Challenging and debunking

The end of the Scottish Parliament session for this year brings to a close a really intense period of politics.

The council elections saw the SNP regrettably lose control of Perth and Kinross Council. The calling of a snap general election, along with the rise of Conservative support, brought with it the danger that the SNP might lose the Perth and North Perthshire Westminster seat held by Pete Wishart. Indeed, the Conservatives told anyone that would listen to them that this was their top target seat and they were going to win.

When you look around at the other seats comparable to Perth and North Perthshire, the Conservatives won. Despite all the claims made by the Tories they failed to win here and I was absolutely delighted that Pete Wishart held his seat here. That was a major rebuff for the Tories.

The fact that the Tory candidate, having been defeated here in Perthshire, was then supposedly elevated to the House of Lords and given a place in government demonstrates the utter contempt for democracy adopted by the Tories.

The Tory campaign was based on the argument that the SNP government was concentrating on a second independence referendum to the neglect of domestic issues like health, education and the economy.

Apart from the fact that the only reason we have raised the question of a second referendum is because of the mess the Tories have created on Brexit, three major reports debunk their charge.

Firstly, the independent Nuffield Foundation has published a report that compliments the performance of the NHS in Scotland and says that the NHS in England and Wales has much to learn from Scotland.

Secondly, I published the SNP government proposals to reform education in Scotland in a far reaching and comprehensive programme to put power into the hands of schools and close the attainment gap.

Thirdly, independent data has been published showing the Scottish economy grew by FOUR times the rate in the UK as a whole. One of the factors driving the growth was the resumption of steel making activity which was directly enabled by the actions of the Scottish government.

So when members of the public hear opposition politicians crowing about their election prospects or parroting lines that the government should concentrate on the day job, I ask people to pause for a moment to recognise the good work that is going on to create a better country for us all to live in.

I am the first to accept there are challenges in our country. I accept there is work to do. But we have to break out of a fundamentally negative narrative about where we are. That narrative is peddled by the opposition just to further their own interests.

While they do that, the SNP government will get on with our agenda to strengthen our economy, improve our public services and create a fair country for us all.

And we will challenge the awful agenda of the Tory government that called a needless election, lost their majority and appear to have no idea how to handle Brexit.