Council elections a choice between SNP and Tories - claims Nicola Sturgeon

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said voters in the upcoming council election have a clear choice'' between the SNP and a Conservative party which has become aBrexit-at-all-costs machine''.

The SNP leader will join council candidates in Edinburgh to launch the SNP's manifesto for the May 4 local government election.

She will visit the community-led arts charity and social enterprise the Whale Arts Centre in Wester Hailes before joining SNP Edinburgh council candidates for a photocall.

Ahead of the launch, Ms Sturgeon said: The council elections are a clear choice between the SNP who stand for strong and vibrant local communities - and a Tory party which has become a single-issue, Brexit-at-all-costs machine.

SNP councillors will always put their local communities first - they are not there to simply make up the numbers and be used as a proxy war in national political games.

From the abolition of ring-fenced funding and our transformational Community Empowerment Act, the SNP has a long track record of pushing power down to local communities.

Every vote for the SNP on May 4th is a vote against Tory austerity and a vote to protect vital services and jobs.

All of our candidates are working hard every day to earn the trust of the people they want to represent and after the election will continue to work every day to preserve it.''