First Minister fails to back Car Park Tax in her own constituency

21 Feb 2019

The First Minister has refused to back the Car Park Tax in her own Govan constituency despite her support for it at Holyrood.

When asked by Jackson Carlaw, interim leader of the Scottish Conservatives, during First Ministers questions at Holyrood today, the First Minister declined to support the imposition of the Car Park Tax in her constituency.

Yesterday, every single Scottish Conservative council group leader said they will not support a Car Park Tax in their area.

And every single Scottish Conservative MSP will oppose the Car Park Tax in their constituency or region.

In contrast, the SNP will impose the Car Park Tax across Scotland and yet the First Minister doesn’t even support it in her own constituency.

Jackson Carlaw, Scottish Conservative interim leader said;

“Nicola Sturgeon is twisting all over the place on the SNP’s Car Park Tax. On the one hand, she is pushing it into law, on the other she won’t support it being introduced in her own constituency.

“What kind of government introduces a tax that it doesn’t have the courage to back?

“The case for this tax in Scotland is falling apart. If Glasgow and Edinburgh introduce the Car Park tax, as proposed, thousands of commuters who live outside the city boundaries will be hammered, having had no say over that decision.

“That’s not a good example of local decision making – it’s fundamentally anti-democratic.

“People doing the right thing, going to work, juggling drop offs for their children, or doing shift work at anti-social hours, when there are very few public transport options available, don’t deserve to be punished.

“And businesses, care homes and retailers don’t need yet another burden imposed upon them. The SNP must dump their Car Park Tax now.”