Will new MSPs bring a new approach to city funding? - Ed Thornley
At the Scottish Parliament-ary election this month, four sitting Edinburgh councillors were elected to Holyrood in either constituencies or on the regional list.
Of course, I am particularly delighted that Sanne Dijkstra-Downie was elected in the Edinburgh Northern constituency, but I also have a huge amount of respect for Cllrs Campbell, Kinross-O’Neill and Kumar, all of whom I have seen in action at the council and believe truly want the best for our city.
It is, therefore, my hope, that these four new parliamentarians, especially now that one of their number is a minister, will take their knowledge of the challenges facing Scotland’s capital city into the Parliament.
For years, Edinburgh has been the lowest funded council per head in Scotland. At the same time, this city facing additional expectations as Scotland’s capital and the host of so many festivals and events of international significance.
We are, so often, the face Scotland shows to the world. Yet the Scottish Government continues to underfund us.
Liberal Democrat councillors have consistently argued for this to be fixed and in fairness, that has been a position agreed at the council for some time.
So with a new (if not unchanged) government in place at Holyrood, can we rely on them to listen to our fight for fair funding for Edinburgh?
While I know that the city’s two Lib Dem MSPs will fight for local government, I am not so sure about the others.
The SNP manifesto at this election made only one mention of local government funding and that is vague and promises no direct council funding. At the same time, SNP councillors spent last week’s council meeting fawning over yet another batch of bland manifesto commitments.
The leader of Scottish Labour spent the whole campaign telling the country that he would be a First Minister ‘from Glasgow, for Glasgow’ – in the end he is neither.
In any case, why should Edinburgh folk trust MSPs who stood on that platform to fight for Edinburgh to get its fair share?
Edinburgh is an international city, with international obligations. Being so poorly funded hamstrings the council from ensuring we can show our best face to the world.
I hope that those of our new MSPs who have experience in City Chambers, can be relied on to truly fight for our city. I know the Liberal Democrats can.