Scottish National Party - Sapienti sat

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum

Wed, 27 May 2026 10:33:26 +0000

The Scottish Parliament voted for Scotland to have the powers to hold an independence referendum. Because Scotland’s future should be decided by the people of Scotland.

https://x.com/theSNP/status/2059312455738675310

You will need to show photo ID to vote in General Elections or UK parliamentary by-elections

Thu, 21 May 2026 10:30:58 +0000

Voter ID is a regulation imposed on Scotland by Westminster, meaning all people who are voting in person for UK parliamentary elections will have to show an accepted form of ID to be able to vote.

This regulation was introduced through the passing of the Elections Act 2022, unsurprisingly by Boris Johnson’s appalling Westminster government, with minimal legitimacy and reasoning for introducing such a restrictive measure.

Make sure you have accepted photo ID to take with you to vote

You’ll need to show photo ID when voting in person upon entering polling stations in the next General Election and in any UK parliamentary by-elections.

There are many forms of ID which will be accepted, so make sure you are prepared and remember your photo ID to ensure you can cast your vote on election day.

To effectively cast your vote, here are examples of ID’s that will be accepted:

Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country (including an Irish Passport Card)
Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
A Blue Badge
Scottish National Entitlement Card issued for the purpose of concessionary travel (including a 60+, disabled or under 22s bus pass)
Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
Oyster 60+ Card funded by the UK Government
Freedom Pass
60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card), for example a Young Scot card
Biometric immigration document
Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
National identity card issued by an EEA state
Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
Voter Authority Certificate
Anonymous Elector’s Document

Rest assured, these tips will help you to prepare for Voter ID

The name on your photo ID must match your name on the electoral register and if it doesn’t, you’ll need to either register to vote again or take a document with you to vote proving that you’ve changed your name, for example, a marriage certificate.
You will only need to show one form of photo ID and it needs to be the original version, not a photocopy.
If you’re voting on behalf of someone, you will need to show your photo ID and not theirs.
If you don’t have photo ID you can register to vote by post or apply for free to get your Voter Authority Certificate.

What can you do if you don’t have an accepted form of Voter ID?

Voting is everyone’s democratic right, a right that should be accessible and a journey of ease.

If you do not have an accepted photo ID from the list above or have concern over your name not matching your photo ID card then rest assured because there are options for you to ensure you can vote effectively.

One way to mitigate Westminster’s Voter ID regulation is to vote by post, voting by post means that you can vote without having to show any photo ID.

You can register for a postal vote online or by filling out this form and sending it your local Electoral Registration Office.

What is a Voter Authority Certificate and how can you apply for one?

You can use a Voter Authority Certificate if you do not have an accepted photo ID for voting and would like to vote in person rather than by post.

You can apply for free to get your Voter Authority Certificate if you do not have accepted photo ID, you no longer look like your photo on your ID or the name on your photo ID doesn’t match your name on the electoral register.

A Voter Authority Certificate is something that you can’t use as ID for any other reason than to vote.

Why has Westminster implemented Voter ID?

The Tories reasoning for introducing the regulation falls to electoral fraud despite that there is extremely low levels of electoral fraud. In 2019, there were only 33 allegations of impersonation at the polling station, out of over 58 million votes cast. That is less than 0.00001% of the electorate.

Voter ID was implemented since the 2023 council elections in England and has proven a barrier to democracy for many. The Electoral Commission reported that Voter ID resulted in 14,000 people being turned away from polling stations at that election and that specifically Voter ID is restricting older people, people with disabilities, people who are unemployed and people from ethnic minorities the most.

Voter ID is a poor excuse for proposing an uncalled for remedy when there isn’t even an issue in the first place.

“The true number of those not voting in local elections due to ID requirements could have been at least 400,000.” – The Electoral Commission

It is crucial that all communities across Scotland are aware of the Voter ID regulation and it is important that you take the necessary steps to prepare, ensuring that you can vote in the next General Election or any UK parliamentary by-election.

Applying for a Voter Authority Certificate is a way to get free photo ID.

