The author argues that Scotland is at a critical juncture, facing a choice between continued decline under the SNP or a new path forward. They criticize the SNP's record of weakening institutions and public services, and propose two key solutions: squeezing value from taxpayer money and holding politicians accountable.
As 2025 begins, it’s clear that at the next election we face a choice: more decline managed by the SNP , or a new direction for Scotland . Because – bluntly – our country is not the place hardworking people deserve. If we are to chart a new direction for Scotland , we must face the challenges holding us back. The harsh truth is that in 2025, Scotland is a nation where the SNP has weakened every institution.
Every public service is straining under almost two decades of governmental neglect, and Scots are paying more for less. In short, our country is stuck. It doesn’t need to be like this. The questions on everyone’s mind is simple: is the country going in the right direction or the wrong direction? Are things better or worse now than before? Do you feel our public services deliver for you and your family? The SNP came to power in 2007 promising to improve lives, but instead, we’ve seen services crumble, institutions weaken, and communities left behind. Today, I’ll set out how I think we get started, but at the core of it all are two simple promises. First, we must squeeze value out of every penny of taxpayers’ money to deliver public services that work. And second, politicians must stop making excuses and passing the buck. They must take responsibility. At the heart of both issues is a growing bureaucratic monster – a sprawling network of unelected public bodies that drain public money and deliver little in return. These so-called quangos were created to manage everything from healthcare to education, but far too often they’ve done more to complicate and obstruct than to improve services. Scotland boasts a staggering 131 quangos – more than the number of MSPs in our parliament. These bureaucratic behemoths have swelled, and the cost is astronomical. Scotland spends a jaw-dropping £6.6 billion on these bodies each year. That’s money that could be better spent on improving services for the people of Scotlan
Scotland SNP Public Services Bureaucracy Political Change
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