Voters are responding to the SNP’s “positive message of hope”, John Swinney has said ahead of the final weekend of campaigning before Thursday’s election.
The First Minister will take the party’s campaign to Glasgow and Edinburgh on Saturday, as he pledged to work “ever harder” to win votes.
With the cost of living being a key issue for voters amid the US-Israeli offensive in Iran, the First Minister has committed his party to seek to drive down bills.
The SNP has pledged in its manifesto to cap bus fares at £2 and to implement a price ceiling on essential food items in large supermarkets.
But the plans to cap food prices have been criticised by the industry and could face a significant legal challenge.
Speaking ahead of the final weekend of campaigning, the First Minister said: “Throughout this campaign, the SNP has taken our positive, ambitious message to the people of Scotland about how we will improve the NHS, support people with the cost of living, and deliver the fresh start of independence.
“It is clear that people are responding to that positive message of hope – but between now and polling day, the SNP will be working ever harder to earn and re-earn people’s trust.
John Swinney has traversed Scotland during the election campaign (Jane Barlow/PA)
PA Wire
“As First Minister, I want to take action to support people – reducing the cost of your daily commute, capping the cost of essential foods in supermarkets, and bringing down electricity bills with the fresh start of independence.
“The SNP wants to lower your bills, and the other parties are trying to stop us. They want people to vote for an opposition to stop things happening, I am asking people to vote for an SNP government to get things done.
“The best way to ensure we can deliver is by electing a majority SNP government – one that supports people with the cost of living, locks out Nigel Farage and delivers the fresh start of independence.”
But Scottish Lib Dem deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain said a third decade of the SNP in power would “do Scotland no good”.
“To hear a party that’s been in government for 19 years promise Scotland a ‘fresh start’ is downright surreal. I’m not sure who John Swinney expects to believe him,” she said.
“If the SNP were serious about bringing down the cost of living, they might have a better record to run on. Instead, they’ve proposed a baffling food price cap policy that wouldn’t be in the Scottish Parliament’s power to deliver, and which they’ve had to rework almost daily since they announced it because it doesn’t stand up to the barest of scrutiny.
“The SNP’s record on the economy is one of overpromising, underdelivering, and shifting the blame. A third decade of that will do Scotland no good.”
Scottish Tory deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “If John Swinney really cared about the cost-of-living crisis, he would not have saddled hard-pressed Scots with the highest taxes in the UK.
“Everyone knows that his Soviet-style food price cap is an unworkable gimmick designed to create a spat with the UK Government.
“Households across Scotland are desperate for some respite from constantly rising bills under the SNP. That’s why the Scottish Conservatives would cut income tax for all by reining in out-of-control welfare spending.”
