Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has pledged to “give absolutely everything” to prevent the SNP from winning a majority in next month’s Holyrood election, warning that such an outcome could lead to the “living nightmare” of a second independence referendum.
Speaking at the launch of the Scottish Conservative manifesto in Edinburgh, Mr Findlay said the prospect of a second “divisive and distracting referendum” is “not just concerning to me, but terrifying”. He argued that preventing an SNP majority would stop First Minister John Swinney from pushing ahead with plans for a referendum, which Mr Swinney has said he would pursue if his party secures a majority on May 7.
The manifesto includes a pledge to cut household bills by up to £2,500, with a £500 tax break for pensioners through an income tax relief scheme. The party also promises to spend £369 million on cutting income tax in 2027-28, rising to £2.8 billion by 2031-32, funded by savings from restrictions on adult mental health benefit claims, a two-child limit on the Scottish child payment, cuts to foreign aid, ending free bus passes for asylum seekers, and closing Scotland’s only safe drug consumption room in Glasgow.
Other pledges include raising school standards, improving GP appointment access, fixing roads, and increasing police numbers on the streets. Mr Findlay described the manifesto as the “most comprehensive our party has ever produced for a Holyrood election” and said it shows “a brighter, more prosperous way for everyone”.
However, the launch was met with criticism from political rivals. Former Tory MSP Jamie Greene, now a Liberal Democrat, said his former party is “too chaotic and irrelevant” to hold the SNP to account. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie dismissed the manifesto as “not worth the paper it is written on”.
