Analysis

The 5 key things to look out for in the SNP's general election manifesto

The party will launch the document later this week

The SNP will launch its general election manifesto this week, with the party promising to set out an “alternative to the Westminster status quo”.

John Swinney, the First Minister and SNP leader, said it will be the only “truly left-of-centre” manifesto on offer at this election.

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The main UK parties have already set out their manifestos. Scottish Labour, the Scottish Tories and the Scottish Liberal Democrats will follow suit with separate documents in the coming days, but few surprises are expected.

The SNP's John Swinney. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty ImagesThe SNP's John Swinney. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
The SNP's John Swinney. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

More attention will perhaps be paid to the SNP’s. Here are five things to look out for.

Independence

Mr Swinney has said independence will be on “page one, line one” of his party’s manifesto. Of course, the SNP exists to push forward the case for independence, so a focus on this is hardly surprising.

However, the details here will be interesting. The First Minister recently denied the constitution had been downplayed by the SNP as it seeks to win votes.

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“Our manifesto position is that if the SNP wins a majority of seats in this election, that must trigger negotiations with the UK about Scotland becoming an independent country, and I think the best and the most reliable way to make that happen is by a democratic referendum in which everybody can chose on that question the future of Scotland,” he said.

Attacks on ‘Westminster austerity’

Mr Swinney said the manifesto will set out “an alternative to the billions of pounds in cuts planned by both Labour and the Tories”.

The SNP has repeatedly criticised Labour for what it says are £18 billion of cuts baked into Sir Keir Starmer’s plans. This is based on analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), which actually says Labour’s manifesto implies between £6bn and £16bn of spending cuts in unprotected areas such as local government funding. (It’s worth noting the IFS also says an independent Scotland would have to make cuts or hike taxes in its first decade.)

The SNP said its manifesto will include plans for investment in public services and “protections for the NHS against the creeping privatisation agenda”.

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Cost-of-living crisis

Linked to the above, the SNP’s manifesto will set out support for families struggling through the cost-of-living crisis. Speak to any candidate and they will tell you this comes up time and time again on the doorstep. People are feeling the squeeze.

The SNP will no doubt seek to highlight measures it has already taken in Scotland, such as introducing and increasing the Scottish Child Payment, as well as where it wants to go further.

North Sea oil and gas

The SNP has accused Labour of putting tens of thousands of jobs at risk with its plans to extend the windfall tax on oil and gas giants, while also criticising the Tories for being “climate deniers”.

The Nationalists are now embarking on a delicate balancing act, with a position that falls between Labour and the Tories. Effectively, this argues new licences in the North Sea should be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to robust climate tests.

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Anything the manifesto says on this will be heavily scrutinised.

Brexit and immigration

The SNP says it wants to reverse Brexit by joining the EU as an independent country. It will contrast this with the positions of Labour and the Tories. Meanwhile, it argues Scotland needs more migration, not less.

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