As we look towards the Scottish Parliament elections in May, in which I am standing for the Conservatives in Glasgow Anniesland, it is worth reminding everyone that this SNP government have been in power for 14 years.

Since 2007 it is the SNP and their government ministers who are completely responsible for decisions in devolved areas.

This election offers an opportunity to put an end to the politics of grievance and division and focus on rebuilding our communities. The SNP are a tired government who are out of ideas and still act like they are in opposition.

They are only interested in breaking up our United Kingdom and pursuing another divisive referendum, possibly as early as this year as we continue to deal with a pandemic.

Take education as a prime example Scotland used to lead the world in educational standards but under this SNP government we have slipped down the international rankings in maths, science and English. John Swinney has a report on his desk right now, containing the results of the OECD review into Scotland’s schools, but the SNP refuses to publish it.

The Scottish Conservatives urge the SNP to do so immediately. We also have proposed a bold catch-up plan for our students who have missed so much education because of the pandemic and longer-term we will recruit 3,000 extra teachers to sort out the SNP’s cuts over the last 14 years.

As a councillor, I have seen the direct impact of the Covid pandemic on our communities. Libraries shut, community centres closed, mental health issues building up and constituents who are worried about their jobs.

Rather than properly fund our local authorities, the SNP have committed to increasing their funding by less than one per cent, while setting aside £600,000 of party funds for referendum preparations this year.

They rejected our calls for fair funding for our councils which we would enshrine into law. Never again would councils have to worry about not getting a fair share of the budget to support vital services.

But the SNP is more interested now in their internal party wars and driving through plans for another referendum in the middle of a crisis.

The Scottish Conservatives are united and will put an end to the division that has blighted Scottish politics. We n