Voting by post is a secure and convenient way to vote for many people and it is a way to vote without having to show photo ID.

Nobody should be denied their right to vote, so let’s share Voter ID awareness across communities, with your friends, family and neighbours to make sure that nobody falls short of not having accepted photo ID on the day.

Make your vote count by remembering to take your photo ID to the polling station.

https://www.snp.org/voterid/

First Minister John Swinney’s speech on the SNP’s plan for the first 100 days of the next parliament

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:47:13 +0000

Good morning, everyone

In ten days’, time, the people of Scotland will choose their next government.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been absolutely loving getting out and about all over the country.

I’ve never seen SNP activists working so hard.

That is because we know what is at stake on May 7th.

Everywhere I go, the message is the same.

People know Scotland is a great country and they are ambitious about our country’s future.

But right now, they are angry and they are anxious.

Angry that the cost of living is so high.

And anxious about the uncertain world that we’re living in.

They want a government that understands their concerns,

And a government that they can trust to be on their side.

Friends,

If there’s one thing more than I want people to know, it is this:

I get it.

I share your anger and your anxiety.

And that is precisely why I am standing to be your First Minister.

I want to use all my experience – and everything I’ve learned during my years of public service – to deliver the best possible future for our country.

To make daily life more affordable and ease the pressure on family budgets.

To continue the improvements in our NHS and making Scotland healthier.

To end the scandal of child poverty in Scotland

And yes, to offer Scotland the chance of the best possible future by becoming an independent country.

And I will tell you something else.

When I look at the chaos unfolding at Westminster at the moment, I feel an extra responsibility to provide trusted, reliable leadership to Scotland.

Two years ago, people trusted Labour to stand up for them and their families.

Look how that has turned out.

Labour repaid that trust with broken promises and with chaos.

In the midst of a cost of living crisis, once again Westminster is nowhere to be seen.

Whether it’s Tory chaos or Labour chaos, Westminster governments always let Scotland down.

But the SNP will always be on Scotland’s side.

And that is why you should vote SNP on May 7th

Friends,

During this campaign, the SNP have been setting out ambitious plans for the next five years.

For parents, a massive expansion in childcare

For first-time buyers, up to £10,000 in support.

For students, a guarantee we will always protect free higher education.

For people heading out to work, a guarantee we will won’t bring back peak rail fares and a will introduce new £2 bus fare cap all across Scotland.

And for anyone struggling to afford nutritious food, a price cap on a basket of essential food items.

For our health service, plans to protect, renew and invest so we can continue driving down waiting times.

And a network of GP walk-in centres across Scotland to help end the 8am rush.

That’s what you can expect from an SNP Government on Scotland’s side

That’s what you get if you vote SNP on May 7th.

Friends,

We have set out ambitious plans for the next five years.

People rightly want to know we are serious about delivering them.

So today, we are publishing a document setting out the actions we would take within the first one hundred days of forming a government.

As the 100 Days paper demonstrates, I am determined that an SNP Government will hit the ground running.

When I say I want to help families with the cost of living, I mean it.

Within 100 days our First Homes Fund, giving up to £10,000 in support to first-time buyers, will be up and running.

And within those 100 days, our aim is that the first two thousands families will have been helped.

That’s an SNP Government – hitting the ground running for Scotland.

When I say I am serious about making healthy food affordable for people, I mean it.

I want the price cap on essential items to be in place by the end of the year.

Within 100 days, we will publish the draft legislation.

Including proposals, to be developed in partnership with representatives of farmers and food producers, to put in place the necessary mechanisms to ensure that costs are not passed on to them.

That’s an SNP Government – hitting the ground running for Scotland.

When I say I want to make bus travel more affordable for people, I mean it.

Bus fares are already capped a £2 in the Highlands and Islands

And we’re going to extend that all across Scotland.

Within the first one hundred days, we will extend the £2 bus fare cap to Glasgow, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire and Inverclyde.

Help for commuters.

Help for the planet.

That is an SNP Government – hitting the ground running for Scotland.

When I say I want to continue improving healthcare in Scotland, I mean it.

