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Scottish Conservatives to force vote on “out-of-touch” asylum seekers’ bus travel policy

The Scottish Conservatives will call on all parties at Holyrood this week to vote against the SNP’s “out-of-touch” policy which will see free bus travel given to asylum seekers.

They will use their party business slot on Wednesday to call out the proposal, which was re-introduced by the SNP in last week’s Budget, after the Greens demanded they did so.

Shadow transport secretary Sue Webber has already highlighted that the £2 million that the SNP are “squandering” on the scheme could be used to instead deliver winter fuel payments for over 6,000 Scottish pensioners this winter. 

Now shadow finance secretary Craig Hoy will lead a debate in which he’ll accuse the SNP and the other left-wing parties in Holyrood of being “completely disconnected” from the public on the issue.

Polling at the weekend highlighted that almost one in two Scots are opposed to the policy.

Craig Hoy added that it is another “scandalous” example of how the SNP’s budgets continually fail to deliver best value for taxpayers.

Scottish Conservative shadow finance secretary Craig Hoy MSP said: “Squandering taxpayers’ money on free bus travel for asylum seekers confirms how out-of-touch the SNP are.

“That’s why we’re forcing a vote on this budget measure this week in Parliament to show it is only the Scottish Conservatives who are on the side of the public on this issue.

“The SNP and the other left-wing parties at Holyrood are completely disconnected from Scots and believe this policy is the right thing to do. We disagree.

“The £2 million earmarked to dish out free bus passes to asylum seekers would be better off giving thousands of Scots pensioners a winter fuel payment right now.

“Taxpayers are sick and tired of the SNP wasting their money on their own projects. Last week’s budget is another scandalous example of the SNP failing to ensure that it delivers best value for them.

“I urge all opposition parties to join the Scottish Conservatives in showing some common sense and call on the SNP to ditch free bus travel for asylum seekers.”