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News - VALUE FOR MONEY ACTION PLAN

The Conservatives recently released their Value for Money Action Plan. It outlined a programme of investment in public services combined with value for money and lower taxes. It also means that the block grant allocated to Scotland will not decrease.

In the plan, £35 billon of savings have been earmarked: £23 billion will go back into priority areas, £8 billion will be spent on reducing Labour’s excessive borrowing so we can avoid the tax rises that would be inevitable under another Labour Government, and the remaining £4 billion will be used to cut unfair taxes.

Commenting, Gavin Brown said:

“These plans are great news for Edinburgh South, as they pave the way for better value for money and lower taxes. Taxes are unfair and too high, yet the services we receive here in Edinburgh continue to deteriorate. That is why Conservatives want to focus the extra £23 billion on the priority areas like schools, hospitals, and putting more police on the beat, whilst at the same time giving a copper-bottomed guarantee that we will reduce unfair taxes.
“Labour’s usual response – that the Conservatives will cut funding to Scotland and to public services – is now dead and buried. Scotland’s block grant will increase at the same rate as the proposed increase by Labour for the whole of the spending round. However, because of our value for money action plan, that sustained investment will not require the third term tax rises which independent analysts agree are inevitable if Labour is re-elected. These plans represent a golden opportunity to improve public services and lower taxes.”

This is what the media had to say about the Conservative Value for Money Action Plan: -

'The Tories certainly look to have found a way to do what Labour says is impossible: Cut taxes by £4billion while at the same time spending on health, education, the police, pensions, defence and transport. …. Labour’s scaremongering spin that the Tories would damage public services is unconvincing’ (The Sun)

'The Tories have been right to keep criticising waste and calling for leaner government. It is, after all, your money that is being wasted’ (The Times)

'Labour has shown itself to be a party that still believes in big government and big taxation. If it returns to power we will have even more of the same’(The Express)

‘Our money is disappearing into an ocean of waste. Tory plans for greater efficiency and a less-intrusive state offer a very different but soundly-based approach. The very caution of Oliver Letwin’s proposed tax cuts should be seen as a virtue. .... They have the policies to transform Britain,’ (Daily Mail).