If Boris Johnson’s ambition was to make history then he’s certainly now achieved that.
The Tory leader has become the first ever British Prime Minister to have broken the law whilst in office, after he and his Chancellor were fined for attending illegal parties in No. 10 at the height of lockdown.
At a time when families in Clydebank and across the country were making huge sacrifices to keep our communities safe, the Tory PM and his cronies were breaking the very laws they themselves set – and then repeatedly lied about it.
My inbox has been full of messages from constituents furious at the actions of this Westminster government. It’s clear they have lost the public’s confidence, with polls saying more than two-thirds of Scots want to see the Prime Minister removed from office.
If Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak had an ounce of decency they would resign. But instead they cling desperately to power; too distracted by their scandal and law-breaking to tackle the worsening cost-of-living crisis ordinary households are facing under this Tory government.
Rising food prices, soaring energy bills, tax hikes for working people – that is the price we are all paying for Westminster control.
I have spoken in the Commons about the difficult choices my constituents are having to make between heating and eating, but it’s no surprise that multi-millionaire Tories like Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak refuse to listen.
In Scotland, the SNP government is using its limited powers to try and tackle rising poverty, including doubling the Scottish Child Payment and uplifting devolved social security payments by 6%. But efforts to tackle child poverty here are being undermined by a Westminster government which chooses to slash Universal Credit and impose real-terms cuts to benefits and state pensions.
Far too many people across Clydebank are already struggling, and thousands more face being pushed into hardship with inflation and in-work poverty reaching its highest levels in decades.
We in the SNP will continue to press the UK government to introduce a meaningful package of support – but it’s only with the full powers of independence that we can ensure a fairer and more prosperous future for Scotland.
The upcoming elections on 5th May are a chance for voters in Scotland to cast their verdict on the failures of this law-breaking Prime Minister and their Tory Chancellor.
With just two weeks to go till polling day, our excellent team of local candidates are out campaigning for every vote across Clydebank, Dumbarton and the Vale.
Remember to vote SNP on 5th May to make Scotland’s voice heard and elect a strong team of local councillors working for West Dunbartonshire.
This article was written for publication in the Clydebank Post.
