First Minister ‘dodging scrutiny’ at launch of council election campaign

Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of trying to “dodge scrutiny” after the SNP put a limit on the number of journalists able to attend the party’s local election campaign launch.

The First Minister will hit out at the UK government’s failure to respond to the cost-of-living crisis.

She said SNP councillors will “prioritise” a response to rising prices.

While some broadcast journalists have been invited to the Glasgow launch, other members of the press have been told numbers are limited and there will be other opportunities to grill the FM.

Scottish Labour’s Neil Bibby said the Scottish Government was not doing enough to support those struggling with increasing energy and food bills

He said: “It’s no wonder Nicola Sturgeon is trying to dodge scrutiny while she bungles her response to the worst cost of living crisis in decades.

“This is a tell-tale sign that this manifesto is going to be as bereft of ideas as the SNP’s last 15 years in government.

“It is utterly shameless for the SNP to talk about the cost of living crisis while they refuse to use the litany of powers at their disposal to help Scots.”

The Lib Dems also criticised the SNP, with leader Alex Cole-Hamilton adding: “This is a remarkable display of both arrogance and cowardice from the First Minister. It feels more like the scrutiny dodging antics of Donald Trump than the actions of a leader at ease with her government’s record.”

Speaking ahead of the campaign launch, Nicola Strugeon urged voters to back her party to “send a message to Boris Johnson”.

She said: “The SNP Scottish Government is already doing what we can to ease the burden on hard-pressed families and, if elected, SNP councillors will prioritise the cost of living crisis in Scotland’s council chambers - but we cannot let the Tories away with disgraceful inaction while households are forced into poverty.”