CONS - LYNNE NAILON

This election is vital for the future of communities across Rutherglen.

It is a choice between a relentless focus on our post-Covid recovery and rebuilding our communities with the Scottish Conservatives, or a return to the politics of division and another referendum with Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP.

One of the key areas we must focus our recovery on is in our education sector.

Young people in this area have been devastated by the effects of the Covid pandemic.

From remote learning, to having their exams cancelled for two years running and not seeing their friends, they have faced huge disruption over the last 12 months.

While I can’t applaud our young people, teachers and parents enough for juggling home learning with work and other duties, we know that the best place for our pupils to learn is in our classrooms.

The Scottish Conservatives are committed to introducing a national tutoring programme as well as investing £120million in a pupil catch-up premium, which would specifically target our most disadvantaged pupils to avoid them falling behind.

The SNP failed to make any significant progress in reducing the poverty-related attainment gap in our schools, despite Nicola Sturgeon saying it would be her defining mission.

We would recruit 3000 additional teachers for our classrooms, including almost 200 in South Lanarkshire.

We also have plans to expand wraparound childcare for P1-P3 pupils, up to 195 hours per year allowing parents in Rutherglen not be denied the opportunity to further their careers.

Nicola Sturgeon said education would be her top priority. Instead, they have been obsessed with their push with another referendum.

Only a vote for myself and the Scottish Conservatives on your party list vote can guarantee we will have a focus on education recovery, rather than a fresh push for another vote on independence.