Roy MacGregor on the SNP leadership – 'I want someone who is going to deliver'
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ONE of the Highlands’ top businessmen wants the next First Minister to deliver for the north warning that “the emphasis has been on constitutional issues and I think we [Scotland] have failed in policies in some of the other areas”.
Roy MacGregor (70), chairman of both Global Energy Group and Ross County FC, favours a fresh approach involving progressive taxation on successful businesses and individuals to boost the NHS, schools and social care.
He also feels the next First Minister must ensure the SNP rediscovers the community roots it was built upon, while shifting emphasis from urban-centric priorities to reconnect with areas like the Highlands.
“Firstly, I want to see a candidate that will support business and grow the economy," he said.
“For our public sector – whether it is education, the NHS or care – we don’t have the money we need to invest from within the public purse.
“The way you get the money is for successful businesses to pay more tax and successful individuals to pay more tax.
“We haven’t got that right in Scotland in trying to grow the economy so that the country becomes more prosperous, and we can spend more of our money in policy areas like education, health and care.
“The emphasis has been on constitutional issues and I think we have failed in policies in some of the other areas.
“We haven’t given them due consideration and we haven’t been able to fund them.
Mr MacGregor also believes that rural areas have been left behind: “Secondly, we have forgotten our communities.
“The party that is in power was very much community-based and it has become city-based.
“We haven’t got a dualling of the A9 or of the A96. We haven’t had the investment in this part of the world that was promised.
“I think we have become a bit of a backwater.
“This is not against the SNP, but when the SNP were growing up as a party, they came from the communities and understood communities.
“I think Tory, Labour, SNP and Liberal Democrats have actually forgotten about community.
“The Highlands have suffered a bit for that, so I want someone that will champion the Highlands.”
Summing up his stance, Mr MacGregor – who has modelled Ross County as “more than a football club”, with a broad array of social and community initiatives over the last few decades – added: “I just want the economy to be better and the Highlands to be better. It is pretty simple.
“To raise more money, you can see it is not going to come from central Government or rates, it is going to come from individuals and businesses.
“I think successful individuals and businesses will pay more, provided they understand it is going right directly to the NHS, to care or education.
“They must be part of solving the problems. It is more than Government that is needed to solve these problems.
“Having prosperity in the public sector means that successful businesses pay more tax and successful individuals pay more tax so that we can invest more in the public sector.
“Trying to solve the public sector’s problems from central Government, I think, doesn’t work.
“The emphasis has been on constitutional issues, but I think we’ve failed on policy with education and health.
“They haven’t delivered. I want someone who is going to deliver.”
