Figures out last week from the ONS suggest that the UK employment rate is now at a record high of 74% in the UK (around 31M people) and unemployment fell further to a seven year low. In stark contract Scotland reported a rise in unemployment figures, increasing by 11,000 compared to a reduction in the rest of the UK of 103,000.
This has led to calls of "another SNP economic failure" in Holyrood according to the local Conservative candidate Jamie Greene who said that "the SNP has taken their eye off the ball when it comes to job attraction and creation in Scotland."
The quarterly UK wide analysis on the UK employment market showed that inflation had been flat over the period and wages had continued to rise above inflation.
Comparing the results in Scotland to the rest of the UK’s regions and nations Mr Greene used this as an opportunity to criticise the SNP led administration in Holyrood saying that "their continual obsession with constitutional matters, criticism of the Scotland Bill providing further powers to Scotland, an obsession with welfare rather than job creation and even getting involved in English Sunday Trading laws means that Scotland is lagging behind and not enjoying the economic growth and success that the rest of the UK is."
He added "I speak to small businesses across North Ayrshire and the feedback generally is that they are still fearful of the potential of a second referendum and the effect it might have on their long term success."
Referring to the Conservatives’ plans in government he said "We are committed to a low tax, high wage society with full employment. To achieve that we need to stick to our guns on welfare reform, ensure the National Living Wage is introduced and ensure the Personal Tax Allowance rises taking the lowest earners out of tax altogether. Given that the SNP hold a majority in Holyrood, and the majority of Scottish seats in Westminster I think there remains an onus on them to tell the people of North Ayrshire what they are doing about unemployment in the area, what plans they have to help and facilitate new businesses, and what provisions they are making to provide opportunities for our young in Scotland. It’s easy to be all talk and criticise Westminster but the power is in their hands to do something about the chronic unemployment situation in their own backyard . I say to them: stop moaning about the powers you don’t have and start acting on the ones you have!"