We’ll hand back powers to our communities, says Davidson
RUTH Davidson has pledged to reverse a ‘decade of SNP centralisation’ as she urged voters to back the Conservatives in next month’s council elections.
The Scottish Tory leader will today launch her party’s manifesto, Localism for Growth, for the local government elections, promising to hand back powers to communities.
Miss Davidson and her party have been critical of the Scottish Government’s move to centralise services such as the merging of police forces in 2013.
The British Transport Police in Scotland is also set to merge with the single force – despite expert warnings and fears from staff.
Concerns have also been raised over the SNP’s governance review into education which is set to see councils stripped of powers over schools.
Nationalists have claimed this will see power handed back to school and teachers, but critics have questioned whether or not this would see the Scottish Government takes more control over education.
Miss Davidson said: ‘The council elections are a chance for people to make clear the priorities they want.
‘It’s to ensure we have local councils focused on your school and your local services, not on a divisive referendum campaign most people don’t want.
‘After ten years of SNP centralisation, we want to make the case for localism so decisions are put back in the hands of your local community.
‘And, after a decade of constitutional division, we want to send a message to the SNP: we don’t want your unwanted independence referendum.’
Yesterday, Scottish Labour launched its local election campaign when party leader Kezia Dugdale addressed members and candidates in Edinburgh claiming voters were sick of hearing about a second independence referendum.
Miss Dugdale said: ‘In 2014, people understood how important the decision they were making was. That’s why 5 per cent of us voted, and a clear majority said No Thanks.’
Scottish Labour deputy leader Alex Rowley said voters should back Labour as the SNP had failed to ‘stand up for Scotland’.