30 Jun 2017
An end-of-term report card published by the Scottish Conservatives shows the party has fulfilled its pledge to act as a strong opposition to the SNP this year – as promised.
It shows the SNP government has been forced to adopt no fewer than 10 key Scottish Conservative policies from GP funding to economic development.
The Scottish Conservatives have inflicted six parliamentary defeats on the SNP – and would have made it seven if Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale had registered a vote in a debate on tax.
Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative campaigning in parliament has pushed the SNP into u-turns on business rates, named persons, local taxation, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, drug driving and farming.
In addition, it was the Scottish Conservatives which stood up against Nicola Sturgeon’s reckless plan for a second referendum – before taking 12 seats off the SNP in the Westminster election on June 8.
The 10 Scottish Conservative policies swiped by the SNP over the last year are:
- Increasing the proportion of NHS funding to GPs
- Introducing flexible childcare
- Reviewing NHS targets
- Introducing 24h mental health support in GP surgeries and A+E.
- Expanding Scottish Development International
- Creating South of Scotland Enterprise
- Expanding the role of Community Pharmacists
- Increasing powers for headteachers
- Creating a First Ministers’ Reading Challenge
- Giving funding directly to schools to close the attainment gap
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said:
“This parliamentary session will go down as the year the SNP’s bubble burst.
“From blunders on farm payments and business rates to Nicola Sturgeon’s reckless bid for a second referendum, they have blown their reputation for competence.
“The general election result this month showed that, all over Scotland, people have quite simply had enough.
“When we were elected as Scotland’s main opposition party last year, we promised to hold the SNP to account and to say no to their second referendum.
“This report card shows that our team of 31 MSPs has made a good start delivering on that – not just by standing up to the SNP, but by offering alternative ideas that this clapped-out government has been forced to adopt.
“Over the next year, we are determined to step up the pace and show ourselves as a credible alternative government for Scotland.”
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