Fight Holyrood's Power Grab - Say Yes to Local Policing!

First thing to say is how excited and honoured I am to be representing the Scottish Liberal Democrats in the poll for the Edinburgh Eastern constituency.  It is not a city I take for granted in the least bit; Edinburgh has real challenges to face in the years ahead, none of them made any easier by the current economic situation.  Often the choices to be made are difficult and one must attempt to be far-sighted in outcomes.  For instance, the SNP and Labour are campaigning to merge all of Scotland’s police force under one authority.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12162004

 

On the face of it this is a money-saving initiative but the implications for our local police services are stark: police being allocated according to national direction and not local need.  More expensive new construction for a central headquarters, the potential for up to 4000 police jobs being lost and no local accountability; instead a single Chief Constable under ministerial control.  This policy, launched by Justice Minister for the last parliament Kenny MacAskill, leads me to wonder what kind of Scotland the SNP wants us to live under?  Police forces are divided in order to stop power being concentrated with too few individuals; whether senior officers or politicians.  A potentially frightening prospect if Scotland does see a single police force so I will ask you to join with the Liberal Democrat in campaigning against this concentration of power in the hands of few politicians and officials in Holyrood.

http://www.scotlibdems.org.uk/keeppolicinglocal

Hustings meetings

April 19th   - PortobelloCommunity Council
                      Old Parish Church Hall, Bellfield Street, Portobello.  19:30hrs

April 20^th     – Community Hub, 198 Restalarig Road South 19:00 – 21:00hrs.
 

May 1^st        - Islamic Centre, Polwarth, Real Foundation of Scotland & Muslim League, 18:00hrs