Labour will ‘take a hammer’ to public services, Flynn to say

The UK Government will “take a hammer to public services”, the SNP’s Westminster leader is expected to say on Saturday.

Stephen Flynn will address delegates at his party’s conference in Edinburgh, his first major speech to members since losing dozens of MPs in last month’s election.

The Aberdeen South MP is expected to use the speech to criticise the new Government over the economy.

Taking a hammer to public services seems apt for a toolmaker’s son

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Budget in October will be “painful”, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves claimed the previous Tory government hid a more than £20 billion black hole in public finances.

“You will all know that one of the oldest saying in politics is that you campaign in poetry and govern in prose,” he is expected to tell delegates.

“Labour has gone one step further – campaign in poetry and govern painfully.

“From the poetic promise of change to things can only get worse.

“Taking a hammer to public services seems apt for a toolmaker’s son.”

Mr Flynn will also issue a call to his own party, telling members they “must offer hope in the face of Labour Party austerity cuts and misery”.

“Our argument, our belief and our offer to the Scottish people is that Brexit Britain is not as good as it gets,” he will add.

“We believe that decisions made in Scotland, for Scotland can deliver a better future for all.

“That becoming a normal independent country in Europe can meet our people’s needs and their aspirations.

“That it can deliver the basic belief that the next generation can and should aspire to a higher standard of living and a better quality of life than that which has gone before.

“Those are simple things, but they are the most important of all.”

Scottish Conservative finance spokeswoman Liz Smith MSP, said: “Stephen Flynn is taking the public for fools.

“As the Scottish Fiscal Commission pointed out this week, the SNP is to blame for the mess in Scotland’s finances so they cannot be the solution.

“Despite receiving record block grants from Westminster and imposing the highest taxes in the UK, the SNP have run our public services into the ground and created a huge black hole in Scotland’s finances.

“Yes, Labour have betrayed pensioners by ditching universal winter fuel payments while agreeing above-inflation public sector pay deals – but the SNP have done exactly the same thing in Scotland.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “The party responsible for the cuts we are seeing in Scotland right now is the SNP and no amount of spin can hide that.

“The SNP’s cynical and dishonest election campaign was rejected by Scottish voters, but it is still sticking to the same script.

“Labour is working to clean up the mess the Tories left behind and renew our country – including setting up GB Energy here in Scotland, making work pay and prioritising economic growth.

“It’s time for the SNP to stop making excuses and set out how it will fix the mess it has made of Scotland’s public services and public finances.”