Jamie Greene, local Conservative candidate for Cunninghame North has hit back at SNP MSP, Kenneth Gibson over his response to education reform and record.
Mr Greene initiated the debate by proposing the notion that there should be a graduate contribution scheme to help fund bursaries for Scotland’s poorest students. The Tory candidate also pointed out that the attainment gap in Scotland’s schools was widening, the "no tuition fees" policy was proven not to be helping poorer students get into university and remarked on the number of college courses that had been slashed since the SNP took office. He added that only one in ten of our poorest 18year-olds make it to university, far less than their wealthier counterparts.
Mr Gibson was quoted in a local newspaper last week in response claiming that the "Tories didn’t care" about poorer students and confirmed that the SNP abolished the "graduate tax "and that "Of course, living in Cambridgeshire or wherever, Jamie Greene might not have noticed this".
Mr Greene has responded to this by saying "I am disappointed, as I am sure many Cunninghame North voters will be, that Mr Gibson’s only line of defence of the indefensible is a factually inaccurate personal attack on me. In typical SNP style, he wasn’t able to provide one iota of evidence to suggest that my figures on attainment were wrong. He was unable to admit that their policy wasn’t working and he was unable to take responsibility for his administration’s failings to Scotland’s poorest students.
Instead, Mr Gibson made vague reference to my personal circumstances in what I can only describe as a laughable attempt to deflect the reality of the issue away from him and the party he represents." Mr Greene added "For the record, and I have dealt with this issue already, I do not live in Cambridgeshire, although I am sure it is a lovely place. Furthermore, even if I did, where I choose to work whilst on my journey to becoming an elected politician is of no concern to Mr Gibson. If he is in any doubt as to my commitment to North Ayrshire he is welcome to pop by my office in Ardrossan, which is next to Mrs Gibson’s. I think voters are far more interested in hearing from our MSP about his plans to ensure that kids in North Ayrshire have opportunity in life, a college or university place available in a system which is properly managed and funded and I’d love to hear what plans are in place to attract investment from business into this area and attract real, large scale local jobs. He has had 8 years in office to do this, so rather than a pathetic attempt to rubbish "the Tories" or my character, he might prefer to fight this election with a positive message to the good people of this area and justify the record of his government rather than resort to childish, flippant comments about me personally."