Meeting of the Parliament 25 March 2026 [Draft]
The Government is focused on people’s priorities and on delivering improvements in the lives of the people of Scotland. That is what has driven my public service for the past 29 years as a member of Parliament. It has driven every moment of my privilege to serve the people of Scotland as a minister and now as First Minister. Since 2007, under the SNP, wealth per head in Scotland has grown by 10.1 per cent, compared with 7.8 per cent in the UK. Waiting times are falling in this country. On the cost of living, we have abolished peak rail fares and we have frozen rail fares for next year. That is an SNP Government delivering within our powers on the priorities that concern people—the NHS and the cost of living.
People in Scotland are finding times hard because of the damaging decisions that have been made in the United Kingdom. Whether it is the austerity that was ushered in by the Conservatives or the Brexit that was forced upon us against our will by the Conservatives, all those things have damaged the quality of life of people in Scotland. I say to the people of Scotland that we have an opportunity on 7 May to have a fresh start with independence and I intend to deliver it.