The tale of two governments
This is a tale of two governments – the SNP Scottish Government that’s delivering progress to every household in Scotland, and the UK Tory government imposing damaging policies against our will.
While Boris Johnson’s priorities lie around Trident nuclear weapons, welfare cuts and a power grab on Scotland, the SNP Government is choosing a different path.
Fairer, more compassionate social security system
🏴 We’ve built a new social security system, which now delivers 12 benefits. 7 of them are new and unique within the UK, such as the Scottish Child Payment, labelled by charities as a “game-changer” in our fight against poverty.
In April 2022, we doubled it to £20 per week – a move that has been welcomed by charities, campaigners and experts right across the UK.
🏴 We’ve built a new social security system based on dignity and compassion.
🧒🏼 Scottish Child Payment
🤝 Young Carer Grant
💛 Best Start Grant✂️ Meanwhile, cruel Tory cuts to Universal Credit are pushing thousands of working families into poverty.https://t.co/cOHFDMLz4u
— The SNP (@theSNP) September 28, 2021
🇬🇧 After 12 years of Tory austerity which was condemned by the UN, the UK government has now imposed a cruel cut to Universal Credit – slashing incomes by £1,040 and pushing 60,000 people in Scotland into poverty.
🚨 The UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak just cut Universal Credit by £1040 per year.
⚠️ One-third of households receiving Universal Credit will have their income slashed by 20% – pushing 60,000 Scots into poverty.
📢 We cannot trust the Tories to protect the people of Scotland. pic.twitter.com/CUxXDbOJA1
— The SNP (@theSNP) October 6, 2021
Rewarding our NHS workers
🏴 Scotland’s NHS staff received at least a 4% pay increase, giving the lowest paid workers a minimum £1,000 increase and an average £1,200 rise for frontline NHS nurses. That’s on top of our £500 thank-you Covid payment.
💛 Our 4% NHS pay rise this year for will be backdated to December and in payslips from next month. pic.twitter.com/WP9c9rUFS4
— The SNP (@theSNP) May 26, 2021
🇬🇧 NHS staff have only been initially offered a 1% pay rise – branded by health staff and unions as “pitiful” and an “insult”. Eventually, the UK government was forced into a U-turn, giving a 3% pay rise.
Bairns, not bombs
🏴 We’ve introduced the Scottish Child Payment, we’re rolling out universal free school meals in primary schools and free bus travel for all under-22s. That’s on top of our Baby Box, Best Start Grant, and expansion of free childcare to 1,140 hours.
🧸 Up to 130,000 children will now benefit from 1140 hours of free early learning and childcare.
📢 Available to all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds, saving families around £4900 per child each year.
✅ That’s another SNP manifesto commitment delivered. pic.twitter.com/ZPUUGNMc6a
— The SNP (@theSNP) August 4, 2021
🇬🇧 The Tories are spending billions more, on top of a £205 billion Trident renewal bill, to increase the number of nuclear weapons on the Clyde – fully supported by Keir Starmer’s Labour.
🚨 The UK government is spending billions of pounds more, on top of a £200 billion Trident renewal, to increase their nuclear weapons stockpile by over 40%.
⚠️ A shameful sum of money that could be used to tackle child poverty instead. #BairnsNotBombshttps://t.co/ujPqnhcSFP
— The SNP (@theSNP) March 16, 2021
Tackling child poverty, strengthening children’s rights
🏴 The SNP Scottish Government is taking ambitious steps to tackle child poverty and passed the UNCRC Bill to deliver the strongest protection for children’s rights anywhere in the UK.
👶🏻 @Scotparl this week voted to enshrine the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots Law.
📢 @MareeToddMSP: “In the words of Lady Bird Johnson, ‘children are likely to live up to what you believe of them’. I believe in Scotland’s children.” pic.twitter.com/WZnCGaobmw
— The SNP (@theSNP) March 21, 2021
🇬🇧 The UK Tory government took the Scottish Government to court for passing the UNCRC Bill to strengthen children’s rights, as the Westminster power grab is clear to see.
🏴 The Scottish Parliament unanimously passed a law to protect children’s rights.
