Scottish Labour will call time on the SNP’s neglect of local services in Argyll and Bute, Dr Callum George has said today.
Scottish Labour condemned the SNP’s recent budget, warning that the region is being “short-changed” compared to the rest of the country.
Under the SNP:
- Argyll and Bute Council received a funding uplift of just 5.55% for 2026/27, the lowest percentage increase of all 32 local authorities in Scotland.
- Other regions received significantly higher settlements, with Highland Council seeing a 6.32% boost and Orkney receiving a 13.07% increase.
- Argyll and Bute Council is facing a projected budget gap of £15 million for the coming year, leaving local services at risk of severe cuts.
- The local authority has already been forced to find £50 million in savings over the last ten years due to consistent underfunding.
- The funding gap for Social Work alone is forecast at £6.2 million, threatening care for the region’s most vulnerable residents.
Scottish Labour warned that local government in Argyll and Bute is at breaking point after years of “dangerously incompetent” financial management by the SNP-led administration.
Commenting, Scottish Labour candidate for Argyll and Bute Dr Callum George said: “Argyll and Bute is being pushed to the brink by an SNP government that simply does not care about our rural and island communities.
“To be handed the lowest funding uplift in the whole of Scotland is a total betrayal, and it is a slap in the face to every resident who relies on our schools, roads, and care services.
“For too long, the incumbent SNP MSP Jenni Minto has remained silent while her government in Edinburgh hollows out our local budget. She has completely failed to stand up for this region when it matters most.
“Our council is staring down a £15 million black hole, yet our MSP is more interested in defending her party’s record than fighting for the fair funding we deserve.
“People deserve a representative who will put Argyll and Bute first, not an SNP cheerleader who accepts the scraps from the table.
“This year we have a direct choice between a third decade of SNP decline and failure, or a safer, fairer future with Scottish Labour.
“A Scottish Labour government will reset the relationship with local government, ensuring fair, multi-year funding settlements that allow our communities to thrive rather than just survive.
“In just four months, we have a chance to call time on this SNP neglect, demand a better deal for Argyll and Bute, and elect a representative who will actually fight your corner.”
