Alexander McKay should be careful what he wishes for. In the last non-SNP Holyrood administration, Labour increased council tax in Edinburgh by 60 pe
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Since then, Scotland has seen a number of changes and improvements to its public services. Taxpayers in Scotland get far better value than elsewhere in the UK. On average, we pay £590 a year less council tax than in Tory-run England, and £423 less than in Labour-run Wales. Scots also benefit from free tuition, free prescriptions, free eye tests, free bus travel for under-22s, free personal care to all who need it, expanded free early learning and childcare to 1,140 hours, free sanitary products, expanded free school meals, the Baby Box to give our children the best start in life and the unique Child Payment that has lifted many families out of poverty.
Despite this, Alexander McKay should be aware that the SNP’s record in government is far from perfect. The SNP’s focus on independence has meant that other issues have been neglected. For example, the SNP’s much-vaunted Test and Protect system was a farce, with people waiting weeks for results and contact tracers not having the capacity to do their jobs properly. The Scottish Government also failed to use the pandemic to invest in green jobs and renewable energy, instead opting to continue with a heavily polluting oil and gas industry.
It is clear that the SNP has not been perfect in its handling of the pandemic and its focus on independence has meant that other issues have been neglected. Alexander McKay should be careful what he wishes for and think carefully about how the SNP will use its power if it is re-elected. He should also consider the other parties’ policies and how they will benefit the people of Scotland.
