Douglas Ross accuses SNP of ‘forgetting’ parts of Scotland

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross will accuse the SNP of having the wrong priorities

SCOTTISH Conservative ^[1] leader Douglas Ross will accuse the SNP ^[2] of presiding over a “forgotten” Scotland in which those outside the central belt are ignored, in a speech to the Conservative Party conference.

Ross will say that First Minister Humza Yousaf, who represents Glasgow Pollok and lives in the Dundee area, “only thinks of his own backyard” and does nothing for the rest of Scotland.

And he will tell the conference in Manchester that the SNP have focused on the wrong priorities and are obsessed with independence ^[3].

He will accuse the party of going back on promises about roads, such as work to dual the A9.

Ross will say: “In every part of Scotland there are people who have been forgotten by this SNP government over 16 years.

“Forgotten as the SNP have focused on the wrong priorities for Scotland, forgotten through incompetence and negligence, forgotten in the SNP’s obsession with independence.

“Humza Yousaf only thinks of his own backyard.

“He doesn’t do anything for the rest of Scotland.

“If you live outside of the central belt, if you live far away from the M8, then the roads that you travel on will be worse. Rail services will be infrequent and digital broadband slower.

“And that is before we even get on to the unreliable ferry services to Scotland’s islands.

“Not only does poor infrastructure hold so many parts of our country back, but it also further entrenches the idea that they have been left behind.”

Ross will say that “upgrades to the A9 promised since 2007 have still not even got a completion date”.

Last month, the First Minister insisted the Scottish Government is still “absolutely committed” to ensuring the road is converted to a dual carriageway and would update MSPs “later this year”.

References

^{^} Conservative (www.thenational.scot)
^{^} SNP (www.thenational.scot)
^{^} independence (www.thenational.scot)
^{^} Short-term let licensing scheme comes into force across Scotland (www.thenational.scot)
^{^} Robin McAlpine: I have a plan that WILL win independence in 10 years (www.thenational.scot)