Blog

HARD BREXIT MEANS OPTION OF INDEPENDENCE MUST BE OFFERED

 SNP MSP for Coatbridge & Chryston Fulton MacGregor has said that it is absolutely correct and appropriate for the people of Scotland to be offered a choice, once the options become clear, between a Tory hard Brexit and becoming an independent country, after the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed plans to seek parliamentary approval to begin discussions with the UK government to bring forward an independence vote.

 

Ahead of the UK government’s triggering of Article 50 and the beginning of the process of leaving the EU, the First Minister said that the Westminster government has been guilty of complete intransigence in the face of Scottish Government attempts to find a compromise – and has continually acted against the best interests of Scotland, not least by ruling out membership of the single market without consulting the Scottish Government.

 

SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor has said that it has become clear that the UK government has no intention of respecting Scotland’s 62% vote to remain in the EU and North Lanarkshire’s 61% vote to remain. 

 

Commenting, the SNP MSP for Coatbridge & Chryston said:

 

“Throughout the entire Brexit process to date, the Scottish Government has been consistent in its pursuit of a compromise with the UK government, putting forward substantial proposals for Scotland to remain in the single market – yet the UK government has rejected these and is pursuing an ever harder line.

 

“It is within this context, with the UK government intent on pursuing a damaging hard Brexit and set to trigger Article 50 without communicating with the devolved governments, that it has become ever clearer that the people of Scotland must be offered a choice over our future.

 

“The SNP will always stand up for Scotland’s interests and we are intent on protecting Scotland’s place in the single market. The people of Scotland deserve to choose,  once the terms of Brexit are clear and before it is too late to decide our own path, honouring the manifesto pledge that we were elected on last year.

 

“Scotland now stands at a crossroads, and we cannot drift along for two years hoping for the best.  We face the real prospect of right-wing Tory governments until at least 2030 and being dragged out of the EU and Single Market with all the damage to our economy and society that will cause.”

 

NORTH LANARKSHIRE PLAN TO TAKE MONEY FROM HEADTEACHERS

Plans by the Labour-led North Lanarkshire Council to appropriate money given to headteachers to tackle the attainment gap have been condemned by the SNP, who have called the proposals “abhorrent”.

The story is reported in today’s Herald with council chiefs being accused of “emotional blackmail”. The council hopes to use the funding to plug gaps in its budget caused by their own education cuts – with headteachers being told to hand back £1.3 million.

Scottish Government guidelines state that the Pupil Equity Funding should not be used to subsidise existing services and all money should go directly to head teachers.

Commenting, SNP MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Fulton MacGregor, said:

‘I am deeply concerned at the revelation North Lanarkshire Council are attempting to strip away money from schools which has been allocated to help close the attainment gap.

‘Coatbridge schools were rightly awarded a large amount from this fund to help the most disadvantaged young people and I am outraged that the Council are trying to use this money for staffing costs which should be met by the council and not from this fund.

‘I have written to the Council leader asking him to put a stop to this immediately and allow Head Teachers to use the money as they see fit to support our young people.’

LABOUR & TORY OPPOSITION FAIL TO SUPPORT INVESTMENT IN MONKLANDS

 

Communities across North Lanarkshire, including the Monklands area, are set to benefit from greater support as a result of the Scottish Government’s Budget, SNP MSP for Coatbridge & Chryston Fulton MacGregor has said. This includes £9.961 million additional resource and capital funding for North Lanarkshire overall.

 

Labour, Tory and Lib Dem opponents failed to support investment for North Lanarkshire in the budget – with the three opposition parties voting against the SNP’s proposals to fund local services on Thursday.

 

MacGregor has condemned the approach taken by the three parties, providing opposition for opposition’s sake rather than supporting investment in communities throughout North Lanarkshire.

 

Commenting, SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor said:

 

“This Scottish Government’s budget provides a strong funding deal for North Lanarkshire, giving spending commitments in the NHS, education, infrastructure, environment and the economy. For the opposition parties, with the exception of the Greens, to vote against all of this was deeply disappointing and against the best interests of our communities.

 

“It was disappointing to see Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories be more interested in political point scoring rather than standing up for their local communities in Coatbridge & Chryston – but there’s still time for them to drop their opposition and back the Scottish Government’s proposals as the Budget Bill progresses.

 

“North Lanarkshire itself will benefit from a range of direct spending commitments, including £9.961 million which will contribute to £1.1bn overall for NHS Lanarkshire and the continuous M8, M73, M74 improvements.

 

“Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems should think again before choosing to rob Monklands of these vital services in a narrow-minded campaign designed to achieve nothing more than embarrassing the SNP Scottish Government. This budget is too important for our communities to allow that to happen.”