Why I am backing NO2AV on May 5th

On May 5th, there will be a nationwide referendum on whether to replace they system of First Past the Post with the “Alternative Vote” – or AV.

The Liberal Democrats demanded this referendum as part of the Coalition agreement – but I and the Conservative Party believe in keeping Britain’s traditional voting system rather than introducing something that is unfair, expensive and allows candidates that finish third to win elections.

Why Vote No?

AV is costly
The change to AV will cost up to an additional £250 million. Local councils would have to waste money on costly electronic vote counting machines and expensive voter education campaigns. With ordinary families facing tough times can we really afford to spend a quarter of a billion pounds of taxpayers’ money bringing in a new voting system? Schools and hospitals, or the Alternative Vote – that’s the choice in this referendum.

AV is complex and unfair
The winner should be the candidate that comes first, but under AV the candidate who comes second or third can actually be elected. That’s why it is used by just three countries in the world – Fiji, Australia and Papua New Guinea. Voters should decide who the best candidate is, not the voting system. We can’t afford to let the politicians off the hook by introducing a loser’s charter.

AV is a politician’s fix
AV leads to more hung parliaments, backroom deals and broken promises like the Lib Dem tuition fees U-turn. Instead of the voters choosing the government, politicians would hold power. Under AV, the only vote that really counts is Nick Clegg’s. We can’t afford to let the politicians decide who runs our country.

Vote NO to AV on 5 May 2011

NOtoAV is a campaign that has support from right across the country. Members of the public, trade unionists and members of several political parties are part of a campaign that has a common goal. Whilst we have many different views on what system of elections is best for Britain, we all believe that the Alternative Vote (AV) system will only damage Britain’s democracy

Soft Touch Scotland must get tougher on knife crime

Knife crime statistics in Scotland are totally unacceptable.

There is a knife crime epidemic sweeping across Scotland, with 40% of all homicides being carried out by a sharp instrument. We also see that half of all homicides are committed by people high on drink and drugs, which is a damning indictment of a complete failure to get a grip on justice issues since devolution.

This is truly worrying and shocking news.

Knife crime is never acceptable but for it to take the life of two people in Lanarkshire in the past month is utterly deplorable.

A hugely popular local youngster Reamonn Gormley, a young man of just 19 years with so much to look forward to in life is unthinkable as is the senseless murder of 63-year-old David Goodhall, who was stabbed to death during a violent attack in his Airdrie home.

We must be tough on those carrying knives as well as those willing to use them. Unfortunately the Scottish Government aren't. Thankfully, due to the insistence of the Scottish Conservatives, we have an extra 1,000 Police on Scotland's streets to help reduce crime on our streets.

Prevention is always better than cure and education about knife crime and it's devastating effects are vital. Personally speaking, I would welcome minimum mandatory sentences for anyone caught carrying a knife for any reason other than that of it's intended use.

I am also throwing my support behind the Hamilton Advertiser's "Hammer The Knives Thugs” campaign.


Central Scotland's Scottish Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell, the party’s spokeswoman on justice is also backing this campaign. She said: “I wholeheartedly support the Advertiser's campaign against knife crime which will play a significant role in sending out a stark message that it is never acceptable to carry a knife.”

“The tragic events surrounding the needless and futile murder Reamonn Gormley, an exemplary young man with a bright future ahead of him, must serve as a wake up call for sentences that do deter this kind of mindless violence which no reasonable person could ever understand.”

The Homicide in Scotland figures can be found here

1,000 Extra Police and Uddingston celebrates one of it's finest

There is no doubt that a visible police presence on our streets deters crime which is why the Scottish Conservatives in the Scottish Parliament have worked to secure 1000 extra police as a condition of supporting the Scottish budget.

Today I visited Uddingston Police Station with Councillor Henry Mitchell where, after 19 years of service as Community Policeman in Bothwell and Uddingston, Dave Pullan has moved on to undertake court policing duties.

Cllr Henry Mitchell joins me outside Uddingston Police Station

Local Councillor Henry Mitchell commented: “Over the years Dave has become a well known familiar and respected figure dealing with local issues and walking the beat in the villages.

I wish him all the best in his new post and thank him for the years of dedicated service he has given in an effort to keep Bothwell and Uddingston crime free and a safe place to live.

In due course, I look forward to welcoming Dave’s replacement who will join David Moon, Danny McAfee, Scott Anderson, Jill Pinkerton; Joyce Ramsay and Kieran Haines who form the community policing team in the two villages.

Welfare Reform Works as Coalition Govt looks to benefit 2.7m UK households

This Government is on the side of people who want to get ahead. We will focus on encouraging people to get into work and reforming the welfare system to ensure that work always pays and no one can say they are better off on benefits.

The benefits system has created a benefits culture. It doesn’t just allow people to act irresponsibly, but often actively encourages them to do so.



