LOCAL SNP MSP FOR MIDLOTHIAN NORTH AND MUSSELBURGH WELCOMES SCOTTISH BUDGET

Colin Beattie MSP has welcomed yesterday’s Scottish Budget, which delivers an inflation-busting increase in NHS funding in Midlothian North and Musselburgh and fully funds the council tax freeze by increasing funding for East Lothian Council and Midlothian Council by 5%.
In Holyrood the Cabinet Secretary for Finance Shona Robison set out the Scottish Government’s priorities for the coming year, including:

• Increasing funding to NHS frontline boards by over £550 million, a 4.3% uplift
• Providing over £200 million to ensure every social care and early learning and childcare worker is paid £12, a raise of over £2,000 for full-time workers in [AREA]
• Delivering over £140 million of additional investment in local services, increasing overall funding by 6% taking it to a record high of £14 billion
• Extending the roll-out of free school meals to children in primaries six and seven who receive the Scottish Child Payment
• Providing local authorities with £1.5 million to cancel school meal debt
• Progressing the next phase of the A9 dualling programme

Commenting, SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh said:
“This Scottish Budget prioritises our NHS, public services and support for the most vulnerable households in Midlothian North and Musselburgh.
“Despite Westminster cuts, the SNP government is determined to properly fund our public services and remains committed to closing the attainment gap, alleviating poverty and meeting our ambitious net zero goals.
“The SNP is committed to Scotland’s values of equality, opportunity and community, and in spite of extremely challenging financial circumstances the budget will support households and services in Midlothian North and Musselburgh that need it most.
“The Scottish Government’s social contract with the people of Scotland is stronger than ever.”
 
ENDS

COLIN BEATTIE SNP MSP: SOCIAL SECURITY IN AN INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND WOULD BE “ROOTED IN DIGNITY, FAIRNESS AND RESPECT”
 
Local MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh has said that the full powers of independence will allow Scotland to “end the cycle of poverty” and “guarantee financial support for all those in Midlothian North and Musselburgh who need it” following the publication of the Scottish Government’s latest independence paper, Social Security in an Independent Scotland.
 
The ninth paper in a Building a New Scotland series outlines how an independent Scotland would take a radically different approach to social security from the UK government, rooting its approach in dignity, fairness and respect. The changes outlined include:
·       Removing the two-child limit and scrap the ‘rape clause’
·       Removing the benefit cap and the bedroom tax
·       Replacing Universal Credit budgeting loans with grants
·       Ending the current benefit sanctions regime
·       Improving support for unpaid carers
 
Commenting, SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Colin Beattie, said:
 
“This latest paper from the SNP Scottish Government outlines how Scotland can, with the powers of an independent nation, build a social security system designed to meet people in Midlothian North and Musselburgh’s needs and end the vicious cycle of poverty.
 
“A strong social security system is key to a thriving economy and a fair, more equal society. We would work towards a universal guarantee of financial security, and potentially even a universal basic income.
 
“This would be radically different from Westminster’s woeful welfare regime which the UN has described as “grossly insufficient,” and that was before it was cut back even further to the tune of £4 billion in the Autumn Statement.
 
“With the full powers of an independent country, we can ensure that everyone in Midlothian North and Musselburgh has the support they need to enjoy a decent quality of life.
 
“Independent countries similar to Scotland are fairer, happier and healthier than we are under Westminster control. So why not Scotland?”
 
ENDS
 
Notes
 
Social Security in an Independent Scotland can be read in full here.
 

The SNP have called on Sarah Boyack, Foysol Choudhury and Daniel Johnson to clarify whether they agree with Sir Keir Starmer’s support for Margaret Thatcher.

In a recent article, Sir Keir Starmer praised Margaret Thatcher’s time as Prime Minister, stating she had enacted “meaningful change” that “sought to drag Britain out of its stupor”.
In Scotland Thatcher’s time in charge caused devastation as she ruthlessly closed down industries, caused mass unemployment and experimented with the hated poll tax.

Colin Beattie, SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, has directly challenged Labour MSPs in the Lothian region to clarify whether they also support Margaret Thatcher’s legacy of meaningful change in Scotland.

Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said:
“The only meaningful change Thatcher enacted was to create utter devastation to working class communities in Midlothian North and Musselburgh – praising her is an absolute insult to those who suffered under her reign.

“People in Midlothian North and Musselburgh deserve to know where they stand with their elected representatives – Labour MSP’s must urgently clarify whether they support Sir Keir Starmer and agree Margaret Thatcher’s legacy should be celebrated.

“These comments follow on from Starmer committing to keeping cruel Tory austerity measures – showing his idolisation of Thatcher goes beyond just warm words.

“Scotland is facing another austerity Westminster government led by someone desperate to recreate a legacy of failed Tory prime ministers – Independence offers us a different choice, one that will allow us to build a fairer, wealthier and happier nation free from Westminster for good.”

ENDS