Tories promise 3000 more teachers in 'rebuilding roadmap'

Recruiting 3000 more teachers over the next five years is part of the “rebuilding roadmap” promised by the Scottish Conservatives.

The party has outlined a three-phase plan to protect jobs and boost the economy as Scotland recovers from coronavirus, with leader Douglas Ross warning of a “tsunami” of job losses unless urgent action is taken.

Earlier in the week, Ross called for certain Covid restrictions to be lifted earlier than planned.

His party’s roadmap includes an emergency Enterprise Bill by the end of the summer, which would establish an economic development agency in each region of Scotland.

This would be followed by job security councils for sectors like oil and gas, providing re-skilling opportunities.

It also calls for a push for internal tourism from elsewhere in the UK, making “Scotland the destination of choice for the rest of the UK”.

The Tories have pledged to recruit 3000 more teachers over the next term of the Scottish Parliament if elected.

They have also committed to a rollout of full-fibre broadband by 2027 at a cost of £2bn, and the “biggest social housebuilding drive since devolution”.

New regulations for businesses would be ruled out until 2023 under the Tory plans.

The Conservatives say their policies in the roadmap would cost around £4.55bn over the next term of the Scottish Parliament, which would be met through a mixture of Barnett consequentials, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and unallocated capital spending.

Ross said: “The easing of restrictions will kick-start the economy but it will not prevent an economic crisis.

“A tsunami of job losses and business failures will still hit Scotland unless urgent action is taken.

“As the most anti-business First Minister since devolution, Nicola Sturgeon is not suited to lead an SNP majority government through the looming economic crisis.

“There is a real risk of an SNP majority that fails to support Scotland’s recovery with the necessary jobs plan to match the scale of this emergency and instead chooses to drag Scotland through the economic uncertainty of another divisive referendum.

“Our rebuilding roadmap presents a detailed blueprint to get Scotland on a faster road to recovery ahead of the SNP’s schedule, prioritising mental and physical health, and launching a raft of proposals to protect jobs and spur economic growth.”