Stronger for Scotland - SNP Manifesto 2010

Stronger for

Scotland SNP Manifesto 2010

Introduction - Alex Salmond

“We are Scotland’s party, and we are delivering for Scotland.”

Since we took control of the Scottish Executive in 2007, we have shown time and time again that are fully determined to deliver for Scotland, regardless of what challenges the Westminster Parties may throw at us.

In this election, we are asking you to help us to continue to deliver for the people of Scotland and to ensure that Scotland’s views are heard by the British Government in Westminster. If Scotland matters to you, make it matter this May. With more SNP Members of Parliament in Westminster, these local champions will stand up for Scotland and ensure that the people of Scotland are heard.

We will ensure that our economy grows and that the markets are properly regulated. We will ensure that people are put before profit and that public sector pay-rises are a priority.

We are the only party that can deliver proper, progressive change for Scotland. We are Scotland’s party, for Scotland’s people.

Since 2007 we have delivered the council tax freeze, the small business bonus and hundreds of new affordable homes.

Let’s keep Scotland strong, and give Scotland a stronger voice at Westminster.

Vote SNP.

Our team at Holyrood is getting stronger, and it is only right and proper that our team gets even stronger at Westminster.

Because Scotland does matter. We can use our voice in Parliament to ensure that the people of Scotland are not undermined, and that our views, our values and our visions are heard, and that our voice is louder and stronger than ever before.

Now is the time to focus on tackling the economic mess that Labour and the Tories have jointly created with real action. Now is the time for the SNP.

2

Alex Salmond MP MSP SNP Leader

Stronger for Scotland

We have shown time and time again that we are determined to deliver for Scotland.

Our work in the Scottish Government has already changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Scots, and with more seats at Westminster, we can continue to deliver for Scotland.

3

Contents Introduction Alex Salmond, Leader

2

More powers for Scotland Nicola Sturgeon Scotland’s future in Scotland’s Hands Constitutional Policy Sustainable, Inclusive & Connected Finance and the Economy A Healthier Nation Health and Wellbeing Smarter Scotland Education and Skills Elect a local champion Conclusions

6

Elect a local champion for your community, And join our journey at bepartofbetter.net 4

8 10 12 13 14

Stronger for

Scotland 5

More powers for Scotland

FURTHERING DEVOLUTION Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy Leader I, like many Scots, watched in 1999 as we got our Parliament back. I have never seen such levels of political engagement in my lifetime.

Many people, across our country, were passionate about gaining control of our own matters, from all sides of the diverse Scottish political spectrum.

We need more powers delivered to our Parliament. With more powers, we can build upon the progress that has already been made since 2007.

I was also fortunate enough to represent the people of Glasgow in that first parliament.

If we devolve drug policy to the Scottish Parliament, we can treat the drugs crisis in Scotland with the care and compassion that is required. We can treat it as a healthcare crisis and we can stop filling up our prisons with people who are addicted to drugs, and instead get them the help that they need.

However, it has become increasingly clear that the hands of our parliament are still tied on many issues. The legislation that established our Parliament once more falls short of what was promised to people here in Scotland.

The SNP stand for Scotland. We know that further legislation needs to be introduced in Westminster to ensure that the Scottish Parliament has all of the powers that we need to function properly. We need new legislation that covers key matters that should no longer be in the hands of the UK Government.

The Scottish National Party are proposing that the following matters are devolved to the Scottish Government: • Matters relating to Drug policy • Matters related to Employment Law • More Taxation Powers

6

We are delivering progress for everyone, and our policies are popular and ambitious.

By devolving employment law, we can ensure that workers rights are set in stone and that the Scottish Workforce are given proper pay and proper benefits. We can make Zero-Hour contracts illegal.

If we give the Scottish Parliament more powers over taxation, we can ensure that the Scottish Government has a stronger budget and that the people of Scotland, especially those in the top end of the tax brackets, are paying their fair share.

It’s time to deliver more powers for Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon MSP Deputy Leader of the SNP

Stronger for Scotland

Vote SNP This election is crucial. You have to make a choice between protecting all of the progress that we have made at Holyrood, or vote for a future of chaos and corruption.

