Tories delivering for everyone in Perth and Kinross
Scotland’s budget will soon be set, and in spite of the £950 million (2018-21) increase in block grant from Westminster, we are still facing cuts to our local council budgets that will have a real impact on our local public services.
This is simply unacceptable.
When I was elected, the SNP said Scottish Conservatives wouldn’t stand up for Scotland, that we wouldn’t fight for our constituencies, and yet only 19 months later, my colleagues and I have delivered: £35m a year more for police and fire services correcting the SNPs VAT mess; increased the block grant; got whisky duty frozen for two years running, directly benefitting many companies in Ochil and South Perthshire; secured two city deals for our constituency, delivering over £70m of investment to the counties of Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire and delivered meaningful tax cuts for the lowest income earners by raising the tax threshold.
Now Holyrood must play its part – after 20 years of devolution and 12 years of SNP rule, we have the lowest business confidence of the UK, plummeting education scores (and have been removed from international rankings) and the lowest life expectancy of the entire UK.
Devolution is meant to deliver better results for Scotland and Ochil and South Perthshire through all tiers of government working together. However, what we are actually seeing isn’t good devolution, it isn’t even bad devolution, it is dysfunctional devolution.
On the national stage, we are entering the next round of Brexit negotiations and the coming weeks will be testing for the government, MPs and EU governments.
Although it may feel like Groundhog Day in the press, you can see the movement in parliament and in the EU, while the desire for a deal on all sides is clear.
To that end, I have been working with colleagues, from across the Brexit spectrum, to try to find a solution that works for everyone in the UK. I have therefore put together a ‘customs co- operation’ proposal and presented it to the government for consideration.
My proposal seeks to combine the close working relationships, already in the existing agreement, on science, security, rights, data and mutual recognition of professional qualifications – among others – with what I hope is a workable solution to the Northern Ireland border issue, using existing technologies and systems to ensure that we can still have a close working and trading relationship, while leaving us free to arrange trade deals with economies and countries right around the world.
It is just one of a number of proposals being considered, but it is clear from speaking to my constituents that they are looking for a productive resolution to Brexit, and I hope that my proposal will be considered by the government in that light.
As any regular reader of this column will be aware, I have been working hard on the UK Agriculture Bill to ensure that Scotland is included in it.
Currently the SNP administration in Edinburgh has left Scotland excluded from this important bill, meaning farmers could miss out on payment.
I have therefore been working with the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) to find a solution that will see Scotland included in the bill, while still having the flexibility provided for through devolution. I hope to be able to present this when the Agriculture Bill comes back before parliament.
Again, my purpose has been to find constructive solutions, and work cross-party to find those solutions, rather than endlessly seeking out grievance and obstruction, as other parties have been doing.
If you have any issues or concerns please contact t my office at 2 Comrie Street, Crieff, by telephone (01764 680 384) or by email (luke. grahamoffice@parliament. uk).