I announced plans for GP walk-in centres last October, and they are already popping up all over Scotland – open 7 days a week until 8pm.

Within 100, we’ll open at least five more clinics, and we’ll announce the location of 14 more.

In in our hospitals, we’ll set out additional investment to reduce waiting times and waiting lists and deliver 50,000 operations and procedures within the first 100 days.

That’s an SNP Government – hitting the ground running for Scotland.

When I say I want to continue improving education in our schools, I mean it

Within one hundred days, we’ll being consulting on legislation onphone free classrooms

And we will work with education authorities to update guidance to encourage a ban to take place from the start of the new school year in August.

That’s an SNP Government – hitting the ground running for Scotland.

Friends,

Part of the anger and anxiety that people feel right now is down to us not being in control of events.

People can see that Scotland has an incredible amount of energy wealth

And they rightly ask why, in this cost of living crisis, they are not feeling the benefit of that wealth.

The SNP share that anger.

It’s one of the many reasons we are determined to give the people of Scotland the chance of a fresh start for Scotland with independence.

Every day Scotland remains under Westminster control is a day of missed opportunity.

A day we continue to lag behind the neighbouring countries all around Scotland that are doing better than the UK.

The people of Scotland must have the chance to become an independent country as soon as is practical.

So I can confirm today that on the first sitting day after the appointment of the new government, we will bring forward a vote of the Scottish Parliament to approve the development of a Section 30 to give Scotland the power to hold an independence referendum.

The parliament chosen by the people of Scotland, will have the chance to represent the democratic will of the people of Scotland.

Within the first hundred days, we will publish the draft Referendum Bill.

We propose that the question, as in 2014, is: ‘Should Scotland be an independent country? Yes or No.’

Friends,

Don’t let anyone tell you nothing is at stake in this election.

Scotland has the chance of a brighter future with independence.

And we will give the people that choice.

That’s what you get when you vote SNP on May 7th.

Friends, there is of course a flip side to this.

And this is what happens if you don’t vote SNP.

During this campaign, the SNP is the only party setting out a serious programme for government.

Every other party has spent campaign talking about themselves.

Talking about each other

And talking about the SNP.

But they never talk about you – the people of Scotland.

In this election, they’re asking you to vote for an opposition to stop things happening.

I’m asking you to vote for a SNP government to get things done for you.

That’s what at stake on May 7th.

The SNP want to lower your bills

Other parties want to stop us

The SNP want to roll out GP walk-in clinics across Scotland.

Other parties want to stop us

The SNP want you to have the right to decide on your future.

The other parties want to stop us.

The best way to ensure we can deliver for you is by electing a majority SNP Government.

That will lock out Nigel Farage and ensure his Scottish cronies don’t have any influence in the Scottish Parliament.

And it will unlock the path to people choosing a fresh start with independence.

For these, and many other reasons, I am asking you to give both votes to the SNP on May 7th.

Friends

This election is hugely important.

Life is tough for many people in Scotland right now

But I know that we have what it takes to get through these challenges together.

A better Scotland is possible

But we have to make it happen

It is in your hands

So on May 7th

Vote for the best possible future for Scotland.

Vote for experienced, trusted leadership

Vote for a government always on Scotland’s side

On May 7th, make it both votes SNP.

https://www.snp.org/first-minister-john-swinneys-speech-on-the-snps-plan-for-the-first-100-days-of-the-next-parliament/

Vote SNP for bold action on the cost of living and our NHS

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:07:54 +0000

Friends,

It’s great to be back in Glasgow this morning.

A proud city, a welcoming city, an SNP city.

We are here today to talk about Scotland’s future.

Every time I go on the road, I am struck by how much we have going for us as a country.

So many strengths. So much innovation.

We are truly blessed to call Scotland home.

In the two years since becoming First Minister, I have dedicated every single day to improving the lives of the people of Scotland.

When I took office, I promised I would deliver for Scotland.

Falling waiting times, more operations, GP walk-in clinics.
Frozen rail fares, peak rail fares abolished.

