Long-term stability needed for local economies
Speaking ahead of this afternoon's Holyrood debate - Scotland’s Economy, Short Term Resilience and Long Term Opportunities - John Finnie, Transport & Tourism spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for the Highlands & Islands, urged investment in infrastructure and skills transfer to provide economic stability for rural and urban communities.
Mr Finnie said:
“Scotland faces economic challenges but we also have huge opportunities. Scottish Greens will use this session of parliament to engage constructively with the minority government and other parties to make progress on those opportunities and meet those challenges.
“The decline of the oil and gas sector must be met with a managed transition to new industries rather than ever deeper tax cuts to encourage the extraction of resources that are ultimately unburnable. By investing now in viable alternatives such as decommissioning, renewables and energy efficient housing we can transfer workers’ skills and provide the long-term stability local economies across urban and rural Scotland need. We must continue to reject Tory austerity and invest in the infrastructure that our communities need, such as broadband, public transport, further education and training, and childcare.”