Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay branded the Scottish Greens extremists who want to abolish prisons and legalise class-A drugs. Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer stood by candidate Kate Nevens, who described herself as a prison abolitionist. Ross Greer claimed prisons are only needed for a small number of violent individuals who have committed horrendous offences. It remains unclear whether the Scottish Greens officially have a policy to legalise class-A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine.
In economic pledges, Russell Findlay promised to cut taxes permanently for businesses in Scotland if his party wins the Holyrood election. The Scottish Conservative manifesto pledges to end extreme business rates by capping the maximum rise each cycle. The Scottish Retail Consortium warned that medium and larger shops in Scotland will pay £162 million more than their English counterparts over the next three years.
It's a tough question. I genuinely think the Greens, if you just look at some of what they are proposing.
On social policy, Russell Findlay announced he will oppose the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill at stage three, despite supporting its general principles at stage one. The exact number of MSPs who have changed their position on the Assisted Dying Bill and whether it will pass or fail is not yet known.
Turning to infrastructure, Russell Findlay said the upgrade of key roads across Scotland must be fast-tracked after the Holyrood election. He accused the SNP of repeatedly breaking promises to fully dual roads like the A75, A77, A9, and A96. The specific details and timeline for the Scottish Conservatives' proposed emergency law to fast-track road upgrades have not been specified, nor have the Scottish Government's current plans and funding for upgrading the A75, A77, A9, and A96 roads been fully detailed.
Just this week, we’ve had a senior candidate who may well end up in Holyrood saying we should abolish prisons. That would mean murderers and rapists aren’t locked up.
The Scottish Conservatives also launched attacks on rival party Reform UK. Russell Findlay claimed Reform UK cannot be trusted on the Union or its key policies. The Institute for Fiscal Studies concluded that key Reform UK policies are not fiscally credible. Reform UK has suffered setbacks including the loss of seven candidates and internal rows about cronyism. The full extent of Reform UK's candidate vetting issues and how many candidates have actually withdrawn remains unclear.
It is their policy that heroin and crack cocaine should be effectively legalised, which would cause further devastation and drugs deaths in Scotland.
So, I think the Greens actually win that contest.
As the party of business, the Scottish Conservatives are committed to creating a positive environment for firms to thrive – which would create jobs and increase prosperity.
Scottish businesses and workers are being relentlessly hammered by SNP and Labour taxes.
My party would fundamentally overhaul Scotland’s business rates system to make them fair and transparent.
We’d also work with business to cut costly red tape and ensure that apprenticeships are properly funded after being short-changed by the SNP.
An SNP majority would be a disaster for Scotland’s economy, but voters can stop this nightmare scenario by backing the Scottish Conservatives on their peach ballot paper.
While I remain in agreement with the general principle that individuals should be able to choose to end their own lives to avoid unnecessary suffering, I am not able to vote for the Bill at stage three.
Year after year, John Swinney’s useless SNP has broken its repeated promises to upgrade Scotland’s lifeline roads.
I’ve seen the impact on communities here in Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway with the A77 and A75. But it’s the same sorry story across the country. The SNP’s broken promises are resulting in far too many accidents, some fatal, while the economy continues to suffer.
Our number one priority is to get Scotland working by growing the economy which is why we would urgently upgrade these key routes.
If the SNP win a majority in May, this work will continue to stall, which is why voters should use their peach ballot paper to back the Scottish Conservatives.
Reform cannot be trusted on the Union. They cannot be trusted, full stop.
Their manifesto fell apart inside 24 hours. The IFS think tank described key pledges as a “mirage”. It was based on fantasy figures.
Their candidates have been dropping like flies. Their leader, Lord Offord, has spent the campaign going in and out hiding.
How can they be trusted to take on the SNP if they can’t even sort their own candidate vetting process?