Fraser McDougall shares why he’ll be voting for the Conservative Party in the Scottish Election on 5 May.
I’m Fraser McDougall, a 21 year old who studies Geography and Philosophy at the University of Glasgow – currently in my second year.
I vote Conservative because I believe in a party that promotes personal responsibility and small government. The Conservatives are a party who passionately believe that the money you earn at the end of a hard-working year should remain yours, promoting lower taxes – meaning more money in your pocket at the end of the year.
This strong belief has led to the Conservatives cutting income tax for over 26 million working families, resulting in the typical taxpayer having around £800 more in their pockets at the end of the year. In addition to this, the continued freeze on fuel duty has benefited motorists by saving them around £10 every time they fill up their car.
The Conservatives are a party who believe in a fair welfare system: ensuring those in work are paid accordingly and encouraging those out of work, by choice, to find employment. This has resulted in the Conservative party introducing The National Living Wage which will see workers paid £9 an hour by 2020.
Regarding welfare, the Conservatives have capped benefits to ensure no out-of-work household can claim more in benefits than the average family earns in work, giving those on benefits an incentive to find employment as opposed to earning more by being unemployed. This has resulted in the UK unemployment rate falling to a seven-year low of only 5.4%, while the number of benefits claimants is at its lowest since 1975. This shows a party who create employment opportunities for those who need it and help you keep the money you earn at the end of the year.
These steps introduced by the Conservative party ensure work pays and creates a society who are responsible for themselves and need not rely on a large Government. The Conservatives are a party with a proven record on keeping our economy strong in times of adversity – allowing the UK economy to be one of the fastest growing economies in the G7.
This strong record on the economy has even led to the IMF apologising to George Osborne for wrongly claiming his deficit reduction policy was wrong – now they argue the UK has one of the fastest growing economies.
A party with a strong economic plan allows for a strong country, and that is why I vote for the Conservatives. With priorities in personal responsibility, ensuring work pays and promoting a strong economy, I believe in a Conservative party who believe in me.
Find out more about the Conservative party in Scotland ahead of the Scottish election at www.scottishconservatives.com.
