Every day, the results of 14 years of Tory government are startlingly clear – ranging from economic challenges to instability in our public services.
Economic growth and wages are at a standstill, one in four children are living in poverty, and nearly one in six Scots are on an NHS waiting list.
The Tories have degraded our politics with scandal and sleaze, turning our democracy into a mockery.
The urgent need for change is evident — and in the coming month, we will have a chance to deliver it.
Your past voting behaviour is irrelevant to me, what matters is the desire for change.
I completely sympathise with those who wish to distance themselves from this corrupt, dysfunctional, and inept Tory government. I even understand the reasons why many people initially turned away from Labour. However, the Labour Party has evolved and is now ready to instigate change in the country.
This is an opportunity we cannot disregard.
The current status quo is failing millions of Scots, but this is not the pinnacle we should be aiming for.
The first steps a Labour government will take to foster change for Scotland and to tackle the major challenges our country faces were outlined last week.
Our plans are aimed at delivering economic stability, reducing NHS waiting times, establishing GB energy, creating jobs, making work pay, and maximising Scotland’s influence.
The Tories’ economic mishandling has affected the everyday citizen; they have raised expenses for working families while attempting to push through tax reductions for billionaires and reduced funding for vital frontline services.
Labour’s first step in government will be to ensure economic stability by prudently managing public finances, fostering economic growth, and keeping taxes, inflation, and mortgages as low as possible.
Economic growth is fundamental for job creation and funding vitally-needed public services.
The National Health Service is one of the most crucial public services, and currently, almost one in six Scots are on an NHS waiting list; more than one in 10 of them have been waiting over a year.
Everyone knows someone who is waiting for an appointment or treatment.
A Labour government will bring about change for our NHS.
By closing the Tories’ non-dom tax loophole and cracking down on tax avoidance, we can provide £134 million for Scotland each year and reduce waiting times.
However, to truly save our NHS, we also need change in Holyrood.
The Labour Party built the NHS, and it is our responsibility to rebuild it today.
Aside from our healthcare crisis, the cost of living crisis is also causing issues for Scots, with the energy bills of families soaring by an extra £1,880 over the last two years.
Labour’s plans for a publicly-owned GB energy company based in Glasgow would help to permanently reduce these bills and create 69,000 new green jobs.
This is a transformational opportunity for Scotland, funded by a windfall tax on the outrageous profits energy giants have made from this cost of living crisis.
Labour will always represent the working populace, as evidenced by Angela Rayner’s New Deal for Working People.
This deal will transform workers’ rights and empower working individuals and their families by improving work pay, ending unfair hiring practices, enhancing employment rights, providing a genuine living wage, and proscribing zero-hour contracts once and for all.
We will increase wages and pull people out of poverty.
These plans will be paired with our pledge to create jobs in Glasgow and throughout Scotland, unlocking opportunities for the next generation.
First-time buyers will be supported to make homeownership a reality, not just a distant dream, and access to apprenticeships will be improved to equip young people for the opportunities that lie ahead.
Scotland’s brightest days are still ahead of us.
Our nation is teeming with talent; we need a government that genuinely believes in our potential.
A vote for the Labour Party is a step toward maximising Scotland’s influence and giving Scotland a voice in government.
This is just the beginning.
With Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, Scotland will have a government on its side, supporting both its people and those working towards a better nation.
My message to the people of Scotland in this upcoming election is — no matter how you’ve voted in the past, if you believe our country needs change, then vote Labour.
We cannot afford five more years of this corrupt Tory government — and by voting Labour, we can ensure the Tories are removed from power.
To keep updated with the latest political news, sign up to our Politics newsletter.
