Local MSP Brian Whittle has accused Alan Brown MP of misrepresenting how the Scottish and UK Governments came to hold separate conferences in Glasgow on Scotland’s drug death crisis, one day after another.
Shortly after the UK Government announced plans for a summit of politicians and experts from across the UK to discuss rising levels of drug related deaths, the Scottish Government decided it would hold its own event the day before. In a recent Kilmarnock Standard column, SNP MP Alan Brown attacked the UK Government, saying that it had chosen to hold its summit after the Scottish Governments. Now South Scotland Conservative MSP Brian has written to Brown to set the record straight.
The South Scotland MSP, who actually attended the Scottish Government conference, called for genuine cooperation between the UK and Scottish Governments and an end to the political point scoring and spin. In his letter to the MP, the MSP also called for the Scottish Government to concentrate on the action it can take now to support addiction charities and rehabilitation services in Scotland, rather than picking constitutional fights.
Brian was also quick to point out that the Scottish Government’s repeated demands to the UK Government to allow a safe injection room to be set up in Glasgow would do little to help people in East Ayrshire. Instead, he called for the Scottish Government to use the powers they have to support more charities and other organisations already delivering addiction services. He also criticised the SNP for failing to reverse the cuts to rehab bed numbers across Scotland, which have fallen from 352 in 2007 when they entered office to 70 today.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“I know that in politics, everything is an opportunity for spin, but on an issue as serious as this, we have to be responsible and deal in facts. I believe there are politicians from all parties and parliaments who want to reduce drug deaths in Scotland and deal with our devastating levels of addiction.
East Ayrshire has some of the worst drug death rates in the country and I believe we need to explore every option to reverse this trend. That has to start with supporting the organisations on the ground who are already delivering vital services but are continually having to worry about whether they have enough money coming in to continue.
I hope Alan Brown and his colleagues in the SNP will consider putting more effort into collaborating with myself and others on this issue, rather than finding ways to drive a wedge between us.”
