The Scottish Conservatives head into May’s election on the right side of public opinion on all the key priorities, Russell Findlay will say today (Monday).
In a speech in Glasgow, the party leader will tell members that their policies on issues including the cost of living, oil and gas jobs, fair sentencing for criminals and classroom discipline chime with mainstream Scotland.
As a result, Findlay says, the Scottish Conservatives go into the election campaign confident of defying the odds and the pollsters again.
He urged Scots who agree with these “common-sense” plans to vote Scottish Conservative on their peach ballot, to help the party stop an SNP majority, just like they did in 2016 and 2021.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay will say: “We can be confident because we go into this election knowing we’re on the right side of public opinion on all the big issues.
“Whether it is energy, and our support for oil and gas and new nuclear generation in Scotland; or criminal justice, and our demand for honest sentencing; or education, and our plan to give headteachers the power to exclude violent pupils.
“Most people out there agree with our common-sense plans.
“Then there’s the number one issue of the people of Scotland, the issue that will be at the heart of our campaign – and that’s the cost-of-living crisis.
“People work hard but struggle to pay the bills. The weekly shop gets more expensive. There’s too much month at the end of the money.
“In recent weeks, the BBC published a major poll showing that the cost of living was a top priority for two out of three Scots. And one in three said the economy was a priority.
“We are committed to addressing both.
“We are committed to putting more money in people’s pockets. We would do this by cutting taxes. We would back business to grow our flatlining economy.
“That’s the Conservative way. It’s what we believe in – and it’s what people want.
“Wherever you live in Scotland, you should vote Scottish Conservative on the peach ballot paper.
“That’s your secret weapon to stop an SNP majority and end John Swinney’s threat to hold an independence referendum.
“It worked in 2016, it worked at the last election in 2021 – and it can work again in a few weeks’ time.”