Child poverty down and winter fuel payments restored.

Friends, I keep my promises.

That is my record.

It’s a record I am proud to take to the people of Scotland.

But make no mistake – I am only just getting started.

At the outset of my comments today, I want to be clear that a vote for the SNP on 7th May is a vote to put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.
For a referendum on independence where Scotland can make our enormous wealth work for our people.

A referendum where bringing down people’s energy bills will be on the ballot.

A referendum that will allow Scotland to reclaim our place at the heart of Europe.

A referendum that I intend to win.

Today, I am delighted to publish the SNP’s election manifesto.

It is called “On Scotland’s side.” Because that is who we are and how we act.

The SNP is Scotland’s National Party.

Rural, urban, north, south, east, west, island, mainland…

This is a manifesto for every – every – part of Scotland.

While others in this election seek to divide communities, target minorities, and talk our country down.

This is a manifesto that brings people together and unashamedly talks Scotland up.
A manifesto for all of Scotland.

That’s what you get if you vote SNP on 7th May.

A government on Scotland’s side.

And a First Minister that will always put Scotland first.

Friends,

I know that times are tough out there.

Food prices have shot up.

Household bills are soaring.

And filling the tank now empties your pocket.

In energy rich Scotland, people can’t afford to heat their homes.

In a country with more renewable power than we can use, our bills are soaring.

And in a country, where oil and gas has sent 350 billion pounds to Westminster, a Labour Government tried to rob our pensioners of their heating allowance.

Friends, the problem is not that we don’t have the energy.

The problem is that Westminster has the power.

This election is our opportunity to take those powers and put them into Scotland’s hands.

Lower bills, more jobs, a greener future.

That is what you get when you vote SNP on 7th May.

The cost of living is the defining issue of this election.

And it defines the SNP’s plans for Scotland.

But friends, this cost of living crisis – and Westminster’s complete failure to get a grip of it – demands that we do everything we can.

In recent weeks, we’ve been setting out some of the bold and ambitious measures a re-elected SNP Government will introduce.

For people trying to buy their first home, we’ll help you onto the property ladder with £10,000 towards your deposit.

For private renters, the right of first refusal to buy your home if it goes on sale.

For parents, we’ll intensify Scotland’s childcare revolution.

Extending support, over the next parliament, to every child in the country from 9 months old to the end of Primary School – all year round.

And we’ll build on the success of the baby box, with a new ‘welcome to school’ bag

Friends,

Concessionary travel has been one of the great success stories of the SNP’s time in office and we are going to protect the existing schemes

But in this cost of living crisis – and as we face a climate emergency – it’s time to go further and be bolder.

People need to be able to afford to get to their work.

To go out and see friends.

To get about.

From Hamilton – to get here today by bus, would cost more than 7 pounds.

From Paisley – it would cost 6 pounds.

From Dumbarton – it would cost 9 pounds 30. These costs are too high.

So I can today announce that, if re-elected, an SNP Government will cap bus fares at £2 in every part of Scotland.

Cheaper travel and more money in your pocket – that’s what you get with a government on Scotland’s side

That’s what you get by voting SNP on 7th May.

Friends,

The cost of living is hammering people, no more so than when they get to the supermarket till.

Inflation has come down, but prices have not.

People are, quite simply, struggling to afford food.

In a rich country like Scotland that is a moral outrage.

For some, the cost of food is so high, it is hitting their health and wellbeing.

Now, with the current powers of our Parliament, I cannot normally set prices at the till.

But things have got so tough, it is now impacting upon our nation’s nutrition.

That is a public health issue – and I have public health powers.

And so, I can announce today that, if re-elected, your SNP government will use our Public Health powers to set a maximum price for essential food items.

Reducing the price of the weekly shop.

Putting more money in people’s pockets.

Bread, milk, cheese.

Eggs, rice, chicken.

Everyday items that make up a decent diet.

Necessities that should never be beyond anyone’s means.

That’s what you get with a government on Scotland’s side

That’s what you get by voting SNP on 7th May.

Friends,

The NHS is our most important public service.

