Independence Day date for political change - Ian Murray

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issues a statement outside 10 Downing Street, London, after calling a general election for July 4

I’ll be spending so much more time in Edinburgh South as the general election has now been called for Thursday 4 July.

Meeting my constituents is by far my favourite part of being an MP and after a long and cold winter I’m gearing up for a programme of summer fetes and galas, where I’ll get the chance to have a good catch up with residents.

In the last two years, however, the tone of these conversations has changed, and the parents who I speak to who would ordinarily be looking forward to an extended break with family are beginning to worry about the added expense of their kids being off school.

However, this week, the Chancellor is making the case for an improved economy, but it has been made clear to me that when my constituents check their bank balances, they are finding that they have less disposable income than when the Tories took power 14 years ago.

At the election every voter needs to pose the question, “Am I better off today after 14 years of Tory and 17 years of SNP governments?” and the answer is no.

People’s lived experiences are also backed-up by the stats. The March 2024 OBR Economic and Fiscal Outlook confirms this will be the worst Parliament on record for living standards and the highest taxing parliament in history.

I have lost count of the times people have approached me in the constituency to say that they’re struggling to make ends meet or parents tell me they are making impossible decisions for their families.

On the Conservatives’ watch the price of a typical supermarket shop has gone up by nearly £1000 a year, wage growth has been sluggish, taxes are at a 70- year high and mortgage bills rocketed after the disastrous mini-budget.

The bottom line is that families in Scotland are worse off on all measurements. But when Scotland’s Government in Westminster fails so badly, one would hope that its counterparts in Holyrood would step-up to the plate. Unfortunately the SNP are only offering Scots more of the same - yesterday’s man in John Swinney.

The new First Minister has been at the heart of this incompetent SNP Government for the past 17 years, he was the Finance Minister who broke the public finances and the Education Secretary who downgraded working class pupils’ grades during the pandemic.

Our public services are in crisis with almost one in six Scots on NHS waiting lists, the economy stagnating and homelessness is on the rise, and as much as he’d like to be, Swinney cannot be decoupled from this litany of failure.

Labour on the other hand has a first steps plan to build a strong economy that will boost growth, increase wages and bring down bills so working people are better off. First steps as a down payment to the public.

We are the only party trying to pull Scotland together – all we ask is for the opportunity to serve.

At this general election it’s time for change.

Ian Murray MP is Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland