‘Only we can stop the SNP in this election’
ScottishTory leader calls on EK voters to back his party
The leader of the Scottish Conservatives believes East Kilbride has a bright future – if investment in its economy is at the heart of the recovery from the COVID pandemic.
Speaking exclusively to the News, Douglas Ross MP said far more needs to be done to protect jobs and offer people in the town hope for the future.
“We need to focus on getting through the health emergency, but Parliament needs to secure people’s jobs and support businesses who have been through a difficult 12 months,” he said.
“And there are more difficult times ahead. But a large number of people have received the vaccine, so there needs to be more optimism from the Scottish Government about the route out of this to give a bit more hope.”
Mr Ross criticised the SNP government for not getting financial support to businesses quickly enough, saying some money from the “over 40 diferent schemes for businesses to access” is as of yet unallocated by the Scottish Government.
He said businesses should be supported and jobs protected, but said there has “not been enough done” by the SNP in this respect.
Speaking about East Kilbride, the leader of the opposition backed our ‘Time to Shape Up’ campaign, complimenting the News on our efforts to ensure people are “keeping mentally and physically fit during this period”.
Mr Ross added: “Gyms have an important role in that.
“You could see after the initial lockdown the investment so many gyms made to be COVID-secure and it was really disappointing that they had to close under the old tier system in Level 4.
“It could now be the end of April before gyms reopen – but it could be earlier than that, which would be a boost to the businesses involved and people that want to use the facilities for their own wellbeing.”
Last week we told you how J&D Pierce announced the creation of around 100 jobs in East Kilbride after they bought over the Konecranes site in College Milton, an announcement Mr Ross welcomed.
He also welcomed the government’s commitment to the area, with the Foreign Secretary saying the future of Abercombie House – the base for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) – was secure.
Mr Ross said that reflected positively on staff and the regard that is held by Westminster for operations in the town and Scotland.
However, he admitted that the plans to transfer the tax office out of East Kilbride to a regional hub in Glasgow will “be disappointing” for many but that plans were brought forward to “support staff as much as possible”.
He added: “The announcement from J&D Pierce is a really positive investment in the area.
“And there is the significant presence of the UK Government in the East Kilbride area.”
Leading East Kilbride poverty campaigner, Denis Curran, has chastised the Conservatives for their role in implementing changes to the benefits system, with the roll out of Universal Credit, which came into being in 2013.
Denis cited this as the root cause for the dramatic surge in demand for food banks, like his Loaves and Fishes charity – a demand that he says has again risen sharply during the pandemic.
Mr Ross said: “Right across the country volunteers have done incredible work, but we want to drive down usage and people’s need for food banks, But they are not unique to Scotland or the UK, we see them around the world.
“The system of Universal Credit was brought in to simplify a bureaucratic and complex series of individual benefits. This is in contrast to the opportunity people now have on Universal Credit to get back in to work.”
Looking ahead to the Holyrood elections in May, Mr Ross said he wants a Parliament focused on the “recovery from COVID” rather than “another independence referendum”.
He added: “Since 1999 in every Scottish parliamentary election Labour has lost support. Only the Scottish Conservatives have the strength to stop the SNP.
“I would encourage people in EK to use both votes in May to make sure we can end the division and focus on
East Kilbride needs to see the SNP invest in businesses and jobs...