Everyone in Scotland is going to discover that some of their vital services from their Localauthority are under threat: the school round the corner, the swimming baths down the road:the old folks home across the street: the car park in the centre of to And you will start tonotice that the roads are not being repaired, the bins are not being emptied as often, orthe service you call doesn't answer.
Whatever the particular effect, it is certain that everyone is going to notice something. And Local Authorities, whatever their political hue, are going to be facing their worstfunding crisis ever.
The reason for such a crisis is very clear: the Tories want to cut income tax as part oftheir General Election appeal to Middle England. But the price for such a cut is untoldmisery for hundreds of thousands of Scots, whose local authorities are fa All oppositionparties should be fighting the Tory plans with every ounce of strength and political musclethey possess. They should also be telling the Scottish people precisely what thealternatives are.
And although Labour (the only other political party involved in Scottish Local Government)is struggling with the same issues and working through COSLA with the SNP to mount achallenge, it is obvious that Blair is making no promises to help Local Author Proof of NewLabour's lack of commitment to help came also in January for Blairs "passion for education"was revealed as a sham in Scotland when it became obvious that the only moneys beingallocated to help Scottish education were to come from the aboli As Scotland's councilsstruggle to set their budgets we are sure to see increases in the Council Tax coupled withhighly unpopular proposals which may include (for the first time) compulsary redundanciesfor Council staff. It is vitally important that In other words, we should be able to choose what we spend our money on, rather than sending it to prop up Westminster abuse of Scotland. And we would, I am sure, choose to have better services, rather than declining ones.
Every SNP member should be supporting local councils in their fight against the Tories. And every SNP member should be telling their neighbours, their workmates and their friendsthe truth - that it is only independence that will make any difference.
Andrew Welsh MP
If you would like to know more about the SNP and HELP SCOTLAND contact snp.hq@snp.org.uk or visit the official the Scottish National Party web site.
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