Rishi Sunak will join the outgoing Scottish Conservative leader, Douglas Ross, as he unveils the Scottish Conservative General Election manifesto on Monday in Edinburgh.
Mr Ross will say the document has a “laser-like focus on the real priorities of the public” and it “provides solutions to the problems caused by years of SNP incompetence and poor decision-making”.
The manifesto states that the five key priorities for all Scottish Conservative MPs who are elected on July 4 will be:
- Recruiting 1,000 extra GPs as part of a strategy to reduce waiting times across Scotland’s NHS
- Restoring our schools by backing teachers to teach and increasing subject choices for pupils
- Making our streets safer by recruiting 1,000 extra police officers and introducing longer sentences for dangerous criminals
- Cutting income tax and national insurance to help ordinary Scottish workers and families
- Upgrading Scotland’s neglected roads, including the A9, A96, A90, A75, A77, A83 and A1
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “The Scottish Conservative manifesto has a laser-like focus on the real priorities of the Scottish public.
“It provides solutions to the problems caused by years of SNP incompetence and poor decision-making.
“We are committed to tackling the waiting-times crisis in Scotland’s NHS by recruiting 1,000 extra GPs, the crisis in Scottish policing by recruiting 1,000 extra officers, restoring our schools by backing teachers, upgrading our neglected trunk roads and cutting taxes for hard-working Scots.
“These are the issues that matter to Scots – but which have been ignored by the SNP as they’ve focused relentlessly on independence.
“Every Scottish Conservative MP elected will be committed to delivering on these policies and the priorities of their constituents.
“Under the SNP, key public services have got worse, while Scotland has become the highest taxed part of the UK. That tax gap is hurting workers, reducing our competitiveness and making it harder for the NHS to recruit and retain key staff.
“This has to change, which is why we’re committed to a 1p cut in the 21p income tax rate, along with further cuts to national insurance.
“This election is a chance to beat the SNP. If voters unite behind the Scottish Conservatives in key seats across the country, we can do that – and end the SNP’s independence obsession for good.”
All candidates for the five constituencies in Edinburgh are listed here.
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said: “It’s hard to tell who is having a worse campaign. From Rishi Sunak abandoning D-Day veterans to Douglas Ross facing an activist mutiny and questions over his expenses, it has been an absolutely torrid time for the Scottish Conservatives.
“Based on current form, if they launch their manifesto at a business it’ll catch fire or on a farm it will get flooded.
“On July 4th voters have a chance to kick out out-of-touch Conservative MPs and replace them with hardworking Liberal Democrat champions for their communities.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
