Edinburgh Council elections: Tories could win the most seats, but still end up in opposition – Steve Cardownie
As the council elections loom large, with the poll due to take place on May 5, the Tories have highlighted their opposition to the Spaces for People programme in an effort to garner enough votes to be returned to the city council as the largest political group.
Monday’s Evening News reported that a leaflet is to be distributed to thousands of homes in the city this week which promises that “Scottish Conservatives will only keep schemes where there is clear evidence of local community support, such as near schools”.
They have transport issues firmly within their sights as other pledges include tackling the state of the city’s roads, preventing the introduction of a workplace parking levy which in their eyes is no more than a “car park tax”, and opposing the extension of residents’ parking zones.
They have obviously decided to fully to exploit any public opposition to the current city administration’s transport policies which they have identified as the SNP/ Labour coalition’s “Achilles Heel”. It was entirely predictable.
The current leader of the Tory Group, Councillor Ian Whyte, when referring to the Spaces for People programme, said: “The scheme was supposed to make pedestrians and cyclists safer, but it has failed.”
Due to the loss of a number of members within the SNP Group, which is unprecedented, the Conservatives currently form the largest contingent within the City Chambers and, even if they do form the largest group after the election, unfortunately for them they are destined to take up their now customary role as the main opposition to the administration.