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Scottish Conservatives to oppose SNP’s independence bid

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20 Mar 2017

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The Scottish Conservatives will vote against the SNP government’s plan to take Scotland back to an immediate referendum campaign.

Ahead of the two-day Holyrood debate, the party said a majority of Scots did not want a separation re-run, and it was the wrong course of action to take.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said:

“The SNP’s motion makes it clear that Nicola Sturgeon is determined to fire the starting gun on another divisive referendum campaign this week.

“At a time when we should be coming together as a country, it is the wrong course of action to take.

“A clear majority of Scots say they don’t want to go through the uncertainty of another referendum at this time.

“Worse, Nicola Sturgeon wants to trigger an immediate campaign while still hiding the facts on independence, such as the currency, EU membership and the price tag it would entail.

“Nicola Sturgeon wants to set a date but she won’t tell us the plan. It is utterly irresponsible.

“We all had a vote on our membership of the UK three years ago. The SNP promised to respect that result. Yet now Nicola Sturgeon is using Brexit as an excuse to take us back to the division and uncertainty of the past.

“We believe a referendum cannot happen while the Brexit process is being played out.

“And we believe a referendum should not happen when there is no public or political consent for it to happen.

“It is a reasonable and rational position to hold. Scotland is saying loud and clear to Nicola Sturgeon – now is not the time.”

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Scottish Conservatives • •

Green Party: Invest in public transport instead of new roads to fight congestion

20 March 2017

The Green Party is calling on the Government to invest in public transport, walking and cycling after a study revealed new roads built in England have almost all failed to either relieve congestion or boost local economies [1].

Caroline Russell, Green Party transport spokesperson and London Assembly member, said:

“Constant expansion of the road network will trap more and more people into depending on cars for their daily journeys, which simply creates new gridlock in different places and drives a perpetual cycle of demand for ever more roads.

“We need a complete rethink of our transport system with serious investment in buses, trams and trains along with safe routes for walking and cycling. People need an alternative to car use and we must protect our towns, cities and countryside from the pollution and congestion that comes with new roads.”

Notes:

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/20/new-roads-create-more-traffic-fail-local-economies-cpre?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Tweet

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HM Government

Green Party: Urgent investment needed to fix social care crisis

20 March 2017

The Green Party has responded to a BBC investigation which revealed care firms have cancelled contracts with 95 UK councils, saying they cannot deliver services for the amount they are being paid [1].

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said:

“We are staring down the barrel of a social care crisis and the only way to fix it is proper investment. It is ludicrous that the Government keeps starving councils of funding and still expects them to deliver high quality social care and other vital services like libraries and youth centres.

“The £2bn over three years added in the budget for social care is simply not enough to sustain a system that is already on the verge of collapse because of the Government’s failure to act. Proper social care for the elderly should be a red line.

“The Green Party is the only party proposing that we make the right choice to invest in a secure future for our older people with free social care for everyone over 65.”

Notes:

  1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39321579

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Green Party • • •

Barbara Keeley responds to Panorama’s upcoming report on care contract closures

Barbara Keeley MP, Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Minister for Social Care, commenting on Panorama’s upcoming report on care contract closures, said:

“This is yet more evidence of this Government’s social care crisis.

“With £4.6billion cuts to social care in the last Parliament and rising pressures from demand, costs and wages, it is no surprise that an increasing number of care providers are finding it impossible to make their contracts work.

“The funding in the Budget for social care was only half what was needed for this year. It’s time the Government gave social care the money it needs and develops a fair, long-term funding solution to provide sufficient good quality and dignified care for those who need it.”

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Labour • • •