2 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Findlay: I'll cut taxes and end SNP 'toxic era of secrecy'
He will unveil plans for a new Taxpayer Saving Act which will 'rein in wasteful public spending and slash bureaucracy'.
The additional funds would then be used to bring down taxes.
The Scottish Tories have been taking aim at John Swinney's party in recent weeks, over what they describe as financial mismanagement.
The legislative proposals by Mr Findlay would reduce the number of quangos by a quarter.
Official figures from the Scottish Government showed there was 131 quangos in Scotland, up from 119 in 2015.
Mr Findlay said his party would bring in businesspeople to identify where savings can be made by slashing red tape in the NHS and other public bodies.
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In his first conference speech as leader, he is expected to say: 'Putting a stop to wasteful spending is top of our agenda.
'We need to urgently streamline bloated government.
'Improving services means treating people's money with respect.
'Today I can announce that our party would introduce a Taxpayer Savings Act to get the books in order and deliver better value.
'This proposal would save £650 million by cutting red tape, getting a grip on spending, and harnessing business expertise.
'We would then use that money to bring down people's taxes.
'By doing that, we would start to restore trust.
'We would shut down quangos that don't deliver value.'
He will add: 'We'd tackle the SNP's culture of cronyism through strict new rules on public appointments.
'No more jobs for the boys, and we would reduce the number of ministers and advisors.
'We would introduce a Scottish Agency of Value and Efficiency – run by business leaders.
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'People in the real world who know how to get things done.
'They would be tasked with wielding a claymore on waste.
'We would introduce an Accountability and Transparency Index.
'This would shine a light on every organisation that receives public money, and would begin to dismantle the SNP's toxic era of secrecy.'
SNP MSP Kevin Stewart described Mr Findlay's remarks as 'increasingly desperate'.
He said: "The Tories will say anything in their increasingly desperate attempt to remain relevant. In 14 years in power they wrecked our economy, presided over soaring household bills and ripped Scotland from the EU against our will.
"And now they're lurching further and further to the right as they haemorrhage support to Nigel Farage.
"Only the SNP is focused on tackling the real issues and only independence gives Scotland the chance to escape Westminster chaos and build a fairer, more progressive country.'
