The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party leader Ruth Davidson was at The Yard in central Edinburgh today to launch the national Local government election manifesto.

She was full of energy as normal and keen to stress that the party want to have more councillors in power after 4 May 2017 than they do now.

The focus is that the Tories want to change the balance of power from Holyrood back to the City Chambers.

 

Ruth Davidson told The Edinburgh Reporter : “We’ve got a manifesto we have launched today packed full of ideas. It’s entitled Localism for Growth.
“It’s about making sure we return some of the powers that have been hoarded and centralised at the Scottish Parliament back to local communities so they can make decisions about things like encouraging local business, about supporting local services.
“There are ways in which they can have more power over taxation, more power over housebuilding, more power over planning. You can use the tools of local government to make a real difference in local communities.
TER : Here in Edinburgh we don’t have so many Conservative councillors.  Are you hoping for a bigger presence here?
RD : “You’ve seen last year in the Scottish elections where we went from 2 to 4 MSPs, where I took the Edinburgh Central Seat first past the post.
“We are vying to be the largest party in terms of council representation at this election and we’ll be fighting hard on that. It was one of the reasons why I wanted to launch the manifesto here in my Edinburgh Central constituency. To make sure that we got that localism at all levels.
 “Yes it’s our nation’s capital,  but it’s also a place where people live work do business raise families. We’ve got to remember that too.”
 
TER : Do you think that it is perhaps a little late for launching a manifesto at this stage? We are a couple of weeks just before the election. Do you think people maybe should’ve known what you’re  about before now?
RD :  “Well I think people have always known what the Scottish Conservatives were about  but as you saw the Labour Party launched their manifesto yesterday,  we’re still waiting on the SNP so we are right in the week of manifesto launches. We are right smack bang in the middle.”
Miles Briggs MSP was also at the manifesto launch, and was among some volunteers helping out with some fence painting while waiting for Ruth to hold a media huddle. Miles is a Lothians List MSP and he confirmed he will be throwing his hat in the Westminster ring, probably in Edinburgh South West at this election, although he is still in discussions with advisers. But today was all about the council elections which take place first.
Miles said: “We are here today launching our manifesto to show how councils make a huge different to people’s lives. Here in Edinburgh that’s really key for people.
“The Yard which provides so many great facilities for communities and people with disabled children is one of the best examples of how when you work together as a community you can make a real difference.
“That is exactly what our Conservative councillors will do at this election. For too long in Edinburgh I don’t think Edinburgh City Council has been focussed on what people want to see delivered in the community.
“There is a waiting list here in Edinburgh of over 160 families wanting to use a facility like this. Why is the council not doing more to address that? This election is a great opportunity to send a strong team of Conservative councillors to work hard for our city on May 4th.”
The Conservatives held their media call at The Yard which is in Eyre Place Lane. The Yard has a holistic approach as a family centre for disabled children and their relatives. It helps them build lasting relationships and a network of support. The centre is about to celebrate its 30th birthday later this year – and we’re invited!
Phyllis Stephen
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.

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