Scottish Conservatives write to Greens on BTP merger
The Scottish Conservatives have today written to Scottish Green party leader to urge him to join the growing consensus on the safe devolution of British Transport Police.
It follows a letter from the British Transport Police Federation last week proposing a new way to complete the devolution of BTP which avoids the risks of the SNP's bungled approach.
The Scottish Greens have so far supported the SNP Government's plans - now put on hold after its flaws were pointed out.
The Scottish Conservatives are now calling on Mr Harvie to support a joint opposition bid to start again.
The letter to Mr Harvie from Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr is attached.
Mr Kerr said today:
"Every party at Holyrood supports the devolution of British Transport Police. But the SNP's chosen model to deliver that threatens to go off the rails.
"They have put their plan on ice, but are continuing to refuse to change course. It is time the Parliament came together to urge them to do so.
"The Greens are the only other party which have propped up the SNP plan. So I have written to Patrick Harvie today urging him to review the evidence, listen to expert stakeholders and hear the fears of employees, passengers, train companies and the police and join other opposition parties to persuade the SNP to back a new way of devolving BTP, in a way that does so safely.
"On the 5th anniversary of Police Scotland, it's time to fix the problems we have with the single force, not add to them.
"The Scottish parliament was set up to find cross party solutions. I'm urging the Greens today to join that cause."