We have a plan to make our NHS fit for the future – with three parts.

Investment, protection and renewal.

Investment that will see every penny of NHS resource consequentials going to health and care.

Investment that will deliver a real-terms increase in health and care spending.

Protection –

Of the NHS principles of comprehensive, universal and free at the point of need,

And mark my words – never selling patient data to dodgy billionaires and the Palantirs of this world.

And renewal –

That means changing how the NHS works, refocusing resources on keeping people out of hospital, shifting the balance of care.

It means, for instance, giving people heart and lung MOTs in community settings across Scotland.

And, of course, action to end the 8am rush for GP appointments, as we continue to roll out GP walk-in clinics.

That’s what you get when you vote SNP on 7th May – a government that is always on the side of Scotland’s NHS

Friends,

We have a duty to properly fund our NHS and all our public services – and we do.

Delivering on that duty starts by growing the economy.

Growth pays for the services we need and builds the Scotland we all want.

So, I make this pledge to you today:

My Government – your SNP Government – will put growing our economy, getting people into work and building our national prosperity at its very heart.

We are not just competing within the UK for investment.

With the SNP, Scotland competes internationally for investment.

We know that international events, inflation and the drag of being part of the UK is likely to hit the economy.

So we must respond by hitting the accelerator.

If we are re-elected, we will create a Major Projects Office to cut through bureaucracy and speed up investment in nationally significant projects.

It will get decisions taken quickly and make sure Scotland grabs the critical investment opportunities out there.

To make Scotland the best place in Europe to start and scale a business, we will establish a ‘High Growth Unit’ to identify fast-growth businesses and give them the wraparound support they need to succeed.

And, to help every business grow, the length and breadth of the country, we will reform the planning system, speeding up decision making.

Friends, Scotland has massive opportunities in industries like energy and tech, world class colleges and universities and a highly-skilled workforce.

I want to use every single lever available to the Scottish Government to boost economic growth, support innovation and attract investment.

That’s what you get by voting SNP on 7th May – a country with a government focused on jobs, growth and success.

So, this is our offer to the people of Scotland.

Growth at the heart of government.

Action on the climate.

A determination to eradicate child poverty.

A cost of living package unrivalled anywhere in the UK.

New help for first time buyers

A massive expansion in childcare.

A nationwide £2 bus fare cap

Fair food prices

Shorter waiting times

More appointments and operations

And walk-in GP clinics on high streets across Scotland. Open seven days a week.

That’s what you get when you vote SNP on 7th May.

But more than that – a
re-elected SNP Government will deliver:
150,000 apprenticeships

A teacher jobs guarantee – and mobile phones banned in the classroom.

Investment to improve our roads and fix potholes

A 25% increase in our international development funding.

More support for start-ups and scale up businesses.

A £75 million housing fund for our rural and islands communities

A vape display ban.

A Private Jet Tax

A Mansion Tax

And the proceeds of ScotWind invested in Scotland’s very own wealth fund.

That is what you get when you vote SNP on 7th May.

Friends, that is the policy prospectus the SNP offers the people of Scotland.

But I offer more than that.

My entire adult life has been spent in the service of this country. I have given that calling my everything.

Today, I offer to do more. To serve more.

To use all I have learned in leadership to secure the best future for Scotland.

These are troubling and uncertain times. The world is riven by conflict.

More than 20 years ago, I marched against Labour’s illegal war in Iraq.

I marched for international law, and for the principles of peace and democracy.

20 years later, I stand by those principles.

I stand against despots and dictators.

I stand against nuclear weapons that have no place on our shores and make us all less safe.

I stand for international justice, and for Scotland raising her voice for those who do not have one.

At this moment Scotland needs experienced, principled, reliable leadership in the highest office in the land and that is what I offer this country.

In this election, I am asking people to give me the mandate to act always with, and for, the people who live here.

When I became First Minister, I promised to serve all of the people of Scotland.

I reaffirm that promise today and commit to creating the best future I can for our country.

The best future I can, with the powers we have right now. Stretching them to their very limit.

