Kezia Dugdale in call for new dedicated cities minister

The Scottish Government needs to 'ditch the timid managerialism' of the economy and adapt radical policies, according to Kezia Dugdale.

Scottish Labour Party Kezia Dugdale

The Scottish Labour leader said there should be a new minister for cities appointed to drive regional growth and an industrial strategy created to boost jobs in technology and decommissioning.

Ahead of a speech at the David Hume Institute in Edinburgh, Ms Dugdale accused the SNP of making “irresponsible cuts” to education that will “harm our economy in the future”.

She said: “The geographic distribution of our cities means that there is a potential engine for economic growth in every corner of our country.

“We need to be in the best position to take advantage of that… we have to be even more ambitious.

“This Scottish Government needs to ditch the timid managerialism which seems to have become its hallmark.

“Government should be thinking radically about how we make the most of our cities and thinking big.

“Appointing a dedicated cities minister would be a strong signal that driving growth through our cities is a priority for this government.”

Ms Dugdale added: “The rise of automation in ‘middle class’ professions poses a risk to jobs. If innovative tech is set to replace these skilled jobs, we need to be at the leading edge in that sector.”