Brig spoke to Stephen Kerr, the Conservative candidate for the Stirling constituency, on a range of topics, from education and employment to youth opportunities and overall trust in politics.
Kerr strongly criticised the current education system that Scotland currently has and said that he believes in a positive learning environment. He is against phones in schools, because he says they are being used for cyber bullying. Kerr believes that Scotland should respect teachers more and give them more work opportunities. Kerr is also aware that not every student is an academic and believes that Scotland should care more about apprenticeships. He believes that the Scottish youth could do more with a more imaginative approach when it comes to education.
Employment was another key focus for Kerr. He highlighted the importance of getting people back into work and helping them out with qualifications and skill training, saying, “to govern is to set priority and empower people, especially young people”. Kerr stressed Scotland could be a “skilled nation” And that by helping people get back to work, Scotland could lower its reliance on the benefit system and help the economy.
On taxation, he highlighted that Scotland had the highest taxes in the UK. He believes that lower taxes let people keep more of their money, this gives them a fighting chance to come out of poverty. He also said that the economy would benefit from a lower tax burden, which will increase tax revenue and allow for higher spending on the NHS and education system.
On Stirling, Kerr spoke positively about the city, saying it is a “great place to live”. However, he did acknowledge that there has to be more access to affordable youth services, such as sport centres, swimming pools, and other community spaces. He also highlighted the need for more work opportunities, suggesting that the youth could look into care work since we have an aging population.
Kerr criticised several other parties and leaders, stating that “Reform is in shambles”, the “SNP’s track record is abysmal”, “Keir Starmer is the worst”, the “LibDems aren’t strong enough”. On the Greens, he likened them to Reform, calling them extremist, and saying “one cheek is Reform and another is Greens”. Kerr positioned himself as a trustworthy alternative, saying he is the “real deal”.
He understood that while young voters might want to vote for more radical parties, he said there has always been a gradual shift toward practical, discipline-based parties as people grow older, and that conservatism would be the best option for Scotland.
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