🔎 Even the Scottish Tory MSPs backed it.
🤷 But as Boris Johnson decided to take @scotgov to court over this, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross sides with Boris Johnson. #STVDebate pic.twitter.com/nML85ZwG9f
— The SNP (@theSNP) April 14, 2021
Delivering over 100,000 affordable homes
🏴 The SNP has already delivered over 100,000 affordable homes in every part of Scotland, 70% of which are for social rent. And we’re already getting on with the job of delivering 110,000 more affordable homes, tackling homelessness, and strengthening tenants’ rights.
🏴 Scotland has more new homes per head of population than anywhere in the UK, and 9 times more social rent homes than England.
🏘️ We’ve now delivered more than 100,000 affordable homes, with 70% for social rent.
🏗️ By 2032, we will deliver 100,000 more. pic.twitter.com/LQf5ZZXbAK
— The SNP (@theSNP) June 15, 2021
🇬🇧 Boris Johnson spent £2.6 million of taxpayers’ money on a Downing Street TV briefing room, an expensive “Brexit plane” and more Union flags.
Standing up for Scotland’s place in Europe
🏴 We have consistently stood against the damaging Tory Brexit, which Scotland overwhelmingly rejected – and in this Parliament, we will offer the people of Scotland the opportunity to choose a better future as an independent, European country.
👉🏼 Empty shelves.
👉🏼 Food shortages.
👉🏼 Businesses collapsing.🙅🏼♂️ The Tories, who we haven’t voted for since 1955, are making us all pay the price for Brexit which we rejected.
🏴 Another future is possible. It’s time for independence. https://t.co/bkLETLnJTB pic.twitter.com/VHymXmLt8V
— Yes (@YesScot) September 2, 2021
🇬🇧 The UK Tory government has dragged Scotland out of the EU against our will – damaging our economy, robbing young people of opportunities, and selling out Scotland’s fishing communities, while causing food shortages, fuel shortages and rising energy bills.
📣 In 2014, Scotland was told to vote No to protect our EU membership.
✂️ Since then, Westminster imposed more austerity, more cuts, a power grab and a damaging Brexit.
👇🏼 We’re all paying the heavy price of Tory rule. Here’s how.https://t.co/A24VfTWpFe
— The SNP (@theSNP) September 30, 2021
All this, and more, is under threat as Westminster grabs Scotland’s powers
The SNP Scottish Government has put Scotland on the map, delivering many bold, progressive and world-leading policies. Here are just a few:
- Free tuition
- Free prescriptions
- Free personal care
- Free sanitary products
- World-leading climate targets
- Energy Transition Fund to drive green recovery
- Free bus travel for under-19s – now expanding to under-22s
- 1,140 hours of free high-quality childcare
- Free dental care for under-26s – and for all by the end of this Parliament
You can read more about our record here.
The ongoing Westminster power grab puts it all at risk, as UK ministers gain new powers to overrule decisions by the democratically elected Scottish Parliament.
🚨 The Tories’ economic plans for Brexit UK have been exposed as a full-scale assault on devolution.
📣 Even the Welsh Labour First Minister called it an “enormous power grab”.
🗳 On May 6th, make it #BothVotesSNP to say loud and clear: hands off Scotland’s powers. pic.twitter.com/P0bO2vhmJN
— The SNP (@theSNP) March 10, 2021
Let’s put Scotland’s recovery in Scotland’s hands – not Boris Johnson’s
The best way to protect our Scottish Parliament from the Tory power grab, and protect Scotland from more damaging Westminster policies, is by becoming an independent country in Europe.
As we build back from the pandemic, our recovery must be decided here in Scotland, not by Tory governments we don’t vote for.
Scotland will have that choice in a referendum for recovery.
🗳️ In May, the people of Scotland voted for an increased pro-independence majority.
🏴 Scotland’s future will be Scotland’s choice – not Boris Johnson’s or anyone else.
👉🏼 Tell us why Scotland must be independent with #YESbecause. pic.twitter.com/nSoIcScfdp
— Yes (@YesScot) September 18, 2021