Whether it’s the sheer complexity and the perverse incentives of the benefits system, or the failure to penalise those who choose to live off the hard work of others or whether it’s the failure to offer the right support for people who are desperate to go back into work, we’ve created the bizarre situation where time and again the rational thing for people to do is, quite clearly, the wrong thing.

This is why the UK Government have published the Welfare Bill to tackle the benefits culture and make work pay. Under Labour, one and a half million people spent most of the last decade on out-of-work benefits and the benefits system cost every working family £3,000 each year.

This Government is doing more to reform welfare in nine months than Labour did in 13 years.

Labour legacy shapes Council cuts but Scottish Conservatives continue to deliver

Scottish Councils this week have announced their budgets with many being forced into making potentially unpopular but necessary cuts along the way.

Of course, the deficit deniers are out in force, blaming the UK Coalition Government for the tough decisions having to be made to claw back the £2 trillion debt. Lets not forget the reasons why savings across the Nation are having to be implemented within Public Sector budgets.

The Union-led former Labour Government brought us to the brink of bankruptcy. Labour doubled the national debt and left us with the biggest budget deficit in our peacetime history. We are spending £120 million every single day just to pay off the interest on Labour’s debt. This is Labour’s legacy.

The Red Ed double act of Balls and Miliband were Gordon Brown’s chief economic advisers and the architects of this economic mess. The sad thing is that having burdened our children and grandchildren with debt, and undermined our economy, Labour offers nothing but opportunistic attacks.

They’ve opposed the Coalition Government's tough decisions on VAT, tuition fees and deficit reduction but offer no credible deficit reduction plan of their own. You can’t attack a plan if you haven’t got a plan. A blank sheet of paper simply will not do!

Running up Government debt is like someone running up massive credit card bills - the longer you leave it, the worse it gets. If we don’t take steps now to live within our means we’ll end up paying higher taxes and face deeper cuts just to pay off our debt. Labour’s approach would mean less growth, less investment and fewer jobs.

Ed Miliband and his Scottish 'Leader' Iain Gray refuses to accept that Labour overspent before the boom turned to bust. Their message is simple: vote for me, I’d do it all again.

We must learn from these lessons and Vote Scottish Conservatives on May 5th.

The Scottish Conservatives proud record at Holyrood over the last four years has meant that our Nation has delivered:

- 1,000 extra Police
- Thousands of small businesses benefitting from rates savings
- Four year Council Tax Freeze
- £60 million Town Centre Regeneration Plan
- New drugs strategy for Scotland implemented
- A £26 million boost to housing, jobs and exports
- A new drive to cut down absenteeism in the public sector

Forth Bridge Name Announcement 'Uninspiring From An Uninspiring SNP Government'

The SNP Government has announced today that the new Bridge on the Firth of Forth will be known as the Forth Replacement Bridge.

Despite there being calls for the Scottish Public to name the £2bn+ iconic crossing, which will begin to be built in 2016, this all does seem rather dull and uninspiring from and uninspiring SNP Government.

Of course, even the naming of the bridge raises a few eyebrows and offers us all the chance to pull up Google images to ask the question - what is this Bridge actually replacing?

It is totally devoid of any imagination and rather neatly sums up an SNP Government running out of steam.

Out and about as the Road to Holyrood continues....

After a positive meeting in our Campaign HQ, Saturday brought several of the Central Scotland Conservative Candidates back to a thankfully less soggy Stonehouse to further the message that a Vote for Scottish Conservatives is a Vote for Common Sense.

Thankfully the weather wasn't as bad as Last Monday night when Bob (Central's new hopeful, 2nd on the Conservative List) and I, along with current MSP Margaret Mitchell took to the streets in the rain.

Following this, it was great to get out and about in the Constituency, visiting supporters along the way and even taking in 5 minutes of the Uddingston Rugby game which they won 24-17 against Wigtonshire in the Regional Bowl!

It may be my first campaign as a Candidate but already the message on the streets of Central Scotland is clear - Scottish Labour just can't be trusted and the SNP are out of touch. The electorate are calling out for commonsense and change.

The Punch and Judy show at First Minister's Questions on a Thursday is an example of what I feel needs to change to restore faith in politics. It's not about Gray and Salmond acting like a couple of strutting peacocks engaging in a testosterone fuelled battle. It's about delivering what's best for Scotland.

In the last 4 years, the Scottish Conservatives have delivered with their Policies being an integral part of the SNP minority Government's budgets.

Here are just a few of our key achievements, delivered by the Scottish Conservatives to the Scottish people:

· 1,000 extra police officers
· A council tax freeze every year
· Tax cuts for small businesses
· A new drugs strategy for Scotland focussing on recovery
· A town centre regeneration fund
· A transparency revolution in Scottish government expenditure

We are the Scottish Conservatives. Common sense policies; common sense politics; delivering for Scotland.