Rachael Hamilton is Conservative MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire

Over past few months, it has become even more apparent how out of touch the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP Government are with hardworking Scots.

Recently Nicola Sturgeon flew to the US and Canada. As ever, she took the opportunity to preach about independence. We settled that issue in 2014, yet she is like a broken record. When she’s not jetting off to far-flung corners of the world to make the case for independence to people who cannot vote for or against it, she is stoking up grievance politics. When it comes to Brexit, it is interesting how she bangs the drum proclaiming she wants to avoid a ‘No Deal’ scenario, yet her MPs fail to back the Prime Minister’s deal and vote against proposals to strengthen our negotiation position in Brussels.

The SNP MPs at Westminster provide no fresh ideas or constructive policies to better Scotland. It is frankly desperate times for the SNP when Ian Blackford stands in Westminster waving the SNP’s White Paper and claiming they had a plan for independence, when it falls at the first hurdle, on the volatility of the price of oil and lack of currency plans. As one person put it, would it be a hard or soft independence? Who knows.

Recently we saw them dropping a triple tax bombshell with their dodgy budget deal with the Green Party, heralding the introduction of a car parking tax and tourist tax. It is almost as if they do not want to help Scots, and are determined to tax hard work, prosperity and aspiration. From day one, I have been unequivocal in my opposition to these additional and nonsensical taxes. Borderers rely heavily on their cars to travel to their place of work, and point blankly; a car parking tax would not work in the Borders. It is interesting that South of Scotland MSP Joan McAlpine mentioned this very point in an ITV interview we did earlier in the month, yet her party bosses in Holyrood tell her otherwise.

Whether it is their hypocrisy over their independence plans, their lack of cooperation on Brexit or their plans to raid hardworking Scots’ pay packets, it has been increasingly evident that the SNP are out of touch with Scottish people.

It is becoming clearer day by day that Scotland needs a positive change with Ruth Davidson at the helm.