Local SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson was quoted last week condemning the UK Treasury’s Fiscal Framework proposal saying that the UK government was still not keeping "The Vow" or following Smith Commission recommendations.
Conservative candidate for Cunninghame North, Jamie Greene, hit back saying that Mr Gibson was "continuing the SNP anti-Tory , anti-Westminster narrative by telling voters that the UK government is not delivering on its promise. Well it is. "
Mr Greene added that "The Scottish government already has a number of considerable powers and more are coming over the next 12 months. The Smith commission is being delivered, negotiations are complex but making progress and soon the Scottish government will be one of the most highly devolved in the world being able to raise more than fifty percent of its budget from within Scotland.
If Mr Gibson and his party are so concerned about teacher, nurse or police numbers it’s probably worth me reminding them that these are fully devolved issues. The SNP actually has tax raising powers already. It chooses to freeze council tax, it chooses not to increase income tax, it chooses to blame Westminster for the ills of Scotland whilst they themselves are failing the people of Scotland. Yet we have gaping holes in teacher and GP numbers, no funded pledges to increase nurse numbers and a failed attempt at Police centralisation.
The only vow Mr Gibson should be concerned with is keeping the promises the SNP made to the people of Scotland five years ago when it asked to be elected. After nine long years of SNP in government, I think we are tiring of their continuous blame game and failed politics."