Latest news with #TaxpayerSavingAct
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tories will 'wield claymore' on spending, says Findlay
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has pledged to save £650m from the Scottish budget if elected at next year's Holyrood election. Findlay said he would achieve this by introducing a Taxpayer Saving Act to "cut red tape and get a grip on spending" alongside a Scottish Agency of Value and Efficiency (Save) to "wield a claymore" on waste. Findlay told the party's conference in Edinburgh he would put "streamlining" the Scottish government at the heart of his plans if elected next year. He urged voters to back the Scottish Conservatives over Reform UK, adding a vote for Nigel Farage's party would only result in "another five years of SNP government". In his keynote speech to members, Findlay accused John Swinney's government of "wasting untold sums of public money". He said the party would shut down government quangos, reduce the number of ministers and advisors and cut the size of the civil service to levels last seen 10 years ago in order to "deliver better value". Badenoch calls for end to oil and gas windfall tax Why Reform was the other big winner in the Hamilton by-election Money regained from the Taxpayer Saving Act would be used to reduce taxes, he told the conference at Murrayfield Stadium. Save, which would be run by business leaders, would be tasked with cutting government "waste," while an Accountability and Transparency Index would be introduced as a way of "shining a light" on organisations which receive public funding. He also said a £20,000 pay rise for ministers would be reversed. Findlay told party members: "There will be no more jobs for the SNP boys. "Putting a stop to wasteful spending is top of our agenda. "We need to urgently streamline bloated government." He added: "Improving services means treating people's money with respect." Findlay also revealed plans to scrap the SNP's 2045 net zero target and replaced the Just Transition Fund with an Affordable Transition Fund aimed at supporting oil and gas workers. On Friday, the UK Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, used her speech at the conference to call for an end to the windfall tax in the North Sea. Findlay said residents would be given new powers to oppose "mega-pylons" and would end the current presumption against new nuclear energy in Scotland. The Conservative leader claimed pupils in schools were being "written off" and that "woke ideas" were being pushed on children "at the expense of vital knowledge". Findlay said his party offered a "common sense vision" for Scotland. But he said those considering abandoning the party in favour of Reform would only help the SNP hang on to power. Aberdeenshire councillor Lauren Knight became the latest Conservative councillor to defect to Reform on Friday, stating she felt "let down" by the party. Reform also finished ahead of the Conservatives in the recent Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, which saw the Tory vote fall by 11.5%. Findlay described Farage's spending plans as "fantastical" and said only his party could "shake up Scottish politics". He said: "Reform pretend they can do it, but all they'll achieve is another five years of SNP government. "As we saw at the General Election, and as every poll shows, Reform increases the chance of the SNP winning." He added: "Maybe it's because Nigel Farage says he's not worried about the SNP getting another five-year term. "Well we are worried about the SNP, Nigel, because we live here. "But we can't spend our time focusing on Reform because it's what we do that matters most."
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Scottish Conservatives will 'wield claymore' on spending, says Russell Findlay
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has pledged to save £650m from the Scottish budget if elected at next year's Holyrood said he would achieve this by introducing a Taxpayer Saving Act to "cut red tape and get a grip on spending" alongside a Scottish Agency of Value and Efficiency (Save) to "wield a claymore" on told the party's conference in Edinburgh he would put "streamlining" the Scottish government at the heart of his plans if elected next urged voters to back the Scottish Conservatives over Reform UK, adding a vote for Nigel Farage's party would only result in "another five years of SNP government". In his keynote speech to members, Findlay accused John Swinney's government of "wasting untold sums of public money".He said the party would shut down government quangos, reduce the number of ministers and advisors and cut the size of the civil service to levels last seen 10 years ago in order to "deliver better value". Money regained from the Taxpayer Saving Act would be used to reduce taxes, he told the conference at Murrayfield which would be run by business leaders, would be tasked with cutting government "waste," while an Accountability and Transparency Index would be introduced as a way of "shining a light" on organisations which receive public also said a £20,000 pay rise for ministers would be told party members: "There will be no more jobs for the SNP boys."Putting a stop to wasteful spending is top of our agenda."We need to urgently streamline bloated government."He added: "Improving services means treating people's money with respect." Findlay also revealed plans to scrap the SNP's 2045 net zero target and replaced the Just Transition Fund with an Affordable Transition Fund aimed at supporting oil and gas Friday, the UK Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, used her speech at the conference to call for an end to the windfall tax in the North said residents would be given new powers to oppose "mega-pylons" and would end the current presumption against new nuclear energy in Conservative leader claimed pupils in schools were being "written off" and that "woke ideas" were being pushed on children "at the expense of vital knowledge". 'Reform vote increases SNP chances' Findlay said his party offered a "common sense vision" for he said those considering abandoning the party in favour of Reform would only help the SNP hang on to councillor Lauren Knight became the latest Conservative councillor to defect to Reform on Friday, stating she felt "let down" by the also finished ahead of the Conservatives in the recent Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, which saw the Tory vote fall by 11.5%.Findlay described Farage's spending plans as "fantastical" and said only his party could "shake up Scottish politics".He said: "Reform pretend they can do it, but all they'll achieve is another five years of SNP government."As we saw at the General Election, and as every poll shows, Reform increases the chance of the SNP winning."He added: "Maybe it's because Nigel Farage says he's not worried about the SNP getting another five-year term."Well we are worried about the SNP, Nigel, because we live here."But we can't spend our time focusing on Reform because it's what we do that matters most."
The Herald Scotland
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. Read more: Kemi Badenoch: Defectors leaving the Tories for Reform UK is a 'good thing' Kemi-geddon or a fresh start? The mood behind the scenes at Scottish Tory conference John Swinney responds to concerns SNP figures are briefing against leadership 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. Read more: Loyalist supremacy, hatred, racism and poverty: I know elements of Ulster riots well Badenoch calls for 'electoral defeat' of SNP at Tory conference Andrew Bowie: Coalition with Reform is worst thing we can do '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.'
