Monday April 25th 2022
SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon (left) and SNP National Campaign Director Councillor Kelly Parry at the party's manifesto launch.
SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon and SNP National Campaign Director Councillor Kelly Parry have launched the party’s national manifesto ahead of the local government elections on May 5th.
Speaking at the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock the First Minister said how she thought the SNP Scottish Government has already supported household budgets throughout its time in office with free prescriptions, free university tuition, the fairest income tax deal in the UK and saved households hundreds on their council tax bill compared to England.
Ms. Sturgeon then went on to outline how SNP councillors will tackle the cost of living crisis and the policies that will be their priority. These include a £150 payment to ease household budgets, expanding free early learning and childcare, introducing wraparound childcare, building 110,000 affordable homes in the next decade and developing a National Care Service.
Leader of the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon MSP said:
“We live in the most serious of times. And in these serious times people, families and communities across Scotland need and expect serious leadership.
“In the months and years ahead, let us – all of us – come together in a national pandemic-level effort to steer Scotland through the cost of living crisis and build a better future.
“SNP Councillors – in partnership with our government at Holyrood – will strain every sinew to help families and communities through to that better future.
“And we will demand the Tory government at Westminster takes action on the crisis that it has done so much to create.
“This is the clear choice facing the people of Scotland on 5th May. It is a choice between SNP action, compassion and leadership, or Tory inaction, self-interest, complacency and sleaze.
“Vote for the party with a plan – a plan to help you through the tough times of today. And a plan to build a better tomorrow.
“Vote SNP on May 5.”
The key pledges of the SNP 2022 local election manifesto are:
– Prioritise action to ease the cost of living squeeze and help those on the lowest incomes
– Take action to tackle fuel poverty and make it more affordable to heat and power homes
– Support a fair, green, resilient and sustainable recovery from Covid
– Build a wraparound childcare system, providing care before and after school, all year round, where those on the lowest incomes will pay nothing
– Recruit at least 3,500 additional teachers and 500 classroom assistants over and above the 1,400 teachers recruited during the pandemic
– Work with the Scottish Government to build a National Care Service that improves the way care and support is delivered for people who use community health and social care, while protecting local accountability. Reform will be accompanied by a 25% increase in social care investment
– Make significant progress towards our target of 110,000 more affordable homes by 2032 -70% of them for social rent.
– Increase access to sporting, leisure and cultural opportunities in local communities; especially for children and young people from low-income backgrounds.
– Make more land available for community market gardens, orchards and allotments and support community food initiatives – all part of making Scotland a Good Food Nation
– Provide more walking and cycling routes in local areas and ensure that communities in every part of Scotland benefit from the Scottish Government’s increased budget for active travel.
– Support the Scottish Government’s plan to give the people of Scotland the opportunity to choose the country’s future in an independence referendum in the first half of this parliamentary term.
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