The SNP, not Labour, is the real radical and progressive party

Labour are promising to deliver things that the SNP Scottish Government has been delivering for years, such as free prescriptions, free personal care for over-65s, free tuition, and much more.

Rather than just talking about it, the SNP is delivering progress through ambitious policies in government – and we place no limit on our ambitions for Scotland.

In the general election on December 12, a vote for the SNP is a vote to lock the Tories out of power and elect progressive MPs who will defeat austerity, work to stop Brexit, and stand up for Scotland’s right to choose its future.

🤦‍♂️ Labour’s ‘jobs first’ Brexit is a myth – we firmly oppose it.

Three and a half years on from the EU referendum, Labour’s top team is still deeply split on their Brexit policy and Jeremy Corbyn can’t even bring himself to choosing whether he’d back Leave or Remain in a second referendum.

There’s nothing radical about fence-sitting, and while Labour’s Brexit policy is reduced to soundbites, the SNP are the most consistent and strongest pro-European voice in Scotland.

While Labour has frequently abdicated their responsibility as the ‘official opposition’ at Westminster, SNP MPs have resolutely stood up for Scotland’s overwhelming vote to Remain and led the efforts to inflict several heavy blows on Boris Johnson’s Brexit-obsessed Tory government.

Labour’s policy of re-negotiating the Brexit deal would still leave Scotland locked out of the single market – a scenario which the Scottish Government’s and the UK Government’s own analysis reveals would threaten 80,000 Scottish jobs within a decade, disproportionately affecting those on the lowest incomes.

The best deal for our economy, society and public services is remaining in the EU, and we strongly support giving the people of Scotland the say to escape Brexit. On December 12, a vote for the SNP is a vote for Scotland’s place in Europe.

☮️ The SNP is firmly opposed to Trident nuclear weapons, unlike Labour.

Labour’s policy remains wedded to backing Trident renewal, which could end up costing at up to £205 billion – money that could be better spent on building hospitals, improving schools, and tackling the climate emergency, especially at a time of brutal Tory austerity.

Committing to weapons of mass destruction is not ‘for the many’, it is morally unjustifiable and fails to address modern threats to our security.
 The SNP is firmly against Trident and always will be. With independence, we will prioritise removing Trident from Scotland as soon as it is safe to do so.

We want to see a world free from nuclear weapons, and cancelling Trident would allow for a huge investment in jobs, homes, education and health; improving the lives of people across Scotland and the rest of the UK, without threatening the lives of others.

🎓 We will always keep education free.

Despite promising to scrap university tuition fees in 2017, the Welsh Labour government continues to impose extortionate fees of £9,295 a year on students in Wales.

Only a year after coming into power, in 2008, we abolished tuition fees – which were introduced by Tony Blair’s Labour government in the first place – because we firmly believe that education is a fundamental right, not a commodity.

🛌 We are mitigating the cruel bedroom tax and establishing a new Scottish Social Security system.

Despite being in government in Wales, Labour has not taken all the steps it could to mitigate the worst impacts of Tory policies, such as the bedroom tax.

We are spending £115 million a year to protect Scotland from the bedroom tax, and introducing numerous new benefits designed to help families and give children the best start in life. In contrast to Tory callousness and Labour inaction, we are creating a new social security system with dignity and fairness at its heart.

🌍 We’re taking world-leading action to promote renewables and tackle the climate emergency.

While Labour recently made a big announcement out of their promise to introduce interest-free loans for electric cars, the SNP Scottish Government is already delivering them.

Scottish Labour, meanwhile, voted against it – along with many other policies Labour proposed at their latest conference – at the last Scottish Budget.

Actions to tackle the global climate emergency – such as investing in renewable energy, sustainable transport and green jobs through the Green New Deal for Scotland – are at the heart of our Programme for Government, and consolidate Scotland’s global leadership on this issue.

🚉 Labour only talks about nationalising railways – we work to make it possible.

Welsh Labour’s 2016 manifesto promised to “deliver a new, not-for-profit rail franchise from 2018”. This has not happened, and instead, the Labour government in Wales has just awarded a new 15-year franchise to a private operator. Labour talks about public ownership, but their record tells a whole different story. 

Meanwhile, we have been leading the charge for powers over our railways, and we have made it possible for a public-sector body to run the next ScotRail franchise.

 🗳 Labour desperately denies Scotland a say on its future – we choose to trust the people.

Labour stand shoulder to shoulder with the Tories to vehemently oppose Scotland’s right to choose their constitutional future. It is completely unsustainable and unjust to deny the people of Scotland a say, and on December 12, it’s time to send Westminster that strong message by voting SNP.

We passionately believe that Scotland’s future should be in Scotland’s hands and that with independence, Scotland can be a beacon of prosperity, equality, and progressive values.

Rather than just talk about being radical, we are taking tangible, pioneering actions in government to transform our society. We are proud of our record, but we know there’s a lot more to do.

Join us and support our work in building a fairer, healthier, wealthier, greener, better Scotland.