THERE will be a Labour government come Friday. The question facing Scotland is who do you trust more to stand up for you – the SNP or the Westminster parties?
Politics is first and foremost about people and their communities. It’s about finding solutions together to address the challenges we face. It’s about bringing folks together to debate ideas, find a common vision and then take the necessary steps to see that vision realised.
Covid showed us that who represents us really matters. No government got everything right but we saw the difference that trust in each other made whether it was the state providing Covid support for businesses, individuals checking in with their neighbours to see how they could be helped or us all making the sacrifice of isolationism to protect others in society.
Since then, we have seen a scunner factor emerge around politicians and politics that has been developing over these years but has really come to the fore in this campaign.
We in the SNP have not been immune from this either after several self-inflicted wounds and we must have the humility to recognise that. Though we must also not wallow in the past but strive to be better today and tomorrow.
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That’s why our vision is a powerful one. It’s independence in the European Union. It’s Scotland taking its place back on the world stage. It’s about taking power back from Westminster and putting it into the hands of the Scottish Parliament and the people of Scotland.
We’ve seen in the election debates what happens when the SNP aren’t in the room; Scotland is ignored, sidelined and barely given a passing thought. Whenever SNP politicians have been in the debate or in the media, Scotland has a voice and a consistently different one to that offered by the Westminster mainstream.
After all, without the SNP there would be mention of the damage that Brexit has caused. There would be no party highlighting that it has left the UK £140 billion poorer.
That has meant less money for local councils, less money for the Scottish Government and therefore poorer public services. If you want to know what is at the root cause of the damage to our communities and institutions, then all roads lead back to Westminster.
There is no use though simply passing the buck. It is easy to complain and less easy to offer solutions. It is why if SNP MPs are elected at the General Election, we will put forward a bill to protect the NHS and keep it in public hands.
We will advocate for a social tariff on energy and broadband bills so that no one goes without warm homes or a connection to the outside world. Politics means making choices, and our choice is to deliver for the people of Scotland.
It is not enough to change the personnel though, we need to change the game. SNP MPs will continue standing up for Scotland but we all know that the Westminster system is broken. While Labour take their temporary turn running Whitehall, families will remain in poverty, immigrants demonised, and opportunities for Scotland’s youth and enterprises curtailed.
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Independence is the solution our communities need. Being back in the EU will mean getting back into the structural funds which transformed our rural infrastructure. Returning to the single market and customs union will be a lifesaver for our businesses as they see Brexit red tape slashed. For our young people, it will allow them to be part of the world and our shared European continent instead of being limited to the UK.
Over the past few weeks, I have enjoyed being out and about in Stirling and Strathallan and taking this message to the doorsteps.
I’ve had a great team of activists who have been relentless in pounding the streets, delivering letters and leaflets and conversing with voters. I might be the candidate but without this army of volunteers, it would have been a much more brutal election campaign. My thanks to you all!
As we gear up then for the final 48 hours, it’s important for us all to remember why this election matters. We know what England will vote for and who will be in 10 Downing Street as a result.
In Scotland, the election remains up for grabs. If you want Scotland’s interests to be heard and for independence to remain salient, then tomorrow vote SNP.
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Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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