The Scottish National Party has pledged to introduce price caps on essential goods such as bread and milk if it wins the upcoming Holyrood election, with leader John Swinney describing the cost of living as 'the defining issue of this election'. The caps would apply to 20 to 50 items, including cheese, eggs, rice and chicken, using devolved public health powers, and aim to address the rising cost of food impacting nutrition across Scotland.
Retailers dismissed the proposal as a 'potty gimmick', with the Scottish Retail Consortium warning that supermarkets already face higher rates in Scotland and that price controls could divert resources away from keeping prices low. The Scottish Grocers Federation said smaller shops could be put at a competitive disadvantage, while questions were raised about potential impacts on farmers. The pledge may also breach the Scotland Act 1998, which created the devolved parliament.
Other cost-of-living measures in the manifesto include a £2 cap on bus fares for any single journey in Scotland, projected to cost £210 million by 2032. The Scottish Greens noted that the SNP had rejected a similar proposal in last year's budget negotiations. Swinney also argued that an independent Scotland could control energy prices, though he offered no new specific policies, and suggested a second independence referendum in 2028 was 'very realistic'.
The manifesto pledges no increase in income tax bands or rates, a minimum income for artists expected to cost £30 million over two years, and the construction of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, partly funded by unlocking pension fund assets. Additional plans include a national mobile phone ban in classrooms and 'welcome to school' bags for Year 1 pupils. The Institute for Fiscal Studies noted the manifesto contains £1.4 billion in extra spending by 2032.
