Nicola Sturgeon says her party has a plan to “bring our local communities together” while “Tories are distracted with the scandal of partygate”.

The First Minister will bring focus to SNP proposals for Scotland’s communities during a local election campaign visit to a community hub in Glasgow on Friday.

Ahead of the visit, Ms Sturgeon highlighted the part that local government can play in providing support during the cost-of-living crisis being faced by households across the country.

The SNP leader said: “While the Tories are distracted with the scandal of partygate at Downing Street, the SNP has a plan to bring our local communities together and demand real action on the cost of living crisis.

“Local government serves a key role to support local communities during this Tory-made crisis – and the SNP is absolutely committed to easing the squeeze on the most vulnerable as household bills skyrocket.

“We know that we achieve more when communities come together, as they did during the pandemic. Bringing neighbourhoods together, making more land available for community gardens and increasing access to sporting and leisure activities are all part of that vision.”

The Herald:

Nicola Sturgeon says the Tories are distracted by Partygate 

To do this, the party says it intends on making more land available for community market gardens, orchards and allotments and will provide support to community food initiatives in a bid to make Scotland a Good Food Nation.

An increased access to sporting, leisure and cultural opportunities will be made available, especially, the SNP says, for children and young people from low-income backgrounds.

The party also intends on renewing all play parks in the country, and will work to deliver on the “20 minute neighbourhood” initiative, which will aim to ensure people will be able to meet their daily exercise needs within a 20-minute walk of their home.

A spokesman for the Scottish Tories said: “Nicola Sturgeon has spent more than a decade dividing Scotland’s communities with her bitter, toxic nationalism.

“And the SNP have slashed council budgets to the bone, wrecking communities across the country.

“If Nicola Sturgeon wants to help communities in Glasgow, she could start with tackling the drug death crisis that her Government created.”