30 May 2019

The Scottish Conservatives will criticise the SNP’s confused currency plans and their damaging effect on Scotland’s international trade plans.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliamentary debate ‘A Trading Nation’ Dean Lockhart, Scottish Conservative shadow economy secretary will slam the SNP for announcing its plans to create a new currency which is “untested, the value of which is uncertain and with an exchange rate unknown to our international trading partners.”

Dean Lockhart, Scottish Conservative shadow economy secretary will say:

“There is a fundamental flaw in the approach taken by the SNP to Scotland’s international trade.

“The very same week as announcing a new policy to Increase Scotland’s trade – the SNP also announced plans to introduce a new currency for Scotland.

“A currency which is untested, the value of which is uncertain and with an exchange rate unknown to our international trading partners.

“Scottish business and our trading partners cannot be ‘currency agnostic’– business needs certainty.

“How can business in Scotland plan to increase trading relationships across the world, plan to build a long-term global customer network, plan their currency hedging arrangements when they don’t know what currency they might be using in future trade?’’

30 May 2019

A campaign has been launched demanding a national review of parking at hospitals.

The Scottish Conservatives unveiled the drive today, arguing that better facilities were needed across the country for staff, patients and visitors.

Shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said the campaign was started after a series of revelations about parking at hospitals in different parts of the country.

Thousands of NHS staff are currently unable to access permits at their work, while some employees at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary have had their permits rescinded ahead of the opening nearby of the new Sick Kids hospital.

In Glasgow, nurses said they faced daily charges of more than £20 a day to park, and workers at Dundee’s Ninewells hospital continue to be charged, despite SNP pledges to make hospital parking free.

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said:

“MSPs and MPs across the country are always being contacted by staff, patients and visitors about on-going parking problems at hospitals.

“We already know that our NHS is facing a workforce crisis under the SNP but NHS staff are increasingly saying if they can’t park at their work, they won’t be able to work at many hospital sites.

“For too long NHS staff, patients and visitors have had to pay far too much for parking at hospitals.
 
“We don’t believe it is fair that Scots should have to pay such high fees simply because they are unwell or need to visit a loved one who is ill.
 
“It’s also not right that NHS staff should have to pay to park at their place at work, especially given the long and awkward hours many of them work.

“That’s why we want to see a national review of hospital parking, and for NHS staff to be refunded the cost of their parking.

“The Scottish Conservatives believe it’s time there was a national review of hospital parking. That is why we have launched our petition and calling on SNP ministers to act.”

20 May 2019

The SNP is “stalling” on its pledge to provide access to superfast broadband for all homes and businesses by 2021, the Scottish Conservatives have said.

Opposition MSPs tabled a series of parliamentary questions seeking updates on progress with the Reaching 100 (R100) plans.

However, the SNP government has provided holding responses on every occasion.

Paul Wheelhouse, minister for energy, connectivity and the islands, has failed to answer a question on when a contractor will be announced for the R100 programme for nearly eight weeks now.

Another question on what action is being taken by the government to ensure superfast broadband access to all homes is delivered by the end of 2021 has not been answered.

Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries MSP and Scottish Conservative digital economy spokesman, accused the SNP of “dodging scrutiny” on the issue.

He said: “The R100 programme was launched with great fanfare by the SNP government – and ministers repeatedly talk up the promise to provide superfast broadband access to all.

“However, SNP ministers appear to be stalling and are unable to answer basic questions.

“It is concerning that a contractor has not yet been appointed to carry out this work – something that was supposed to happen in the early part of this year.

“An Audit Scotland report last year said the government was ‘unlikely’ to meet its target to reach all homes and business in Scotland by 2021.

“If the timetable will not be met, then SNP ministers should stop dodging scrutiny and be honest with parliamentarians and with the public.

“People living in rural areas of Scotland are already at risk of being left behind when it comes to digital connectivity. They will rightly expect more urgency from the SNP government.”

19 May 2019

Nicola Sturgeon has admitted she will still pursue a second referendum on independence, even if Brexit doesn’t happen.

She was asked on this morning’s Andrew Marr Show if the UK remaining in the European Union would mean she’d drop her demands to break up Britain.

She responded: “Not necessarily, no.”

This is despite the First Minister spending the last three years claiming the 2016 Brexit vote was cause alone for a referendum rerun.

Now, the Scottish Conservatives have said, her deceit on the issue has been exposed ahead of Thursday’s European elections.

Scottish Conservative chief whip Maurice Golden said:

“Nicola Sturgeon has used Brexit as an excuse for pursuing a second independence referendum for the last three years.

“Today she has confirmed what we knew all along – Brexit was always just a fig leaf to hide her only real priority.

“Whether the UK is in or out of the EU, her answer will always be the same – independence.

“This Thursday, we need to make Nicola Sturgeon listen for once.

“Ruth Davidson’s Scottish Conservatives stopped her in her tracks in the General Election two years ago when we beat the SNP in seats across the country.

“A vote for the Scottish Conservatives this week can do the same again.

“By voting for Ruth Davidson’s Scottish Conservatives we can say no to more of Nicola Sturgeon’s referendums.

“It is time for Scotland to move on from this endless uncertainty and to leave the division of the last decade behind us.”

17 May 2019

Scottish Conservative European election candidate Baroness Nosheena Mobarik toured Peterhead fish market today as she urged Westminster parliamentarians to “come together” and deliver Brexit.

Baroness Mobarik was joined by Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid, harbour master John Forman and Peterhead Port Authority business development manager for fishing, Peter Duncan.

Voters go to the polls next week – with several parties including the SNP and Liberal Democrats openly campaigning to “stop Brexit”.

In the 2016 referendum, 17.4million people – including one million in Scotland – voted to leave.

Baroness Mobarik, who sat as an MEP since 2017 and is first on the European Parliament election list for the Scottish Conservatives, said:

“It was great to see the new fish market at Peterhead – Europe’s largest white fish port where more than £200million worth of seafood was landed in the last year.

“This is an industry that is of huge importance to our economy, not just here in Peterhead, but across the whole country.

“There are huge opportunities as we prepare to leave the EU for this sector to go from strength to strength

“The Scottish Conservatives understand that many people in our coastal communities will be frustrated that we have not left the EU yet.

“But this election offers the chance to tell our parliamentarians in Westminster that they must come together and deliver Brexit.

“We also want to send a clear message to Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP – no more divisive referendums.”

Mr Duguid, MP for Banff and Buchan, said the ‘Sea of Opportunity’ – to create more jobs and economic growth by securing a fairer share of the catch for Scottish and UK boats – is at risk from pro-EU parties who wish to overturn the referendum result.

He said: “The SNP, Liberal Democrats and others are openly campaigning to reverse the democratic outcome of the 2016 referendum.

“One million Scots – and a majority here in Banff and Buchan – voted to leave the EU.

“But the ‘Sea of Opportunity’ for our fishing industry could be lost if pro-EU parties have their way.

“The Scottish Conservatives are the only major party at this election which believes we must respect the referendum result. It is time to come together and deliver a sensible Brexit.”