Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party’s manifesto contains plans to protect elderly concessions, encourage small business growth and maintain civil liberties. As can be expected, many of the pledges in the manifesto involve keeping Scotland at the forefront of technological and economic development – although there are a number of pledges that would affect the whole of the UK, plans which party leader Alex Salmond believes will be important for influence in Westminster in the event of a hung Parliament.
The manifesto in brief
- Scrap the proposed identity card project
- Guarantee to protect free personal care and concessionary travel for the elderly, along with bringing pensions in line with earnings.
- Demand a fair fuel regulator to investigate fuel prices and ensure that the customer gets a fairer deal, likely by reducing fuel duty.
- Include Scotland in the first phase of the UK’s high speed rail network.
- Oppose any changes to the Royal Mail that will weaken the universal delivery obligation.
- Increase the minimum wage in line with the increase in average earnings across the UK.
- Extend small business rate relief to ensure that more businesses in local communities will pay no rates at all and help the economy flourish through private sector growth.
- Protect the planned £1.25 billion investment in schools, regarding both the building of new schools and the refurbishment of existing schools.
To view the manifesto in full, click the following link: http://www.snp.org/manifestos/