Political opinion: Labour hit out at frontline staffing fall, and call for change on colleges
New figures showing that frontline jobs in Scotland’s colleges, local government and in the emergency services have been cut, while back-office civil services posts increase, have been blasted by Scottish Labour.
Despite repeated promises by the Scottish Government to get spiralling staff numbers under control Scottish Government civil service posts have risen by over 40%. At the same time local colleges have seen the number of jobs cut by 11%, while the police and fire services have also suffered job losses.
Scottish Labour has accused the SNP government of prioritising “government bureaucrats” over nurses and police officers.
Labour’s candidate for Falkirk West, Paul Godzik, hit out at the figures, stating: “More and more local people are now aware of the extent of Scottish Government mismanagement. In our college sector we see the proposed closure of a local campus, there are growing waiting lists in our NHS, while local police stations have been closed, and officers are overstretched.
“Yet these job figures clearly show the SNP Government’s priorities, more back-office jobs while frontline staffing is scaled back.
“The figures are most dramatic in our college sector. They highlight the extent of the cuts local colleges have had to make over the last few years, and the need for an urgent change of approach in further and higher education, which supports local colleges.
“That change will only come with a new government, after 18 years the SNP have lost their way. We need new ideas and a new direction for Scotland, which puts our communities and frontline services first.”
Scottish Labour Finance spokesperson Michael Marra added: “Every day Scots face misery trying to access overstretched frontline service, but the SNP is more interested in growing its own bloated operation.
“While our NHS is at crisis point and crime is on the rise, it is woefully out of touch to opt for more government bureaucrats over nurses and police officers.
“This clueless SNP government simply has the wrong priorities.”