Russell Findlay is to kick off a tour of the Scottish Conservatives’ blue-wall seats today (Wednesday) in the south-west corner that’s been “shamefully neglected by the SNP”.
The party leader will join Galloway and West Dumfries candidate Finlay Carson for a visit to a haulage firm near Stranraer, where they will highlight the Nationalist government’s failure to upgrade the lifeline A77 and A75.
Carson says the constituency, which he has represented since 2016, has also been betrayed by the SNP’s failure to provide adequate local healthcare and the anti-business policies that have hammered local employers.
Findlay, who will visit the neighbouring seat of Dumfriesshire later today, followed by Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire tomorrow, urged voters in all three constituencies to back his party on both ballot papers to stop an SNP majority and the constitutional chaos it would lead to.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “Galloway and West Dumfries has been shamefully neglected by the SNP for two decades.
“South-west Scotland relies on the A75 and A77 as lifelines for trade, tourism and to access key services – and it’s scandalous that the Nationalists have broken their promises to upgrade them.
“Finlay Carson is a superb local champion who fights for his constituents and it will be great to campaign with him in Stranraer, as I tour the Scottish Conservative-held seats on the border with England.
“John Swinney is deadly serious about holding another independence referendum if he wins a majority, but voters in the south of Scotland can stop his constitutional chaos by voting Scottish Conservative on both of their ballot papers.”
Scottish Conservative candidate for Galloway and West Dumfries Finlay Carson said: “People in this area are sick of being ignored by the SNP.
“The A75 and A77 are key routes for Dumfries and Galloway residents, as well as for freight links to Northern Ireland and northern England. So it’s unacceptable that the Nationalists have failed to upgrade and make them safe.
“But it’s not just the state of the roads where the SNP betrayal is felt. We have a chronic shortage of GPs, while pregnant women in the west have to travel up to 80 miles to Dumfries to access maternity services. It’s intolerable.
“Towns like Stranraer are counting the cost of the SNP’s anti-business policies, with high street businesses closing. The Scottish Conservatives’ plans to reduce business rates and provide drivers with two hours of free parking would provide a huge boost to town-centre businesses.
“I’m delighted to welcome Russell back to Galloway. The rural manifesto he unveiled last week demonstrates that the Scottish Conservatives have solutions to the challenges facing areas like this.”