Speech by John Swinney, seeking election as leader of the SNP I would like to thank you, Lorna, and the Party staff for the professional way this leadership process has been run at such short notice – enabling the Scottish National Party to get back on the front foot so quickly. A year ago, even a week ago, I did not think my future would involve standing here accepting the Leadership of the Scottish National Party. Things have turned out differently and before I say any more about my leadership I want to pay tribute to Humza Yousaf. He has conducted himself throughout the lastRead More →

by Pete Wishart It was Norman Lamont who said of the equally disastrous John Major Government ‘we give the impression of being in office but not in power’. Such is the situation with this Government they don’t even give the impression of being in office! Never before has such overwhelming shambles characterised a Government’s approach to running the country. The tenuous majority they secured with the £1 billion DUP bung seems to be abandoned as the DUP vote against the Government. As the sound of ‘never’ reverberates from the opposition lobby this must be the worst political investment in history. How this Government must wishRead More →

23 Mar 17 TRUST IN SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT REMAINS OVER TWICE AS HIGH AS UK GOV People in Scotland are overwhelmingly more likely to trust the Scottish Government than the UK government to work in Scotland’s best interests, new figures show. The Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2016 shows that 65% of people trusted the Scottish Government to work in Scotland’s best interests, compared to 25% who trusted the UK government. This trust rating is 14% higher than when Labour left power. The survey also showed that 75% of people believe the Scottish Government should have most influence over the way Scotland is run, with only 14%Read More →

SNP MP Stephen Gethins has today written to the Vote Leave campaign calling on them to abandon their negative campaign after his image and misconstrued comments appeared on official Vote Leave campaign literature without his permission. Vote Leave used an image of Stephen Gethins MP on an official Vote Leave leaflet without his permission and used comments out of context to make it look as though he is in favour of the UK leaving the EU. The SNP is actively promoting the positive case for the UK’s continued membership of the EU with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon joining Leanne Wood, leader of Plaid Cymru, andRead More →

TRADE UNION GIANT RELEASES LEGAL OPINION ON EU REFERENDUM MEP ALYN SMITH AND CHRISTINA MCKELVIE HIGHLIGHT EU ROLE IN WORKERS’ RIGHTS Alyn Smith MEP and the SNP’s Christina McKelvie have highlighted an independent legal opinion commissioned by the Trade Union Council (TUC) that lists the workers’ rights most at risk in the event of Brexit. Michael Ford QC’s legal opinion suggests that, based on past history and extant policy documents, the rights most vulnerable to repeal are limits on working hours, protections for agency and part-time workers, and the right to collective consultation, including the right for workers’ representatives to be consulted if major changesRead More →

We will make our education system one of the best in the world with equal opportunities for all of our children. We will – •    Expand early education and childcare to 30 hours per week – this will require, by the end of the par-liament, additional investment of £500 million per year by 2021, 600 new childcare centres and 20,000 new childcare staff. •    Invest £750 million in raising attainment for all – targeting school funding where it is needed, and put-ting more resources in the hands of individual schools including £500m raised directly from local taxa-tion for investment in schools. •    Implement the NationalRead More →

The Scottish Government is the most trusted government in the European Union, new analysis has shown. Earlier this week, the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey found that 73 per cent of respondents trust the Scottish Government – compared to only 23 per cent who trust the UK Government. When compared to a study of trust in national governments across the EU, analysis shows that the Scottish Government is the most trusted in Europe – with significantly higher trust levels than the nearest challengers in Finland and Denmark, who trail behind Scotland at 60% and 55% respectively. The study also shows that trust in the Scottish GovernmentRead More →

Welcoming the passing of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill, SNP MSP Kevin Stewart said: “The Private Housing (Tenancies) Bill will provide for a transformative change in the private rented sector – providing security for Scotland’s 700,000 tenants. “The Bill creates a modern tenancy, ends no fault evictions and limits rent increases to once every 12 months. “This legislation addresses the problem of excessive rent rises by giving councils the ability to apply to introduce rent controls in designated rent pressure areas. This is the first time any such control has been introduced in Scotland and is an ambitious plan to ensure protection for tenantsRead More →

As a young woman I remember the feeling of being lumbered with the inconvenience and pain each month of the pleasure of being a woman. What irked even more was the ‘pleasure’ of having to pay for products that I was forced into buying. To then find out that the government also taxed you on this was just simply too much. Congratulations to Alison for being the figurehead in taking this forward on behalf of the women of Scotland and the other countries under UK government taxation. Editor SNP MP Alison Thewliss introduced an amendment in July 2015 at the Finance Bill Committee stage toRead More →

On Saturday Nicola set out a range of new policies which your SNP government will deliver if they are re-elected in May. A new initiative to build support for independence This summer the SNP will embark on a new initiative to build support for independence. Nicola outlined the next steps to build a strong majority for independence – to hear and address the concerns of those who weren’t convinced to vote for independence in 2014. That is how the 45 per cent of September 2014 will be turned into resounding yes vote. New funding for low-income families to give every child the best start in life Right now,Read More →