Worlds apart from Westminster
Last week we saw historic gains for the SNP across Renfrewshire South and the local authorities it covers.
For the first time ever, East Renfrewshire Council has six SNP councillors, making it the largest party in the local authority after the SNP retained all of their councillors and also saw Councillor Chris Lunday elected in Barrhead, Liboside and Uplawmoor.
In Renfrewshire, the SNP took 22 seats, with Councillor Robert Innes making it an SNP gain in Houston, Crosslee and Linwood, increasing their total representatives across the Renfrewshire South constituency.
I know that both Chris and Robert will make invaluable contributions to their communities and Team SNP.
Increasing the SNP councillor tally overall in Renfrewshire by two since 2017 means the group are just one short of an overall majority – another record result for the party locally.
It was also a huge pleasure to see all of our existing councillors reelected, a strong mandate for the tremendous local work that they have been doing.
I am incredibly proud of the positive, local campaigns that were run by the SNP team and want to congratulate everyone on their elections.
Local elections, historically, have a lower turnout that Scottish and Westminster elections, but you only have to glance at local Facebook groups to see the impact that local services and amenities have on people, and I will continue to encourage as many people as possible to not only vote, but to sign up for postal ballots to make sure life doesn’t get in the way of influencing this important decision.
These fantastic results in Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire have been echoed across the country, the SNP is the largest party in 21 councils, and have won more seats and more gains than any other party in Scotland.
For a political party that has been in government for 15 years, this is no mean feat and shows a clear endorsement of our responsible and progressive governance, and a desire to take action on the Tory-made cost of living crisis.
In stark contrast, the Scottish Conservative’s vote fell to levels not seen since 1990, a decrease predicted by poll after poll and, in large part, due to the reckless and law-breaking behaviour at Number 10 these last few years.
The people of Renfrewshire South have rejected the party of corruption and sleaze and, instead, have voted for the SNP in greater numbers than ever before.
It is a clear message that people in Renfrewshire South are a distance apart, both literally and figuratively – from the shenanigans surrounding the Tories at Westminster.
From cronyism, to continuing damaging Brexit ideological games, they have shown little regard for the issues that matter most to people in their day to day lives.
That’s why I’m even more determined than ever to work with our local SNP team of councillors and MPs to ensure we are able to set our own agenda and look forward to the benefits of an independent nation, free from the squabbling and game playing of the out of touch Westminster elite.
I look forward to what this new session will bring for us all across Renfrewshire South, and look forward to seeing our communities empowered by strong SNP councils, supported by their SNP government.
It is a clear message that people in Renfrewshire South are a distance apart ... from the shenanigan surrounding the Tories