9 Nov 2019

The Scottish Conservatives have called for an extra £200million to be invested in GP services across Scotland.

Scotland will receive an additional £200million as a result of a Conservative pledge, announced today, to create 50 million more appointments in GP surgeries in England.

All £200million – Scotland’s share under the Barnett Formula of the £2billion spending programme in England – must be directed to GP services, Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said.

Miles Briggs, Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary said:

“We are facing a GP crisis in Scotland and Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP government are failing to address it.

“Audit Scotland warned earlier this year that the SNP government will struggle to recruit the GPs we need over the coming decade.

“Nicola Sturgeon failed to plan ahead when she was health secretary and her mistakes are now letting down families who need quick and easy access to their doctor.

“Every penny of this welcome boost to the Scottish budget must be spent tackling our GP crisis.”

In an election manifesto pledge unveiled today, the Conservatives commit to creating an extra 50 million appointments per year at GP surgeries in England.

They will be delivered by an extra 6,000 doctors and 6,000 other primary care staff, such as physios and pharmacists, who will be in place by 2024/25.

The £2billion programme, over four years, will ensure patients in England can be seen by the right person when it is most convenient for them.

Miles Briggs added:

“The SNP’s stewardship of our cherished NHS has been nothing short of scandalous.

“We are paying £1.4million per month for a new children’s hospital in Edinburgh that is lying empty because of safety concerns.

“An inquiry has also been launched into safety at Glasgow’s flagship hospital after patients died from an infection caused by pigeon droppings.

“Nicola Sturgeon’s government created a 12 week treatment ‘guarantee’ that across the country has never been met.

“But their only response in this election has been to promise a meaningless gesture Bill to protect the NHS. The people our NHS needs protecting from are the people who are supposed to be running it – Nicola Sturgeon’s own government.”

7 Nov 2019

A pledge to review the amount of tax paid on a bottle of whisky has been welcomed by the Scottish Conservative candidate in a seat with dozens of distilleries.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson today confirmed a Conservative government would review alcohol duty to develop a system which provides better support for domestic drink producers.

That’s the key ask from Scotland’s whisky industry ahead of the December vote, and would help boost an industry which supports 42,000 jobs across the UK.

And today Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative candidate seeking to retain the Moray seat, said it was more evidence of how the party could deliver for Scotland.

Scottish Conservative candidate for Moray, Douglas Ross, said:

“This is great news for Scotland’s whisky industry.

“It was the whisky industry’s key ask for this election campaign and, thanks to the Prime Minister’s announcement today, a future UK Conservative government has now pledged to roll out action immediately.

“It shows once again that a strong group of Scottish Conservative MPs will deliver for Scotland.

“By contrast, all SNP MPs deliver is more division.

“That is the choice at this election – the Scottish Conservatives who will stop a second independence referendum and support key Scottish interests or a nationalist party led by Nicola Sturgeon which offers nothing but more uncertainty and conflict.”

17 Oct 2019

Nicola Sturgeon has been urged to back the new Brexit deal if she is genuine about being against a no-deal scenario.

The UK Government and the EU struck an agreement today for an orderly departure, and MPs will vote on it this weekend.

Now the Scottish Conservatives have said the First Minister must advise her MPs to back the deal, and told Labour to follow suit.

Otherwise, leader Jackson Carlaw said, their previous warnings about the consequences of a no-deal Brexit will be exposed as political game-playing.

He added that if SNP ministers were so keen for Scotland to remain in the EU, a deal agreed by that organisation must be acceptable to them.

Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said:

“Three weeks ago Scottish Conservatives gave our full backing to the Prime Minister as he sought to negotiate and secure a fresh arrangement with our European partners.

“We were told by opposition politicians and many others that it would not happen.

“Today Boris Johnson has secured a deal supported by the other EU27 countries which allows the whole of the UK to leave the EU on October 31 together and in an orderly manner.

“It allows us all to move on.

“For all Nicola Sturgeon’s hype about no-deal Brexits and cliff edges, the deal the country needed has been agreed.

“Now the onus is on her, the SNP and all other MPs.

“If they genuinely wish to avoid a no-deal Brexit then they must vote for this deal.

“Both the SNP and Labour have already squandered three chances to vote for a Brexit deal – it would be unforgiveable if they passed up a fourth.

“If the SNP, Labour and the Liberal Democrats fail to support this deal then it will be clear to everyone that they have put their narrow party interests, grievances and ambitions over the best interests of the country and the desire of an overwhelming majority to move on.”

15 Oct 2019

Nicola Sturgeon failed to give a single mention to her so-called priorities of health and education in her speech to the SNP conference today.

The First Minister has repeatedly said she wants to be judged on her performance on schools and hospitals since she took office five years ago.

Instead, she spent her 45-minute speech talking about Brexit and separation, and confirmed she will demand before the end of the year the powers to hold a second referendum on independence.

The Scottish Conservatives said the speech exposed Ms Sturgeon’s true priorities, which were to “get through conference” and “throw red meat to the hardliners”.

Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said:

“Nicola Sturgeon wants to be judged on health and education, yet she couldn’t spare a single sentence for either during this lengthy and divisive speech.

“Instead, she simply wanted to get through what was a potentially hostile conference with a series of vacuous promises which will never be kept, and throw some red meat to the hardliners.

“Both the NHS and Scotland’s education system are in a dreadful state – a state that has significantly worsened over the 12 years the SNP has been in power.

“You’d think the First Minister would make some kind of effort to explain that, to apologise, or at least set out how she planned to turn things around.

“But she preferred to play to the gallery and say things she knew would go down well in the hall.

“And when she does demand the powers to hold a second unwanted and divisive referendum, the answer should be an unequivocal no.”

15 Oct 2019

Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has today stepped up her call for mental health to become a key national priority in Scotland.

It comes as ITV announce that she is become the chair of its new Mental Health Advisory Group, providing guidance to the broadcaster on how best to protect the mental health and wellbeing of participants and audiences in its shows.

As chair, Ruth will lead the board as it advises both on best existing practice and on evolving new thinking on mental health to help ITV and STV prioritise changes or improvements. 

Scottish Conservative MSP Ruth Davidson said:

“During my time as party leader I tried to ensure the issue of mental health in Scotland was at the top of the political agenda.

“Now, as a back-bencher, I’m looking forward to working on the ground to deliver real improvement.

“For far too long, Scotland has failed to talk enough about the importance of mental health.

“Putting it at the top of the national agenda is something we can all get behind, no matter our political allegiance.

“It is a subject with a particular personal resonance and I hope to champion that cause over the coming months and years.

“Television can have a huge impact on people’s lives and on the life of the nation.

“Creating a culture which supports the mental health of one another is so important and ITV and STV’s position means they can make a real difference in working towards this goal.

“I’m excited to be involved in ITV and STV’s efforts to bring mental wellbeing to the centre of our national conversation.

“It is so important to talk. The advisory group will have a huge role in setting the broadcaster’s overall mental health strategy, and I look forward to working with ITV and STV to make a genuine difference to people’s lives.”