But working to build the very best Scotland with the powers of independence.

And that is why, my call at this election is for us all to unite.

Unite to secure the powers we need.

Unite to make Scotland’s voice heard.

Unite to win a referendum on independence.

We won a majority in 2011 – and we can do it again.

On May 7th, your first vote is for an SNP government that will deliver more cost-of-living support, a stronger NHS, and a stronger economy.

But it is by trusting us also with your second vote that the SNP can win a majority, a majority that will secure a referendum.

A referendum that we will win.

On 7th May,

Vote SNP for a government on Scotland’s side.

Vote SNP for the trusted, experienced leadership that I offer as First Minister.

Vote SNP for bold action on the cost of living and on our health service.

Vote SNP for hope over despair.

https://www.snp.org/vote-snp-for-bold-action-on-the-cost-of-living-and-our-nhs/

SNP 2026 Manifesto: Always on Scotland’s side

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:18:42 +0000

We are firmly focused on what matters most to the people of Scotland – tackling the cost of living crisis, improving the performance of our NHS and taking our enormous energy wealth into our own hands.

On May 7th choose a Scottish Government that works for Scotland. Choose an SNP government that, day in and day out, is always on Scotland’s side.

Your first SNP vote at this election will deliver an SNP Government. It delivers a better NHS, GP walk-in clinics, help with the cost of living, the first-time buyers’ deposit, a growing economy, and a massive increase in childcare that leaves no one behind.

Your second SNP vote delivers independence. It secures a majority that will lay the path to a referendum. A referendum that we will win.

On May 7th choose a Scottish Government that works for Scotland. Choose an SNP government that is always on Scotland’s side.

Read the SNP’s 2026 Manifesto:

https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/www.snp.org/uploads/2026/04/2026-05-0120SNP20The20Scottish20Parliament20Election2020262072pp20COMPLETE20no-crops.pdf

https://www.snp.org/manifesto/

Scotland fans must not be priced out of the World Cup

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:05:49 +0000

John Swinney has called on FIFA to end dynamic pricing for World Cup tickets after supporters were hit with eye-watering costs to follow Scotland this summer.

The First Minister has written to FIFA President Gianni Infantino urging him to introduce a fairer ticketing model, warning that too many members of the Tartan Army risk being priced out of Scotland’s first men’s World Cup since 1998.

The Tartan Army are the greatest supporters in the world and follow Scotland around the globe. So it is incredibly disappointing that too many of them will be priced out of our first World Cup in nearly 30 years. I have written to FIFA to call for fair pricing. The World Cup is an event that should be available to as many people as possible. Football should be about fans, not finances.

John Swinney

First Minster of Scotland & SNP Leader

Full letter from the First Minister to FIFA President Gianni Infantino

Dear Gianni Infantino,

As you will know, this summer Scotland will return to the men’s World Cup for the first time since 1998.

Our victory against Denmark led to the most remarkable scenes as people across Scotland celebrated one of the proudest moments in our recent sporting memory.

Steve Clarke and the team have instilled a sense of confidence and pride in our country that only our national game can bring.

That incredible moment for our nation will live long in the memory and in just a few months’ time thousands will embark on a trip to America to follow Scotland in our games against Haiti, Morocco and Brazil and, with a bit of magic from the boys, beyond that too.

Our Tartan Army has the chance to see our men’s national team at a World Cup for the first time in decades, but our historic return has been marred by FIFA’s dynamic pricing model that has made the trip simply unaffordable for so many loyal supporters.

This model has made this the most expensive World Cup in history and it is the opposite of what football, and indeed the biggest sporting occasion on the planet, should be about.

Scotland fans, travelling across the globe, are entirely justified in calling for you to put an end to this pricing model, particularly during a cost of living crisis when people are really struggling. I am urging you to act to introduce a fair, affordable ticketing model for fans going forward.

Scotland gave birth to our beautiful game and its management has been entrusted to you. But as you know football belongs to fans. It is now imperative you take responsibility to ensure that remains the case.

