the SNP

As we enter the seventh year of Tory budget cuts that Scotland did not vote for, we can expect a repetition of the same record of failure that we have seen year after year from this Chancellor. George Osborne’s claim that the Tories represent economic credibility now lies in tatters with the UK government failing on key economic indicators and missing its own targets time after time.

Too many people suffer the heartache of losing loved ones to cancer. Everyone will have their own personal stories to tell – stories of courageous fights against the disease, but sadly stories of friends and family taken before their time too. We’ve travelled a great distance over the last ten years, with cancer mortality in…

Like many children who grow up in some of our poorer communities, I don’t really recall university being an option that was promoted widely as being available or indeed, expected of me. But I was encouraged to get on, to work hard and to aspire to be the best I could be. So getting to university was a big thing for me and my family.

Today Nicola Sturgeon gave her address to the SNP Spring Conference – our biggest ever pre-election conference. The speech was packed with announcements. Here’s what you need to know. A new initiative to build support for independence This summer the SNP will embark on a new initiative to build support for independence. Nicola outlined the…

Today the Scottish Government published Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland – or ‘GERS’ for short – for the year 2014-15. GERS is produced annually and provides estimates of total public spending in Scotland, as well as tax receipts for the previous five years.

Scotland’s oil and gas industry has generated well over £300 billion for Treasury coffers and it employs over 375,000 people from across the UK. It is an important industry for the north east of Scotland and the national economy, and one that has benefited UK government expenditure for very many years.

On International Women’s Day, it is important to reflect how far we have come as a society in terms of gender equality over the past century. But we must also recognise just how far we still have to travel.

The SNP is committed to supporting rural communities across Scotland. Here’s just some of the action we’re taking.

Today we celebrate International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day is a global occasion which gives us the opportunity to highlight progress towards gender equality – but it also helps us shine a light on the areas where progress is still too slow and gives us a platform to support continued action where inequality remains.

The bravery, loyalty and professionalism of our former service men and women deserves our full care and support.

Too many of our ex-service personnel contracted asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, during their service – as have those who worked in shipyards and other industries that made use of asbestos.

I love reading.

I have loved reading all of my life.

As long as I can remember – on car journeys, rainy school holidays, the dark nights of winter – I’ve needed no excuse to delve into my latest book.

Today Nicola Sturgeon set out the SNP’s plans make the funding of local services fairer – in a way that’s reasonable, measured and balanced. At the same time the proposals will boost investment in our schools, provide additional support for children in low income households, and ensure councils continue to be properly funded while becoming more accountable.

The plans I am setting out today propose both short and long term reforms of local government taxation. At the heart of our proposals for reform are two key pledges. Firstly that we will make the funding of local services fairer – in a reasonable, measured and balanced way – and second that in so doing we will generate additional funding for schools and ensure additional support for children in low income households.

We believe that social security is an investment in the people of Scotland. For the SNP, the process of how we deliver benefits is as important as what the benefits will do.

That is why we are committed to having a social security system in Scotland that is fair and puts respect and dignity at its heart. Putting people at the centre of that system is key to ensuring we create a fairer Scotland.

Today we have announced the formation of the SNP ‘In’ Europe campaign and I’m absolutely delighted to be serving as campaign director.

Our focus between now and the 23rd June will be in leading a positive, progressive and upbeat campaign in Scotland to stay in Europe.

Imagine shopping online with the promise of ‘free delivery’ only to be told once you have hit ‘checkout’ you’ll have to incur a charge. It might be £20 for an electric drill, or a whopping £90 for ordering a new mobile phone.

The deal we agreed yesterday with the UK Government is a good one for Scotland.

It means the new tax and welfare powers promised by Westminster will come to Holyrood, if the Scottish Parliament gives its approval.

Following the referendum, a promise was made to Scotland of more powers — not more powers at a cost.

The Smith Agreement — signed up to by all of Holyrood’s parties — had at its core the principle of no detriment to Scotland in devolving new powers to the Scottish Parliament.

Nicola Sturgeon has today written to the Prime Minister on the fiscal framework.

THE latest “offer” from the Tory Treasury is not a new or a serious one.

They claim to be offering around £4.5billion extra funding to Scotland over the next decade or so .

Funding for Scotland’s 32 Councils for the year ahead has been agreed. Here’s our top three of what the latest package of funding will deliver

The NHS is our most valued and cherished public service, but it couldn’t be delivered without the hard work and dedication of the staff who work for it. That’s why the SNP is committed to supporting our health service staff to deliver the best possible health care.

No woman should have to prove she was raped to be able to claim child tax credits. It’s a dramatic statement, and it’s one that has raised many questions – so perhaps it’s best to go back to the start.

In the last few years Scotland has seen a greater voter engagement and greater political engagement than it has ever seen in its history. The reason that’s happened is because people have realised that politics isn’t some abstract thing – a thing that you have to be a politician to understand. Politics affects every aspect of your life, the bills you pay, your wages, your house, your education, your job.

Labour is planning an immediate 1p tax increase which would hit 2.5 million taxpayers in Scotland, including almost half a million pensioners. At a time when many families are already struggling to make ends meet, that just can’t be right.

This SNP Government will always do what we believe is in Scotland’s best interests.

We believe in independence – but short of that, we are focussed on using all of the powers we currently have to make this country a better place for everyone who lives here

We want Scotland to be an attractive place do business and to invest. To achieve this ambition we need to support businesses to explore new markets and foster innovation.

Today the SNP held the Disabled Members Conference in Glasgow – the first event of its kind for any political party in Scotland.