A BATTLE of the billboards is taking place in Greenock as pro-union activists and independence supporters vie to get their message across.

The new Inverclyde 'YES to the United Kingdom' and Scotland Matters poster at the junction of Campbell Street and Brougham Street in Greenock focuses on 'Education not Separation'.

The groups launched their campaign recently by unfurling a billboard urging the Scottish Government to focus on 'Vaccination not Separation'.

They say they are rallying strong support locally as recent opinion polls have shown slips in support for the SNP and indyref 2.

But Inverclyde SNP MSP Stuart McMillan — seeking re-election to the Scottish Parliament in May — today branded the billboard part of 'desperate efforts to save a failing union'.

He recently unveiled his own advertisement at the site, as he looks for votes in May's Holyrood poll.

Mr McMillan said: "No matter what brand makeover they have had, it's still the same message — they believe Scotland is too poor and too wee to be independent."

Former local Labour MP Iain McKenzie — who is helping spearhead the pro-Union campaign — said: "The First Minister said over this term of parliament she wanted to be judged on education.

"Well, ask any parent or grandparent and they will tell you she and the SNP have failed our children on education.

"The latest billboard highlights the 'Education not Separation' she should be concentrating on.

"But yet again the SNP have decided to prioritise an eleven-point plan for indyref2 rather than a plan to improve the educational experience for Scotland's children."

An Inverclyde YES to the UK spokesperson said: "'Judge me on education' was one of the first statements in the new parliament in 2016 by the first minister.

"If the SNP say education has been a success under their leadership then they should produce the much awaited report on Scottish education by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

"But they won't, and had the review been in any way favourable we would never have heard the last of this report from the SNP.

"The secrecy and delay the SNP have thrown around this report could be likened to a pupil concealing a poor report card from their parents."

MSP Mr McMillan said: "The Education Secretary John Swinney MSP announced in April 2020 that this (OECD) report would be delayed.

"This is not some big cover up that the No campaign would have you believe."

Mr McMillan added: "I welcome the Scottish Government's actions to tackle the attainment gap, provide free school meals, expand early years provision and scrap tuition fees to name just four examples.

"In Inverclyde, the SNP have invested in our local schools estate, provided free school meals to local P1-P4 pupils, increased the number of funded early years hours from 600 to 1,140 and will provide Inverclyde with an extra £2.4m next year via the £750m Attainment Fund, which the SNP in government established.

"Now with Brexit — which Labour and the Lib Dems won't reverse — and the Tories scrapping the Erasmus scheme, working class kids from Inverclyde will find it so much harder to study abroad.

"As someone who benefitted from the Erasmus scheme and studied in France, Germany and Sweden, I know first-hand how important the scheme is.

"Sadly the Brexiteers of the Tories, Labour and now the Lib Dems don't.

"They are quite content to remove this opportunity from young Scots and have shown that they believe education is a privilege, not a right.

"In contrast, the SNP Scottish Government are determined to make Scotland the best place for a child to grow up, live and work — and unlocking opportunities is a vital part of that ambition.

"I will not be taking any lessons from unionists who seek to limit Scotland's prospects — who spend all their time trying to argue why Scotland can't thrive as an independent nation as opposed to why they believe the Union works so well for Scotland — and why they think the people of Scotland shouldn't have a say until at least 2055."