CONS - GRAHAM SIMPSON

We recently took off to Troon and had a stroll along the beach.

It was great. It felt like freedom. By the time you read this I will have visited my mother in Carlisle after the First Minister had decreed it was okay to cross the Border.

I had not seen her for months. Thousands of families have been in the same position and getting back our freedoms is essential to our health and wellbeing.

Covid itself has dealt the world a devastating blow but we are getting on top of it thanks to the UK’s vaccine programme.

But huge mistakes have been made here in Scotland. The elderly were moved from hospitals into care homes, spreading the virus and leading to deadly consequences.

That must never happen again. We must value our care sector more than ever.

Government reaction to Covid, in the form of lockdowns, has caused misery and long term damage to people’s lives.

It may have been justified but I fear we are going to see a tsunami of health problems and job losses.

Young people in particular have been badly-hit. Exams couldn’t be sat, graduates were left marooned almost.

Sectors like hospitality will take a long time to recover. We need to be able to socialise.

I want the next parliament to focus entirely on getting the country back on its feet after this horrible year and a bit.

The next five years has to be all about that and nothing else.

Talk of yet another referendum should be binned.

It splits the country, communities and families and we can’t get on with the real stuff.

But Nicola Sturgeon will use any votes for the SNP as proxies for another divisive vote.

If you want recovery, not division then vote Scottish Conservative on both ballot papers.