Halcro Johnston responds to “brass neck” of SNP MSP
Responding to Richard Lochhead MSP’s comments today calling on the UK Government to revise its approach to digital connectivity, Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP has accused the SNP MSP of “brass neck” given SNP funding cuts to Moray Council.
The Scottish Conservative MSP said:
“The Scottish Government are tasked with the delivery of broadband to rural Scotland and no amount of deflection from Richard Lochhead can distract from the clear fact that they are failing to do so.
"The reality is that, despite Scotland receiving more funding for broadband roll out than any other part of the UK, the SNP are years behind other administrations in delivering broadband. On top of that, at a time when we need to step up the roll out of broadband in Moray and across the Highlands and Islands, the Scottish Government’s own enterprise agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise underspent on broadband roll out by over 45 percent last year.
“And, given the SNP’s ongoing financial squeeze on Moray Council’s budget, for Richard Lochhead to claim Moray is being ‘short-changed’ shows some brass neck. Richard Lochhead is happy to take a ministerial salary in an SNP government which has systematically cut funding for Moray Council over the years, and which is now threatening further reductions.
“Those further reductions would lead to even more SNP cuts threatening local services; services which are vital for the very people Richard Lochhead is meant to represent.”
