary calendar.

The party have also blasted the SNP for attempting to overrule the Scottish Parliament’s Corporate Body – an organisation which is meant to politically independent – for the first time in Holyrood’s history.

Scottish Conservative chief whip Maurice Golden said:

“The SNP has ensured a day of embarrassment for the Scottish Parliament.

“What must the rest of the world think when they see the party of government ensuring crucial parliamentary time is abused in this way?

“Major devolved portfolios like health, education and justice have descended into crisis under 13 years of SNP rule.

“We should be using this time to talk about how to get badly-delayed hospitals open, how to raise standards in schools and how to protect the number of police officers patrolling the streets.

“Instead, the day has been dominated by the nationalists’ childish hobby horses.

“Together with the subservient Greens, the behaviour by the SNP on these issues – from the First Minister down – has been a complete disgrace.”

29 Jan 2020

Scottish exports to the rest of the UK have increased further with 60 percent of all Scottish trade now being with the rest of the UK, according to the latest official statistics.

The Scottish Conservatives have welcomed these figures as further evidence of the vital importance of the UK market to Scotland’s economy.

The figures show that the value of Scotland’s exports to the rest of the UK in 2018 was £51.2 billion, many times greater than the £16.1 billion, or 19 percent, of Scottish trade with the EU.  

Scotland’s international trade to markets outside the EU continued to increase and now represents 21 percent of total trade.

The USA continues to be Scotland’s single largest international export destination, with £5.5 billion of exports in 2018.

The export statistics published today coincide with the release of the GDP Quarterly National Accounts which show that Scotland’s economy continues to lag far behind the UK’s.

Not only did UK GDP grow faster than that of Scotland in the third quarter of 2019, the Scottish economy grew 0.6 percent over the year to September 2019 – less than half the UK rate of 1.3 percent over the same period. 

Dean Lockhart, Scottish Conservative shadow economy secretary said;

“The rest of the UK continues to be by far the most important market for Scotland’s trade, far outstripping the EU.

“It should be obvious to anyone looking at these figures that independence would irreparably damage this trade and Scotland’s economy.

“And yet the SNP’s only focus is for Scotland to leave behind the UK market and rejoin the EU single market, regardless of the economic damage this would involve.

“The SNP cannot be trusted on the economy as shown by its appalling track record, as the GDP figures published today show.

“Scottish businesses large and small have been completely abandoned while the SNP focuses only on separation and flags.”

16 Jan 2020

Nicola Sturgeon has caved to Scottish Conservative demands for a full inquiry into the state of Scotland’s education system under the SNP.

Opposition MSPs yesterday voted for a formal probe into numerous failings which have occurred in Scotland’s schools during the nationalists’ time in power.

And today, at First Minister’s Questions, Ms Sturgeon conceded that her government would have to abide by the decision taken during Scottish Conservative business at Holyrood.

Now the Scottish Conservatives have sought reassurances that the inquiry will be independent, and not result in a “whitewash verdict”.

Earlier this week, the party sought a “reset” to the Curriculum for Excellence which would put a focus on traditional subject areas and knowledge.

Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said:

“After almost 13 years of failure, Nicola Sturgeon has finally agreed to investigate her own government’s abject performance on education.

“The SNP has no-one to blame here but itself – it has been in sole charge of the brief for more than a decade.

“And in that time schools have had to limit their subject choice, children of different ages and levels are being taught in the same class by the same teacher, and standards in literacy and numeracy have been called into question.

“Teachers, pupils and parents – all of whom work tremendously hard – deserve far better than this.

“It’s essential this full inquiry is impartial, independent and provides the solutions we so desperately need.”

16 Jan 2020

The Scottish Conservatives have attempted to give political candidates greater protection during hustings in prisons.

The Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representation) Bill makes provisions for criminals to vote in prison and is currently being amended at stage 2 by the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee.

The bill would enable prisoners with sentences under one year to vote, opening up the prospect of candidates canvassing votes from prisoners.

At this morning’s committee meeting, Jamie Halcro Johnston introduced an amendment to protect political candidates from this potentially hazardous ordeal and ensure that prison guards and other staff have their safety put first.

The amendment was voted down by the SNP, Labour and Liberal Democrats.

Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP, member of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee said:

“It’s bad enough that the SNP have consistently undermined our justice system with their soft touch justice, now we face the prospect of giving votes to individuals who have terrorised others.

“The idea that criminals could end up with political hustings in prison just demonstrates how ludicrous this policy is.

“Beyond the obvious concerns, some candidates may have been victims of crime and they, along with the campaign staff, should be protected.

“My amendment would have guaranteed that hustings and election events will not take place in prison without all candidates agreeing – and with a proper risk assessment conducted by prison governors to ensure the safety of prison staff, candidates, campaign staff and prisoners.

“All the other parties are seeking to extend prisoner voting even further, only the Scottish Conservatives are unequivocally against prisoners voting.”

15 Jan 2020

Scotland’s curriculum must be reset to once again focus on core and traditional subjects, the Scottish Conservatives will say tomorrow (Wednesday).

As part of a drive to stop the decline in the country’s education system, the party will argue that knowledge-based learning should be seen as equally important as a skills-based approach.

That means that as well as focusing on English and Maths, young people should be able to have good quality choices across science, the social sciences and the arts not only to boost their own prospects, but to meet the needs of Scotland’s economy.

Shadow education secretary Liz Smith will say the focus should not only be on traditional subjects themselves, but also the core knowledge which defines them.

The issue will be raised as part of Scottish Conservative business in Holyrood.

The party’s motion will welcome the Scottish Government’s decision to review of the senior phase of Curriculum for Excellence, but also adds that a “full review of broad general education and how it articulates with the senior phase” should be launched.

The call comes following revelations that education secretary John Swinney ordered officials to investigate Scotland’s falling exam performance, despite saying publicly there were no real issues.

Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Liz Smith said:

“There is a significant mismatch between the SNP’s current rhetoric about education standards and what is actually happening in our schools.

“John Swinney knows fine well, and so do his officials and education experts across the country, that all is not well in the education system.

“In our view, and in the view of most parents and employers, there has to be a strong attachment to core subjects in our schools if things are to improve.

“That means not just maths and English, but the arts, the sciences and social sciences too.

“This has become an issue about knowledge content and the ability of all pupils to have meaningful choices in key faculty areas, and a breadth across those disciplines which was always the main strength of Scottish education.

“It’s not so much a case of returning to an older curriculum as resetting this one.

“The SNP must realise that there is a very long way to go before Scotland can once again lead the world in education.”