As Alex says, we are Scotland’s party and we have Scotland at the very heart of all the decisions that we make.

As Scottish Health Secretary, I have seen the true impact of Westminster policies and their impact on Scottish communities.

7

Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands

Scotland’s future is Scotland’s choice, and nobody else’s.

Why do we propose Independence?

Our party was founded under a simple, guiding principle; to make Scotland independent.

We stand for independence. It runs like a golden thread through our policies and through this manifesto.

Independence means that we make all of the decisions on matters relating to Scotland.

We, the people of Scotland, decide where our money is spent, how much money is spent and how much people are required to pay.

Independence means that decisions that matter to the people of Scotland are made here in Scotland, at Holyrood, not taken in Westminster by Government’s that we don’t vote for.

Independence is about updating the relationship between Scotland and England. It is about creating a new partnership of equals – a social union to replace the current political union. Scotland and England will share the same Queen, the same currency and as members of the EU there will be open borders, shared rights, free trade and extensive co-operation.

The big difference will be that instead of only deciding some issues here in Scotland, independence will allow us to take decisions on all the major issues. That is the reality of independence in this interdependent world.

To put it simply, it is a fundamental, democratic principle, that the people who live here in Scotland should be the people who decide Scotland’s future, not Westminster Governments. That is a principle that must be agreed by all political parties, not just the SNP.

8

Stronger for Scotland

We, the people who live here, have the greatest stake in making Scotland a success.

With independence we can make Scotland the fairer and more successful country we all know it should be. We can make Scotland’s vast wealth and resources work much better for everyone in our country, creating a society that reflects our hopes and ambition.

Being independent means we will have a government that we choose – a government that always puts the people of Scotland first.

At its heart independence is not about this Government or any political party. It is about a fundamental democratic choice for the people of Scotland. It is about the power to choose who we should be governed by and the power to build a country that reflects our priorities as a society and our values as a people.

The central purpose of independence is to make life better for people living in Scotland.

Only a Scottish Parliament and Government will always be able to put the interests of the people of Scotland first. We only have to look at the track record of devolution since 1999 to know this is the case; these powers have been good for Scotland, but in those areas still controlled by Westminster there have been many costs for families and communities in Scotland.

Driving our ambition is the firm knowledge that Scotland, and all of the people who live here, should be enjoying the benefits of higher levels of sustainable economic growth. There is so much more we can achieve with all the advantages that we enjoy.

Scotland has the talent, resources, wealth and ingenuity to meet the challenges of the future. Greater certainty in the future comes not from leaving decisions to others, but from taking responsibility ourselves.

Scotland has greater security when we have greater control over the direction we take as a nation.

We can respond with action based on Scotland’s particular circumstances, and take decisions that put us in a stronger position to meet the longer-term challenges that we can see emerging in the years ahead.

Without independence, Scotland is also exposed to the approach that successive Westminster governments have taken to managing the public finances.

To protect our public finances, grow our economy, and build that inclusive and diverse Scotland that all of us seek, we require independence.

Scotland can be independent, all we need to do is to believe in Scotland, and vote like our future depends on it, because it does.

9

Finance and the Economy

Sustainable, Inclusive & Connected Our proposals for an economy that works for Scotland.

New, fairer funding arrangements, What we need right now is less cuts, more including fiscal autonomy for Scotland, Nats in Parliament. That is our message to will be one of our key priorities, allowing Scottish voters at this election. us to do more to support jobs and create a more competitive business environment.

Given the economic challenges we face, this is crucial for Scotland’s future success.

We face some difficult financial decisions ahead of us, and we need SNP members of Parliament who will ensure that Scotland has a seat around the decision making table, and that the Treasury doesn’t forget about us!

S T U C S LES

S T A N E MOR

Our economic situation has never before been under such pressure. We require proper, fair This election is really important for the Scottish economy. The next five years will be regulation of our markets. crucial for Scotland’s fiscal position in the Furthermore we are proposing a raise in the United Kingdom. We have to get it right.

Corporation Tax by 1.2% and a raise in the That is why a vote for the SNP is a vote for higher Income Tax bracket of 0.85%. clear action on the economic crisis that we These proposals will give the Government’s, face.

