Kezia Dugdale in Lewis Today

Our manifesto will “speak to all of Scotland”.

Our manifesto will set out to help island communities including:

– A commitment to build 60,000 new homes to tackle the housing crisis in Scotland, including thousands of new homes for Scotland’s island communities.
– A £100 million investment over the lifetime of the next Parliament, to extend coverage of superfast broadband.
– The establishment of Skills Scotland, a new agency for jobs and work,which would work in partnership with trade unions and local government to promote local economic development and build the jobs of the future.
– More freedom for local government to raise revenues, including the option to introduce a tourist tax.
– Keep CalMac in public hands and immediately halt the unnecessary tender of the Clyde and Hebrides services.

Kezia said:

“The Labour Party I lead aspires to represent people in every corner of this country, and our plan to stop the cuts and invest in public services is as relevant on our islands as in our cities. The SNP’s cuts have meant the loss of vital local services on our islands, cuts to our schools and a fall in standards in the NHS. That is why next week we will launch a manifesto that will speak to all of Scotland.

“We have bold and ambitious plans that will change the lives of people who live in our island communities – whether that’s investing to build thousands of new homes or extending the coverage of superfast broadband across the country.

“We are also absolutely clear that a Labour Scottish Government would keep CalMac in public hands and one of our first actions in Government would be halting the tender of the Clyde and Hebrides services and taking our argument straight to the EU. Earlier this week at the STUC Congress and again in the SNP manifesto yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon was unable to make a similar commitment, instead leaving the services under threat of privatisation.”

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