The West Lothian Courier asked all the political parties for 400 words on what they offered the electorate. This is what I wrote.
The top
priority of the West Lothian Liberal Democrats is to fight to reverse the SNP’s
cuts to classroom assistants in the area. School is now a lot more confusing
and difficult for many children with conditions like Dyslexia because they have
lost the vital help that classroom assistants give. We also want to see these conditions
identified sooner and proper support put in place before children fall too far
behind. Too many parents have had to persevere for years before their concerns
about their children were taken seriously. That delay puts children through too
much educational and emotional trauma and this must be addressed urgently. It’s
also important to make sure that support continues in secondary school.
Liberal
Democrat Councillors across Scotland are renowned for tireless work for their
communities, whether it’s building more council houses, cutting crime,
improving social care or getting the Council on a secure financial footing. While
council house building in West Lothian is welcome, it simply isn’t enough to
match the need. Almost 4000 people have been waiting more than two years for a
Council house. Faster progress to reduce the wait is vital.
Liberal
Democrats in the UK Government have ensured that 77,000 people in West Lothian
on low and middle incomes have had a £200 per year income tax cut and, by next
April, 4560 will have been taken out of tax completely. We have also delivered
the biggest ever cash rise in the State Pension - £5.30 a week compared to
Labour’s derisory 75p. The Scotland Act, delivered by a Liberal Democrat
Secretary of State, is the biggest transfer of power to Scotland in 300 years.
In
Holyrood, Willie Rennie and our MSPs have punched above their weight, securing
£40 million in extra funding to give a lifeline to Scottish colleges, making
sure that more young people have the chance to continue their education. We have
stood firm against plans to create a single police force which would mean that
Police Officers would be allocated according to national direction rather than
local need.
Liberal
Democrats are helping ordinary people at all levels of Government. If you want
councillors who will fight for more classroom assistants, to give children the
best possible start in life, to create jobs, to build more council houses,
improve recycling and make sure people have excellent care services that meet
their needs, vote Scottish Liberal Democrat today.
Oh Dear Caron, looks like Willie did not get his cheerleaders after all! I could be mean spirited and say something like “perhaps you should go to Edinburgh zoo and get your next Scottish leader from among the Penguins there” but I wont!
ReplyDeleteFraser held on in Dundee so that is some consolation even if your overall tally was reduced by 50% and he now leads a group that consists of himself alone. Willies targeting of Broughty Ferry brought him nothing as did Nick’s visit to Fife. The SNP result in Dundee is all we could have hoped for with every single candidate we fielded elected. Only the Tories fared worse than your lot losing 66% of their seats, with only the Ferry’s Derek Scott re-elected. Derek deserves to win because like Fraser he is a good councillor and I am sure in this instance that carried them both through the storm. So well done to both of them!
Its not all jam for the SNP as it seems that only the coalition parties got a kicking. We undoubtedly won but there were a few mis-steps and we didn’t give the Labour party the mauling we wanted to in Dundee or indeed anywhere. But there is plenty time before the next most crucial election to get that right!
Perhaps it is time for the Lib Dems to wake up out of their coalition dream and realise that they are on course for oblivion.