Scottish and UK, the income to deliver more, meaningful progress for our constituents.

As household budgets are tighter than ever, we will provide grants to businesses and further support for families.

We will call on the UK Government and the Bank of England to ensure that inflation remains at current levels, and gradually decreases over the next 36 months.

10

Stronger for Scotland

Don’t forget to read... cotl Stronger for S

and

r e w o P The d n a l t o c of S

Our report on the future of Scotland’s Oil. Mini-Manifesto 2010

11

Health and Wellbeing

A Healthier Nation Our proposals for a healthier Scotland.

Scotland’s NHS faces challenging times. With the rise of disease and flu among our population, we must do more to tackle the challenges that our healthcare system faces.

The suicide rate in Scotland is deeply saddening, and both Governments must do more to tackle this issue with the compassion and dignity that is required.

One of the top priorities for the SNP will be to tackle Scotland’s drug crisis. The number of people who die of a drug-related death in Scotland is unacceptably high. Each one of these deaths is a tragedy, and we cannot underestimate the impact of those losses on individuals, families and communities across the country.

Our vision is of a Scotland where suicide is preventable and prevented, and where help and support is available to anyone contemplating suicide and to those who have lost a loved one to suicide.

The SNP believe that the NHS is our most important public resource and we will do everything we can to ensure that it is We believe a national mission is needed to properly funded and protected as a public tackle the drug death emergency Scotland service. We will always keep Scotland’s NHS faces. We must empower more people to seek safe in public hands. support; make that support more consistent, flexible and effective, and much faster; and We will always put our best foot forward help services stick with the people they when it comes to dealing with matters support. relating to the NHS, that is a promise that we are completely determined to keep.

We will call on the UK Government to devolve drug policy as a matter of urgency, before more families have to suffer the loss of a loved one to substance misuse.

We will also implement drug treatment facilities across every region of the country, backed by over a million pounds of investment from the Scottish Government.

We will appoint a minister that is directly responsible for tackling this healthcare emergency.

12

Education & Skills

Smarter Scotland Investment into our Education Services No pupil should struggle to learn because of poverty. We will build a system to ensure equal access to the full package of education, breaking down financial barriers to make a real difference in the lives of children from low income families.

We want Scotland to have a care system that improves the outcomes and wellbeing of those it supports – and ensures that they grow up in loving environments.

We will implement additional support for learning and invest in funding for councils to Education remains a key priority for the SNP. expand on the number of Pupil Support To make sure no child is hungry in the Assistants working in Scotland’s classrooms. classroom, we will provide free school breakfasts and lunches to every primary school pupil, all year round and for all children in state-funded special schools in Scotland. Looking longer term, we will pilot the provision of free nutritious school breakfasts in secondary schools, and, based on the findings of the pilot project, explore the feasibility of universal breakfast provision in secondary schools.

We want all children and young people to get the most out of the learning opportunities available to them, which means ensuring every young person is given an equal chance to fulfil their potential.

As long as the SNP are in government there will not be tuition fees in Scotland. One of the very first acts of the new SNP Government was to restore Scotland’s historic tradition of free education and scrap tuition fees. We have always maintained that access to education should be based on the ability to learn not on the ability to pay.

13

Conclusions

Elect a local champion.

Manifesto of the Scottish National Party 2010 This manifesto represents all that we as a party stand for. We stand for Scotland.

We will lead Scotland from strength to strength. We will deliver progress for Scotland like never before.

Our Members of Parliament will be local champions. They will stand up for their constituents and put communities first on their agendas.

Our party is on a mission to build a better Scotland, and we are asking the people of Scotland to join us on that journey.

With other political parties, Scotland stands still. With the SNP, we move forward.

It’s time for fresh leadership at Westminster. It’s time to show Labour the door and to put Scotland at the heart of decision making. It’s time to move forward.

It’s time to elect local champions for Scotland. A new time is coming for Scotland. It’s time for the SNP.

Alex Salmond

Nicola Sturgeon

Leader

Deputy Leader

14

Stronger for Scotland

15

Stronger for Scotland

Promoted by Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party.