Ruth Davidson’s Scottish Tories are complicit in steering us towards a catastrophe

by Mhairi Black
Posted on
6 years ago
2 min read

MPs are heading back to their constituencies from sticky hot Westminster and have the chance to reflect on what has been another utterly shambolic – shocking twelve months of Tory government. Theresa May’s year has been plagued by Tory infighting and failure.

With each week that goes by the Prime Minister’s authority is increasingly ebbing away, as she faces more government resignations, and growing calls from her own MPs for a vote of no confidence in her leadership.

The Tories continue to damage the economy, public services and family incomes with their failed austerity agenda, and their chaotic and incompetent approach to the Brexit negotiations. Survey after survey shows a tiny number of Scots think Brexit is going well – and it is no surprise.

Might be something to do with the fact that the UK government is in the unbelievable position of having to make plans for stockpiling food, medicine and blood in case the UK crashes out of the EU with no deal at all.

With Brexit and Tory austerity posing the biggest threats to Scotland’s long term prosperity, SNP MPs have been working hard at Westminster throughout the year to defend Scotland’s interests and secure the best deal we can for people across the country.

What about Scotland’s 13 Tory MPs? Despite Ruth Davidson’s election pledge that they would vote as a bloc in Scotland‘s interests, a look back at their voting record over the last year shows that nothing could be further from the truth. Tory MPs have sold us out at every opportunity – putting the narrow interests of their party ahead of the jobs, incomes, and livelihoods of people across Scotland.

When the UK government proposed another austerity Budget in November, cutting Scotland’s funding, and imposing damaging policies like the rape clause and benefits freeze, the Scottish Tories voted for the proposals – pushing their own constituents into poverty, and depriving Scotland of funding for our public services.

When the UK government introduced legislation to grab devolved powers back from the Scottish Parliament, and put them in the hands of Westminster, the Scottish Tories voted for the plans – ripping up Scotland’s devolution settlement, and allowing policies to be imposed on us.

And, despite the fact that Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, the Scottish Tories have not only failed to make the case for our EU membership, they have repeatedly voted for the worse possible outcome – a hard Brexit.

That could see Scotland dragged out of the single market and customs union – costing jobs, hitting incomes, livelihoods and living standards of millions of families for decades to come, for you and your family. This year has demonstrated the damage that can be done to Scotland against our will. The Tories still think they can do anything to Scotland and get away with it.

It is not too late to join SNP MPs in standing up for Scotland’s interests, but so far the Scottish Tories have simply rubber-stamped every UK government policy regardless of the harm caused.