Tories have their priorities wrong
We had a bit of a bizarre sight on the streets of Perthshire last weekend – the Tories out campaigning against something that doesn’t exist – and won’t unless they choose to bring it in themselves.
During the budget process in the Scottish Parliament, local councils were given the power to raise funds in their own areas – should they choose to do so – through a workplace parking levy. This is actually a power that councils in England have had for 20 years.
Giving councils the power to do something, if it suits their local conditions, needs and priorities, is a good thing, but it doesn’t mean that anyone in Perthshire will have to pay a tax to park their car.
In fact, this levy would only come into force in Perth and Kinross if the Tories, who lead the administration on the council, choose to do so.
In short, the only people in a position to‘impose a car park charge on the people of Perth and Kinross’are the Tories themselves, so they are in effect campaigning against themselves.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of other impositions on local families that they could turn their attention to if they actually want to campaign about something meaningful and worthwhile. Not least, the move to Universal Credit being brought in by their own government at Westminster.
Or, indeed, the looming disaster of a‘no deal’Brexit.
As the three MPs who left the Conservative party this week put it in their resignation letter, the UK Government“is now recklessly marching the country to the cliff edge of no deal. No responsible government should knowingly and deliberately inflict the dire consequences of such a destructive exit on individuals, communities and businesses and put at risk the prospect of ending austerity”.
Following the launch of the Scottish Government’s £150,000 Brexit Stakeholder Engagement Fund in May 2018, 11 projects across the country have been examining the impact that Brexit may have on communities in Scotland.
As these groups have now started reporting back, several common themes have emerged, including: concerns over citizens’rights – both those of EU citizens living in Scotland, and over the future opportunities for young Scots to live, work and study in the EU; the recruitment and retention of suitably skilled staff, both seasonal and permanent; and the loss of funding and support previously provided by the EU.
Leaving the EU will have a major impact on every aspect of our economy, and our society.
There are, however, very specific implications for our third sector which benefits so much from EU funding and that often works with the most vulnerable in society – those who will be hit hardest by the effects of Brexit.
It is becoming clearer by the day that by far the best outcome for us all is to remain in the EU, in line with the wishes overwhelmingly expressed at the time of the EU referendum by the people of Scotland.