First Minister John Swinney has said the SNP is putting more money in the pocket of Scots at a time they really need it, as his government focuses on supporting people with the cost of living.
Writing in his regular column for the Record, Swinney said his Programme for Government, set out last week, is a plan to improve the lives of people in Scotland over the next five years and to deliver on the promises he was elected on.
Support for families and essential items
The First Minister acknowledged that politics can sometimes feel far removed from people's everyday lives, but said his commitment is that for the SNP Government, people come first. He said the government works for the people and will always act on the realities they are facing.
Central to that is supporting people with the cost of living, with energy costs up due to broken promises from the UK Labour Government. While the SNP cannot take all the action it wants on energy bills while power sits with Westminster, Swinney said the party will do everything in its power to support people where it can.
On childcare, the government will provide additional support for every family in Scotland with children from nine months old right through to the end of primary school. Proposals have also been published for a price cap on a range of essential food items in big supermarkets, designed to ensure everyone can afford a healthy diet.
Bus fare cap rollout
With the cost of getting to work having risen, the SNP has already got rid of peak fares on trains for good and is committed to delivering a £2 bus fare cap across Scotland to ensure people can afford to get about.
The next step in rolling that out nationwide begins today in the west of Scotland. People in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire or Inverclyde will have their bus fares capped at just £2 starting this morning.
For example, someone in Hamilton going to work in Glasgow city centre could save more than £5 on their journey, while from Dumbarton, savings could be more than £7. Swinney said savings like that really add up, putting more money in people's pockets at a time when help is needed.
Criticism of Nigel Farage
In the same column, Swinney criticised Nigel Farage, calling him an "absolute chancer." He said Reform UK has got itself into yet another bout of trouble, with serious allegations about potential breaches of electoral law surfacing in the media in recent days.
Swinney said Farage has been a malign influence in the UK since entering politics and is the polar opposite of everything Scotland should be. He described Farage as an elitist who spreads hatred and advocates policies that would harm the people he claims to represent.
The First Minister said it is now for the authorities to examine these serious issues, but whether it is the latest scandal, questions over the £5 million donation, or his decades of whipping up hatred and division, one thing is clear: Nigel Farage is completely unfit for office. Swinney said Farage should do the decent thing and resign, and if he will not go of his own accord, his pals in Scotland – Lord Offord and Thomas Kerr – should show some guts and demand he steps down.