Yours sincerely,

John Swinney
First Minister of Scotland

https://www.snp.org/scotland-fans-must-not-be-priced-out-of-the-world-cup/

We are standing on the verge of a truly historic moment

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:20:58 +0000

Friends,

It is fantastic to be here today in the city of Glasgow.

A city that has been through a tough couple of weeks.

But just as it always does, Glasgow is bouncing back.

The city has come together.

Glasgow Central Station has re-opened.

And thanks to support from the SNP Government, Glasgow will rebuild.

Nothing exemplifies that more than the very building we gather in here today.

The Citizens Theatre is a remarkable asset for this city.

A true hub of artistic excellence and community spirit.

And it stands here as the wonderful venue we see today thanks to the hard-work of its staff – and as a result of more than £17 million in support over the years from the SNP Government.

Friends, a thriving Glasgow is central to ensuring a thriving Scotland.

And the SNP will always do everything in our power to Make Glasgow Flourish.

And I am delighted to welcome you all today to kick off a crucial election campaign for our country.

And I can tell you now, over the next six weeks, this party is going to run the biggest and best campaign we ever have.

I will lead our campaign from the front.

Campaigning with you in every corner of our country.

From our cities to our islands.

From Shetland to Stranraer.

And when I see the energy in this room, it is very clear to me.

This is a party that is ready.

Ready not just to fight this election.

Not just to win this election.

But to win big.

And to deliver the fresh start we need that only comes with independence.

Because friends, we go to the people of Scotland at this election with strengths that no other party can match.

Unlike our opponents, we can stand before the people of Scotland, confident in our record in government.

Our NHS has turned a corner.

Long waits are down, operations are rising, GP numbers are up – and walk in GP centres open seven days a week are opening on high streets across the country.

And we are delivering the best cost of living support in the UK.

The majority of people expected to pay less in tax, because we ask the better off to pay a bit more.

Peak fares gone.

Rail fares frozen.

Free tuition protected.

Free prescriptions guaranteed.

A Scottish Child Payment keeping child poverty down.

That is the record we are proud to take to the people at this election.

That is what the SNP delivers in government.

And friends, we can do something else that no other party in this election can.

We can make a fundamental declaration that our opponents will never match.

We can look the people of Scotland in the eye, and say to them with absolute honesty:

This party – Scotland’s party – will always, always, put Scotland’s interests first.

That is what we have always done and that is what we will always do.

And at this election, that means being focused on the things that matter most to the people of Scotland.

It means delivering on our plan to keep improving our NHS.

It means protecting people from the Westminster cost of living crisis in the here and now.

And it means demonstrating every day of this campaign that a better future for Scotland is possible.

Because people are fed up with a Westminster establishment that just does not work for them.

With a Westminster system that ensures the rich get richer, and the rest are left to struggle.

And with the ludicrous situation, that in energy rich Scotland, we pay some of the highest energy bills in Europe.

Friends, whether Westminster likes it or not – that one single fact could define this whole election campaign.

That makes the case for real fundamental change.

Friends, that makes the case for independence.

Because people in Scotland have looked to their government for help – and the UK Government has looked away.

They have utterly failed in their duty to protect the people of this country.

They have taken Scotland’s energy wealth and given us nothing back in return when we needed it.

Let me make it absolutely clear, the SNP Government will never look the other way while our fellow citizens are scared to turn their heating on.

So if the UK Government are not prepared to bring bills down, they had better get out of the way for a government that will.

Friends, people’s struggles with energy bills were already serious.

That was even before the reckless American and Israeli attacks on Iran.

What we are seeing on our tv screens every night is devastating.

Let me be clear, the UK Government must not find itself being pulled into an offensive war.

A war that we in Scotland do not want, cannot be justified and from which there is no exit strategy.

We have seen this before with Labour governments – we must not see it again.

Friends, our task every day of this campaign is to make the case for the fresh start of independence.

That is why I am so optimistic.

Because we have a fundamentally positive vision for the future of our country.

What a contrast with those we are standing against.

Nigel Farage and Reform have no interest in building Scotland’s future – they only want to tear things down.

We know three things about Farage.

