‘Scotland First’ approach to save economy unveiled by Tory leader

A "Scotland First" approach is at the heart of the a new blueprint unveiled by Tory leader Douglas Ross to save the country's battered economy from the worst impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Douglas Ross says economy must be rescued from "the brink"Douglas Ross says economy must be rescued from "the brink"
Douglas Ross says economy must be rescued from "the brink"

The Moray MP called for an end to the "constitutional wrangling" from the SNP, as he set out a wide-ranging blueprint that includes plans for a town centre regeneration fund and an overhaul of national economic development body Scottish Enterprise.

The plan, entitled "Power up Scotland", will also see a "Scotland First" approach taken to procurement to ensure more cash is spent locally.

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It comes as Nicola Sturgeon prepares to launch her Programme for Government at Holyrood on Tuesday.

Mr Ross said: “In the biggest economic downturn of our lifetime, the UK Government stepped up and protected nearly a million Scottish jobs. Now the Scottish Government must match that ambition.

“My proposals won’t just protect jobs over the next few months, they will power up the Scottish economy and start creating the jobs of tomorrow, today," Mr Ross said.

"This detailed blueprint for the next phase of recovery will help workers retrain and find new skilled work, give town centres the tools they need to rebuild, and take every part of Scotland forward together.

“I will work with the Scottish Government on these proposals wherever possible but there is a clear contrast between what we see as Scotland’s priorities."

The plan was unveiled at a manufacturing plant in Inverness and includes Swedish-style Job Security Councils for each sector to help laid-off workers transition and find skilled work.

A Town Centre Rescue Plan would see planning restrictions eased, while a Scottish education guarantee to age 18 would be introduced, along with an expanded adult learning programmes.

A ‘Scotland First’ procurement strategy would also be established to have the government spend more money locally.

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The document also includes Community Right to Buy schemes for local pubs and other employers in fragile areas, while Scottish Enterprise would be reformed on regional lines

A yellow/red card system would also be adopted for businesses who make late payments and bid for public work.

The Tory leader added: “I don’t believe Scottish people want a government that drags us back to the division of the past and wastes time on constitutional wrangling.

“I believe people want both of Scotland’s governments to co-operate, not compete. They want us to hand power back to communities, not hoard it in Edinburgh. They want long-term strategies that build for the future, not sticking plaster proposals that prove to be second-rate.

“Most of all, I believe Scottish people want action on jobs, now. They don’t want delays and excuses.

“This is a time of crisis for Scotland – but a moment of opportunity too. If we focus on the urgent priorities of Scottish people, we can restore and rebuild our economy stronger than ever.”

Mr Ross previously called for accelerated infrastructure investment with proposals for a three-lane M8, a Scottish Smart Travel Card for contactless travel, faster rail links from Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Inverness, and a joint UK-Scottish Government infrastructure vehicle.

But the plan has been dismissed as “empty rhetoric” by SNP Deputy leader Keith Brown.

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He said: “The most useful thing the Scottish Tory leader could do is lobby his Westminster bosses to extend the furlough scheme before the loss of up to 200,000 Scottish jobs, demand a vital package of support for the millions of forgotten freelancers who have yet to receive a penny in support from the UK government and get behind SNP calls for support to those are forced to rely on UK welfare benefits.“Or he could focus his attention on getting the UK Treasury to put its hand in the coffers and protect the Scottish economy from the impending disastrous impact of a Brexit future that Scotland didn’t vote for.“Of course, Douglas Ross knows the polls show trust in the SNP Scottish Government head and shoulders above Boris Johnson’s disastrous Tory government in Westminster. Whilst he spends his time trying to politicise the recovery from COVID, the SNP will get on with the job of delivering for the people of Scotland.”

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