27 Sep 2019

Scotland’s decision to remain within the United Kingdom is at grave risk from a SNP-Labour coalition, the Scottish Conservatives are warning today.

It follows reports today that the SNP has decided to insert Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister.

Mr Corbyn has already made clear he will not block a second independence referendum if the SNP request the powers to hold one.

Kirstene Hair, Scottish Conservative MP for Angus, said:

“This report confirms what many have long suspected – SNP MPs will happily prop up Jeremy Corbyn in Number 10.

“There is no doubt that Corbyn’s weak stance on indyref2 is a deciding factor for the Nationalists.

“He has already left the door open for a re-run of the 2014 referendum if he becomes Prime Minister.

“Only a Conservative government will stand up for those who voted ‘No’ in what was meant to be a once in a generation event.”

25 Sep 2019

Freedom on Information documents published by the Scottish Conservatives today reveal the Scottish Government’s secret preparations for a second independence referendum.

A key advice note from permanent secretary Lesley Evans – originally redacted by SNP Ministers – reveals that:

• The Scottish Government’s top civil servant warned that another referendum might have an “impact” on the delivery of the SNP’s so-called key priorities.
• A referendum would start the clock on Scottish Government’s civil servants beginning “transitional planning” for “moving to an independent Scotland”
• Delivering a referendum would mean the civil service having to step up the “deprioritisation of activity” in other key domestic priorities.

The Scottish Conservatives are today calling on SNP Ministers to halt all civil service work preparations on independence, and instead focus all resources on key domestic priorities – education, law and order, and the NHS.

The advice note from Ms Evans was sent to the First Minister, Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Finance Secretary Derek Mackay in March 2017, a few weeks after Nicola Sturgeon had declared her plan to push for a second referendum on independence.

She has now insisted such a referendum should take place as early as next year – and made clear on Tuesday’s statement to parliament that this is her priority.

Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said:

“The SNP tried to keep this document under wraps and it’s clear why.

“It shows that delivering Nicola Sturgeon’s referendum on independence won’t just divide our country all over again, it will push your school, your local hospital and your high street to the back of the queue.

“Instead of focussing on delivery, Sturgeon’s Nationalist government will be focussed on division.

“And instead of sorting our Scotland’s schools, a referendum would see taxpayer-funded civil servants working on the ‘transition’ to independence.

“She said it would be once in a generation. It turns out it’s been every hour of every day since she lost. It’s a complete betrayal of the 2014 vote.

“With violent crime on the rise, hospital projects in tatters, and our education system failing to deliver, Nicola Sturgeon needs to listen for once. Dump the independence referendum, and focus on what really matters.”

24 Sep 2019

Recorded crime has risen in Scotland for the second year in a row, which the Scottish Conservatives have described as a “catastrophic failure of the SNP’s soft touch approach to justice.”

Recorded Crime in Scotland 2018-19 published today, shows that crime has risen in Scotland by 1 per cent, or almost 2,000 crimes.

Most concerningly, violent crime has risen by a massive 10 per cent, the fourth annual rise in non-sexual crimes of violence, so violent crime is now at its highest level since 2011-12.

The publication also highlights that attempted murder and serious assault has also risen slightly, sexual crimes have risen by 8 per cent, and handling offensive weapons has risen 18 per cent.

At the same time that crime is rising, the clear up rates for violent crime decreased by 2.8 percentage points to the lowest level since 2010-11 and the clear up rates for sexual crimes are at their lowest level since 1979.

Liam Kerr, Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary said:

“This increase in crime for the second year in a row is a catastrophic failure of the SNP’s soft touch approach to justice.

“The worrying and significant rise in sexual and violent crime is compounded by the decreasing clear up rates, in what will be devastating news for victims.

“The SNP’s failure to ensure we have enough police on the streets is clearly having a negative impact, and their decision to abolish prison sentences of less than a year will only make things worse.

“If we are to address this worrying trend this SNP government must finally provide Police Scotland with proper resources and ensure there are enough officers on the frontline.”

16 Sep 2019

The Scottish Conservatives are now the only party united in backing both Scotland’s decision to remain in the UK and to leave the EU, Jackson Carlaw said today.

It comes with the Liberal Democrats making it clear they now support over-turning the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw added that Ms Swinson’s refusal to accept the Brexit referendum was identical in principle to Nicola Sturgeon’s refusal to accept the result of the independence referendum.

Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw MSP said:

“Jo Swinson backed holding the Brexit referendum – but because she doesn’t like the result, she’s now saying we should ignore the will of the British people.

“She is taking her party into dangerous territory. No matter which side you campaigned for, political parties should respect the result of referendums.

“But just like Nicola Sturgeon, Jo Swinson and Willie Rennie are now saying that they get to pick and choose which referendums should be honoured and which should be ignored.

“Jo Swinson and Nicola Sturgeon are peas from the same pod.

“It’s now clear – the Scottish Conservatives are the only party fully committed to respecting both the referendums Scotland has held in recent years.

“Only we intend to deliver on both, so that Scotland and the entire UK can put the current divisions behind us and move on.”

15 Sep 2019

The SNP’s “blame game” on the NHS will be attacked in Holyrood this week, following more revelations about Scotland’s ailing health service.

The Scottish Conservatives will use their party business on Wednesday to highlight a series of examples from across the country where SNP ministers have abandoned responsibility and instead hung health boards out to dry.

Last week, health secretary Jeane Freeman shirked accountability for the Sick Kids fiasco in Edinburgh, insisting the decade-long saga was the fault of NHS Lothian chiefs.

The nationalist government has also been quick to blame the NHS in Glasgow and private companies for the farce surrounding the £800 million Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

And over the weekend, spiralling costs at a new hospital and cancer centre in Aberdeen were also revealed, something ministers in Edinburgh have refused to take ownership of.

That follows a bullying crisis at NHS Highland, major governance problems in NHS Tayside and financial meltdowns at other health boards including NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said, after more than 12 years in charge of Scotland’s NHS, it was time for the SNP to take direct responsibility for these issues.

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said:

“At least half of Scotland’s mainland health boards have suffered major problems in recent years, yet the SNP government takes no responsibility whatsoever. The nationalists only want to play a blame game.

“We’ve got major construction issues in Lothian, Glasgow and Grampian.

“That’s on top of governance chaos in Tayside, a bullying crisis in the Highlands and financial fiascos in Ayrshire and Arran.

“The SNP has had complete control over health for more than 12 years in Scotland.

“This can’t all just be the fault of individual health boards – it all comes home to this nationalist administration.

“And that’s what happens when you have a Scottish Government which instead of focusing on things that matter, has instead prioritised Scottish independence.

“It is long past time SNP ministers got a grip on the growing problems facing Scotland’s health services.

“As each SNP health secretary comes and goes its clear they have no new ideas or vision for our Scottish NHS. Just bluster, blame and deflection.”