Perth and Kinross Conservatives have been accused of hypocrisy for campaigning to save outdoor centres having closed down two in the region.
Scottish Conservative Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Liz Smith last week spoke out urging Perth and Kinross residents to sign a petition to save outdoor centres.
But the leader of the SNP group on Perth and Kinross Council said it is “hypocritical” after the council’s Conservative-led administration recently closed the Rannoch Outdoor Centre and the Blackwater Outdoor Centre at Blairgowrie.
Council report confirms Perthshire leisure venues will be shut down and auctioned off
Appealing to members of the public to sign the petition, Ms Smith said: “The SNP government is being urged to reverse its decision not to offer financial support to the residential outdoor sector in Scotland.”
Several Perth and Kinross Conservative politicians backed Ms Smith and urged constituents to sign the petition.
The shadow environment secretary also took to social media saying: “Outdoor education should be an integral part of the curriculum for all our young people whatever their background. It is therefore vital that we protect our outdoor education centres from threatened closure.”
But the leader of the council’s SNP group, Councillor Grant Laing, said the move smacked of hypocrisy.
The Strathtay councillor said: “It’s best to say nothing than be hypocritical. The UK Government is not doing anything different. Under the Tory administration two outdoor centres closed down.
“I find it hypocritical if the administration decided two outdoor centres were surplus to requirement to condemn the Scottish Government for lack of support for outdoor centres.”
Mr Laing said he enjoyed trips to outdoor education centres himself as a child.
He added: “However, I do not think at this time many parents would be willing to commit to any outdoor trips with the pandemic situation as it is. The situation may become clearer by December.
“I would fully support children being able to go but I do not think parents would be willing to pay money up front for their children to go this year.”
