Douglas Ross and failing Tories out of touch with their extreme anti-climate agenda
The Scottish Tories are out of touch and out of time with their extreme anti-climate agenda, say the Scottish Greens.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross was criticised for his “ridiculous diatribe” during today’s First Minister’s Questions, when he exposed time and time again over his party’s failure to back progressive climate policies.
The party’s climate spokesperson Mark Ruskell said:
“The ridiculous diatribe we heard from Douglas Ross underlines how terrified the Tories are of the progressive change that is being delivered by Scottish Greens in Government.
“In the last 18 months we have introduced free bus travel for young people, a £25 a week Scottish Child Payment that is supporting the most vulnerable families and a tax system that ensures those with the broadest shoulders are paying a fairer share.
“In that time the Tories have crashed our economy and delivered even more pain, austerity and cuts. Only today their incompetent shambles of a government has caused interest rates to be hiked to their highest level for 15 years.
“Douglas Ross and his colleagues have signed up to an extreme anti-climate agenda and have shown a consistent contempt for devolution and our parliament.
“They have cheered while a government that Scotland did not elect has torpedoed and overturned decisions that were made by our Parliament.
“We are delivering a fairer, greener and better Scotland. Douglas Ross and his Tory colleagues are increasingly out of touch and out of time.”
Mr Ruskell also secured a commitment from the First Minister to hold a climate convention that will bring experts, politicians and campaigners together to help accelerate the kind of action the Tories have so far opposed.
Ahead of FMQs, Mark said:
“Simply by looking around at the devastation being wrought by wildfires in the north and the south, flash flooding and the current severe and worrying marine heat event off our coast, we can see the crisis is on our doorsteps and at our shores.
“We need to quickly decarbonise and enhance public transport, introduce climate friendly heating systems to replace gas boilers on a massive scale, improve building standards and insulation, and continue our groundbreaking work on nature, biodiversity and active travel.
“It is to the Scottish Government’s credit that they invited the Scottish Greens to join them to help tackle issues exactly like these. It’s vital we include those campaigning on the front line.”
