​SNP remains on your side - Adam Nols-McVey

SNP MPs have been fighting against the UK Government’s austerity since the disastrous policy was introduced. The SNP has always chosen to invest in services and protect our communities despite the economic straitjacket of Westminster.

Unlike the UK Government, which has driven many of their councils to bankruptcy, the SNP has protected and invested in public services and helped residents through the cost-of-living crisis.

If the Tory Government increase funding for cash-strapped English councils, the Scottish Government will have even more money to protect council budgets and local services in Scotland - proving the point that it’s Westminster, not Holyrood, regrettably still ultimately holding Scotland’s purse strings. Yet despite UK austerity, the SNP Government is delivering for people.

In Edinburgh, Labour councillors claimed they didn’t have the money to pay the real living wage to Edinburgh Leisure staff. They then claimed facilities were under threat due to lack of funding available to support Edinburgh Leisure. Then, it turned out the money was sitting in the bank the whole time to fund fair pay and keep facilities open.

Labour then put schools under threat, proposing to slash school budgets by £8.2m. Only for it to emerge, again, that they had money all along to avoid these disastrous cuts.

Now Labour claims they need to increase council tax by 10 per cent, even though the SNP Government has funded a council tax freeze for hard-pressed households, and we now know there is enough money to balance the budget.

Labour have been playing politics with local services throughout this council term. They’re the rope in a tug-of-war between their Tory and Liberal Democrat partners, being pulled in the direction of whichever austerity party pulls hardest.

You can bet when the chips are down, Labour will again shun progressive policies and stand shoulder to shoulder with the Tories.

In stark contrast to the political game-playing of Labour and their allies, SNP councillors will put our residents first.

Our plans remain bold for our capital city. We’ll protect local services, freeze the council tax during this cost-of-living crisis and invest in Edinburgh’s future.

Cllr Adam Nols-McVey is leader of the SNP group on City of Edinburgh Council