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Ross upbeat
Partygate fines will not negatively impact the Scottish Conservatives at the local elections, Douglas Ross has said. The Scottish Tory leader said he is “very optimistic” going into the May 5 vote.
Ross wasn’t even invited… he’s too much of a Tory even for the Tories. I fully expect to see the Conservative vote halved and a lot of it will be down to his own failures and poor leadership.
Tommy Smith It is the jaw-dropping level of tone deafness that beggars belief. Imagine waking up each morning and heading out to convince people this total circus is worth voting for.
Iain Morrison Hopefully other things like ferrygate and public service cuts, which is the main issue, will affect the voting
Henry Mcintosh They probably won't but what a sad state of affairs that a lying and corrupt government can treat the voting public so badly. What goes round, comes round.… I hope they get what they deserve.
Stewart Riddel He better not come near my door or I will let the dog out!
David Neilson How about the almost daily scandals, incompetence and sleaze? They remain unfit for any office.
Niall Bentley Nonsense – optimism carried to extremes!
James B Clark
Sturgeon’s bus
Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon has said the local elections are an opportunity to “send a message” to Boris Johnson, as she launched the SNP’S campaign bus in Dundee.
In other words, don’t focus on the many failures of the SNP and the funding cuts they have imposed on all 32 councils. Nothing but deflection here! Pity she doesn’t have a positive message to share but then that will be why no journalists, asking awkward questions, were allowed at her party’s manifesto launch. Open and transparent they most certainly are not.
Jackie Lawrence Perhaps she should properly fund the councils rather than cutting their money. The quicker she goes the faster the SNP will fall apart and we can get back to common sense in this country.
Allan Morton I'd rather send a message to the burgeoning rat population and rubbish cluttering up our streets.
Caroline Currie It doesn’t matter what you think of Boris. Local elections are about local services and whether Holyrood is delivering them for you. Councils have had massive cuts, hence the massive cuts to services. It’s Sturgeon who needs to get the message.
Dianne Davidson
Up for rent
In further election news, SNP councillors have pledged to restrict private rents in Edinburgh if they are returned to power.
The vast majority of private landlords (including me) have either one or two properties and they form part of retirement planning. Yields from rent are often not that high and there are hoops to jump through to stay compliant. There will come a time when landlords like me decide enough is enough and sell up, leaving a housing shortage for those who cannot get a mortgage.
Wayne Morris These numpties have no idea of how the real world operates. Restrict rents and the supply of rental properties will fall – simple economics
Raymond Mcgregor Everywhere this has been done has ended up with degraded housing stock and housing shortages.
Martin Muirhead
The SNP have been promising anything and everything for 15 years. Does any person with intelligence still believe anything they say? I thought that ferry sailed long ago… ooops! Don’t mention the ferries.
Mark Taylor This should be the policy for all of Scotland – or do one better and abolish landlords and second homes.
Grant Mckay
Bright sparks
Electric vehicle users will have to pay to charge their cars in Edinburgh from next month.
East Lothian have been charging for a while. Electric car users already pay into the card schemes for the charger network.
Jacqueline Bell Makes sense to charge, as everyone else is having to pay for petrol and diesel.
Steven Robertson Why have they not been paying from the beginning?
Lorraine Blyth It will stop people hogging charging points, which is a real issue.
Oliver Crane