SNP and Reform UK will never fix Scotland's broken public services
In contrast to John Swinney and Nigel Farage’s parties, Scottish Labour is focussed on finding ways to improve people’s lives
It may be hard to imagine right now, but in four months’ time there will be leaves on the trees and sunshine long into the evening. But I’m looking forward to May for another reason, because Scots will have the opportunity to change the government in Scotland which has been in place for almost 20 years.
Given the current polls, you might think I’m out of touch with reality – Scottish Labour are the underdogs here. And it’s not exactly news that people are angry, frustrated and impatient with the pace of change of the UK Labour government.
I know from my own constituency that the UK Labour government has been putting change in motion, for example investing £250 million in upgrades to HM Naval Base Clyde.
A matter of life and death
In time, this will create good quality local jobs while also bolstering our defences in an uncertain world. It is also fair to say that the UK Labour government hasn’t got everything right.
But as a politician who fought for a Scottish Parliament and has spent my entire career at Holyrood, I can tell you first hand that despite what John Swinney and the SNP will claim over the next four months, this election is not about Keir Starmer, Westminster or Nigel Farage.
For all its flaws, Scotland has a government with real power over people’s lives. Indeed, when it comes to life-or-death moments such as calling for the emergency services, all responsibility lies with Holyrood.
Yet Swinney’s SNP has run down our NHS to the point that even former SNP Cabinet Secretary Alex Neil denounced the First Minister’s claim that things were improving as “rubbish”.
‘Broken’ education system
Scotland has always had its own education system – and at the time of devolution it was the envy of the world.
Remarkably, a party which claims to be the future of Scotland has let Scottish schools slide down the international league tables to the point the head of one teaching union warned that under the SNP our education system was “broken”.
In May, Scots are not choosing a UK Prime Minister – they are choosing Scotland’s next First Minister. And there are now two types of politician in our country.
One sees a problem and thinks not about how to fix it, but how to use it to divide our communities and our country. Swinney is already dusting off the old independence slogans that shore up his base but only make life more uncertain for others.
Scotland’s choice
Meanwhile, Reform milks desperate people’s struggles without doing anything to fix the pain. Two divisive parties feeding off each other.
Meanwhile, Scottish Labour politicians have been setting out how we will reduce waiting times, end the 8am rush for a GP appointment, improve of our schools, build new homes, bring back community policing and cut waste – real solutions to improve people’s lives.
On May 7, Scotland has a choice. Scots can vote for division, or they can vote for fixing their local hospitals, improving their schools, and ensuring their streets are safe.
I don’t underestimate the challenges we face in making our case. But after nearly two decades of the SNP, in May, there is finally a chance to replace them.
Jackie Baillie is MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader and her party’s spokesperson for health
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