Angus Robertson: The tale of two parliaments has never been starker

A future where democracy is respected and upheld, Scotland’s potential can be realised and where we can work collaboratively with institutions like the EU which share Scotland’s values and goals.

Yet, the tale of two parliaments for Scotland has never been starker.

Anchored by Scotland’s values, the SNP Government is delivering on the priorities of people across Scotland such as growing the economy, eradicating child poverty, tackling climate change and supporting our public services.

On the other hand, Westminster, and the Westminster parties, have become ever more out of touch with Scotland’s aspirations – forcing people and businesses across Scotland to suffer through right-wing policies and ideologies they didn’t vote for.

Our future is best served by decisions being made by those who the people of Scotland elect and not Westminster. We can see the positive difference when they are.

READ MORE: Young Scots for Independence conference – everything you need to know

With the major purse strings still controlled by Westminster, Scotland’s public services remain under severe pressures but they perform better in comparison to the Tory-run Westminster government in England and Welsh Government run by Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.

Take health for example where tackling waiting times, free prescriptions and more NHS staff per population show that things are better in Scotland compared to the governments run by those other parties.

When it comes to education, 57.9% of the working-age population have been in higher education. This is not only the highest percentage of the four nations of the UK but also compared to the European states as well.

We have higher spending per pupil and more teachers per population in Scotland, along with free tuition. All of these achievements compared to Tory-run England and Labour-run Wales show things are better in Scotland when it makes decisions for itself.

Scotland may have limited powers when it comes to the economy but with those we have, we are making decisions which help both businesses and workers.

You will not hear opposition politicians celebrating this, but Scotland’s economy is one of the best performing parts of the UK.

READ MORE: Kelly Given: Let's show Europe that we reject ugly politics of Brexit

In fact, it was the top performing area outside London and the South East, with the third highest wages and highest value in goods and services per person in 2021.

So, when it comes to health, the economy and education, the evidence shows things are better In Scotland.

In comparison, Westminster is dominated by parties with the same agenda on Brexit, tax, bankers’ bonuses, child benefit, tuition fees and private sector involvement in our NHS.

Westminster control that can invariably be summed up in two words – Brexit and austerity.

A Brexit that can only be undone by voting SNP for independence since the Westminster parties are now all complicit in ignoring it.

Westminster government now only offers Scotland a choice of the Tories, or Keir Starmer’s Labour, who now fully support Brexit and have adopted the Tories’ spending plans.

Whether it’s the cost of living, the NHS, the economy or public spending, the problems facing Scotland can largely be sourced back to Westminster decisions and the Westminster parties are engaged in a “conspiracy of silence” when it comes to leaving the EU and the world’s largest single market.

The never-ending cost of living crisis is undoubtedly a major issue facing people and it is an example of how the Westminster parties would like to keep people in the dark about the role of Brexit.

In 2022, it was already recognised that Brexit was the key factor in increasing UK inflation, and it’s far from over as recent Brexit border changes this year are sending food prices even higher.

Yet, despite this overwhelming evidence, Westminster and its parties don’t even want to mention the word, never mind its impact on household prices, businesses and the NHS – despite promises of £350 million extra per week for the NHS.

Now we hear The Lancet – one of the oldest medical journals in the world – describing Brexit as a “failure” that has left the health service in a “precarious position”.

The Westminster parties would rather you didn’t know that Brexit has caused NHS staffing shortages and “severe drug shortages”.

Devolution doesn’t insulate Scotland from any of this but Scotland’s government already does better than those run by the Westminster parties.

So, just imagine how much better things would be if Scotland could make all the decisions that affect it? If Scotland could work alongside our European neighbours on shared goals. Voting SNP is the only way to build a better, independent, European Scotland.