PCS responds to Scottish Parliament results

After nearly two decades of Tory rule in Westminster and two years of Keir Starmer’s disastrous leadership, yesterday sent a strong message to both - voters have had enough.  

Reform UK’s gain of seventeen seats in the Scottish Parliament signals a shift from the Unionist vote who used to be at home in the Conservatives and Scottish Labour and who have now backed a new horse. It is also clear that Reform UK has attracted Scottish voters who haven’t voted in recent elections and wanted to give their vote to a new party - but one that is not associated with the Scottish political establishment. 

Now, for the first time in the Scottish Parliament, Reform UK will show their true colours. They will be exposed as the enemy of workers and a threat to our devolved democracy.

The Scottish Greens have nearly doubled their seats by running on a manifesto that promises to tax the super-rich, expand childcare for families, properly invest in public services and protect Scotland’s environment. This manifesto is most aligned to PCS Scotland policies and therefore an increase in Scottish Green representation in the Scottish Parliament is progress for PCS members’ agenda in Scotland. 

The SNP had high hopes of returning a majority government, but they will once again be reliant on other political parties to support them in getting budgets and legislation through parliament. This provides PCS members in Scotland with an opportunity to put pressure on the Scottish Greens to follow through on their manifesto commitments and hold the SNPs feet to the fire when they call on them for support. The Scottish Greens must only support SNP budgets that properly fund public services and utilise all the devolved powers that are available to benefit Scottish workers and communities.  

In the weeks to come, work will begin on re-establishing the PCS Scotland Scottish Parliamentary group and MSPs from the SNP, Scottish Labour, the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Greens will be engaged and lobbied to ensure that PCS Scotland’s agenda is front and centre. 

Ruby Gibson, PCS national officer for Scotland said:

"The next five years must deliver for workers in Scotland. That starts with reforming the out of date and grossly unfair council tax system, taxing wealth and land, and ending the outrageous situation where £16 billion of Scottish taxpayers’ money is going to private companies to deliver public services, with £3 billion of this money being taken in profits. These measures are possible within the limits of devolution and will provide the Scottish Government with billions of pounds to invest in more nurses, teachers and civil servants, and the high-quality public services that Scotland deserves. 

"The SNP will once again form a government, but they must recognise that the decline in their vote share signals a dissatisfaction from the Scottish electorate. Over the next five years, Scottish workers and communities need to see tangible improvements to the cost-of-living crisis and public services."