That he wants to sow division in our communities.

That he wants to shut down our Parliament and cut Scotland’s budget.

And that he would sell off our NHS to the highest bidder the second he got near power.

So let us say loudly and clearly, our NHS will not be bought and sold for Farage’s gold.

A vote for the SNP is a vote to keep Nigel Farage away from power.

And to say that our NHS will always stay in public hands.

And friends, we know exactly what we’ll get from the Labour party.

We know what Labour are going to do in this campaign – because we have heard it all before.

Keir Starmer promised Scotland the world two years ago – and they have not even tried to keep their promises.

Winter Fuel Payments.

The tax on jobs.

Grangemouth closed

North Sea jobs lost.

That is what Labour means for Scotland.

We already have one disastrous Labour government – and we do not need another one.

Friends, it is the abject failure of Keir Starmer’s government that has shown us once and for all that Westminster will simply never work for Scotland.

That it is not about which prime minister is in Downing Street.

It is about a whole rotten system that is built to look out for a privileged few – and not for ordinary people.

Well this election is our chance to send a message that the Westminster establishment cannot sweep under the carpet.

And to tell them loudly and clearly – that the future of Scotland will be decided by the people of Scotland.

Because friends, we know what we have to do in this election.

And though it will not be easy, ours is a party that is built on ambition.

And that is how we are going to approach this campaign.

We can deliver an SNP Government.

One that keeps on making our NHS better.

A government that delivers more support with the cost of living.

That extends support for childcare to every family in Scotland.

Which helps first time buyers with £10,000 towards a deposit.

And a government that always puts Scotland first.

But we can do more than that.

If we win big. If we persuade enough of our fellow citizens to put their faith in us. We can achieve a historic majority that will deliver so much more.

Because an SNP majority does two things.

It unlocks the potential for truly transformational change with independence.

And it locks Nigel Farage out of any influence in Scotland’s Parliament.

That is the goal we are setting ourselves today – and that is the outcome that I intend to deliver for Scotland.

Because be in no doubt, depending on how the numbers stack up after the election, without an SNP majority there is always the potential for a grubby, backroom deal between Labour and Reform.

So let us resolve today that we will take them on, we will defeat them, we will make sure Nigel Farage is locked out of power and we will make sure Scotland’s future is in Scotland’s hands.

And an SNP majority will deliver for us the greatest prize.

The right for Scotland to decide our own future in a referendum.

It happened in 2011, and I am determined that it will happen again in 2026.

Because the case for independence has never been greater.

Food prices. Energy bills

Brexit, Trident.

A Westminster system in complete chaos.

People are crying out for real change – for a fresh start.

That is what we will deliver. That is what you get when you vote SNP.

The SNP is clear in what we are offering the people at this election.

And friends, I want to be just as clear what I am offering.

About why people should put their trust in me as their First Minister.

I want people in Scotland to know exactly what they are getting with me – because these are serious times, and they demand serious leadership.

I have spent my entire adult life in the service of this country.

And I know how to get things done.

If I am re-elected as your First Minister, I will give everything I have to make this country a better place for everyone who lives here.

I will stand against those who seek to divide us.

I will use every bit of my experience to deliver on the promises I make.

And I will give every fibre of my being to always standing up for Scotland because like you, I care about and I love Scotland.

That is who I am.

It is who I have always been.

And that is who I will be if you put your faith in me as your First Minister.

I will work night and day over this campaign to earn and re-earn your trust and deliver on your priorities.

So on May 7th vote SNP for strong, experienced leadership.

Vote SNP to improve our NHS.

Vote SNP for more help with the cost of living.

And vote SNP for the fresh start of independence.

Because this election is Scotland’s great opportunity.

We are standing on the verge of a truly historic moment.

But it will only happen if we work for it, and people vote for it.

So together, let’s get out there and make it happen.

Thank you very much.

John Swinney

https://www.snp.org/we-are-standing-on-the-verge-of-a-truly-historic-moment/

We are standing on the verge of a truly historic moment

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:12:21 +0000

by John Swinney