Scottish Tories ‘just getting going’ claims Findlay as he pitches cash scheme

The initiative would see Scottish Government underspends handed back to taxpayers.

The Scottish Tory leader was speaking to his party conference on Saturday (Robert Perry/PA) (PA Wire)

The Scottish Tories are “just getting going”, the party’s leader has said, as he announced a cashback scheme for families.

Russell Findlay spoke to party faithful in Murrayfield on Saturday, painting his party as the only credible alternative to the SNP.

But his speech came as the party is struggling in the polls, with one this week suggesting they could sink to just 11 MSPs.

Speaking to the Press Association after the speech, he said the Edinburgh conference would “absolutely not” be his last as leader of the party, adding: “We’re just getting going here.

“Kemi (Badenoch) and I took over after a really difficult general election.

“The Scottish Conservatives, though, if you look at it through a clear eye, have been the only party at Holyrood to consistently and robustly stand up to the SNP at every turn.”

In a near-45 minute speech on Saturday, the journalist-turned-politician announced plans for a “Conservative cashback” scheme, which would see all households benefit from Government underspends.

In 2024-25, the Government underspent its budget by £1 billion, which the Tories said could equate to a £200 per household dividend, in the form of a council tax rebate.

Funding is usually carried forward to the following year’s budget.

“This is taxpayers’ money, it’s your money – it’s not John Swinney’s money,” he said.

“I say it with pride and conviction – we want to cut tax, while the SNP will always try to find new ways to snatch your cash.”

Speaking later to PA, Mr Findlay rejected the idea the scheme was an election bribe to voters, saying: “This would force the Scottish Government to spend their money wisely and, actually, it should incentivise any Government to ensure that when there’s money left over, that it goes back to hard-working taxpayers.”

The extra £200, he said, would “go a long way” for hard-up households.

Speaking just 75 days from the Holyrood election in May, Mr Findlay said the possibility of another SNP win – which could see a near-quarter century tenure in power for the party – “fills me with dread”.

“The real work starts now,” he told party members.

“We’ve turned our values and vision into a plan for a better Scotland.

“A victory for John Swinney would extend SNP rule in Holyrood to nearly a quarter of a century – five more wasted years of the same failed approach, five more years of secrecy and evasion, dishonesty and deceit, relentless demands for independence referendums, trapping us in the same downward spiral.”

He added: “Hitched to the Greens, nothing will be considered too extreme.

“Neither Labour nor the Lib Dems will oppose them – they’re just too weak, they’ve failed before and they’ll keep failing, they are part of the problem.

“So that leaves us – the Scottish Conservatives are the voice of common sense.”

Mr Findlay said Reform UK – who are surging in the polls and currently vying with Labour for second place – are “not the answer” to the issues facing Scotland.

“Reform are populists and opportunists, no different to the SNP, pretending to be all things to all people, shifting position like the weather, saying whatever is convenient, depending on who’s listening at the time,” he said.

Commenting on Mr Findlay’s speech, SNP MSP George Adam said: “The Scottish Government is obligated by law to produce a balanced budget, and therefore runs an underspend to allow for flexibility throughout the year. Russell Findlay’s dangerous plan puts this at risk.

“Rather than making promises he can’t keep, Russell Findlay needs to outline what public services he would be prepared to put at risk to fund this bizarre plan.”

Liberal Democrat Jamie Greene MSP said: “I think it would be more accurate to say that any Scottish Tories with any get up and go, have got up and left.

“Voters are fleeing them because they have nothing positive to offer. During the budget they sat on the sidelines firing out angry press releases and achieving nothing. Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrats got stuck in and delivered £300 million for our constituents.

“Wherever you are, if you want to beat the SNP, you should back the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the peach regional ballot.”