Dear Orkney News,
Austerity affects us all. It is the reason services are being consolidated, reduced or closed down. It’s not the Scottish Government that’s cut the budget, it’s the Tory Government in Westminster who decide how much Scotland gets. Theresa May is promising more cuts and this time she’s coming after pensioners and school children.
Austerity has not reduced the national debt. That has in fact more than doubled since the Tories came to power. What Austerity has done is made the gap between rich and poor far wider. Austerity was an ideological choice by the Tories. Instead of making the people who caused the banking crisis pay, they have rewarded them with tax cuts and made the poorest pay.
The Tories want to fight the election in Scotland as if it’s a referendum on independence and Labour and Liberal Democrats are collaborating with them. However, our choice in this General Election is not whether we want a second referendum on Brexit or Scottish Independence its whether we want someone representing our islands who is going to stand up to Tory austerity or vote with them.
The SNP has been consistent in opposing austerity. If you are against Tory austerity, Vote for Miriam Brett the SNP candidate.
Neil Sutherland , Shetland