:07:04. > :07:21.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE when I put out a gentle request, I didn't think I
:07:22. > :07:25.would get such a fantastic turnout! This is a city with a long
:07:26. > :07:29.association with the Scottish National Party. Not only was this a
:07:30. > :07:36.conference city for years and years, we have held the constituencies here
:07:37. > :07:45.since 1995, since that superb victory for Rosamund Cunningham 22
:07:46. > :07:46.years ago and we are not going to let this constituency go again.
:07:47. > :07:58.APPLAUSE Apparently, there's bit of a
:07:59. > :08:04.challenge this time. Apparently this is the one target seat for the
:08:05. > :08:11.Tories. I wouldn't be relaxed unless it was a number one target seat, but
:08:12. > :08:19.in the last two elections I travelled and my majority.
:08:20. > :08:24.APPLAUSE Perth and north Perthshire is a line in the sand they will not
:08:25. > :08:36.cross, and with your help we will ensure that happens. But thank you
:08:37. > :08:41.for coming to this wonderful city, you are more than welcome. Perth
:08:42. > :08:45.welcomes the Scottish National Party, it is an SNP city and it's
:08:46. > :08:52.great to see so many of you here today. It's my pleasure and
:08:53. > :08:57.privilege to introduce my colleague, the deputy leader of the party.
:08:58. > :09:00.Angus Robertson and I were both elected in 2001, and we are now the
:09:01. > :09:12.longest serving members of Parliament. And we are only 35. But
:09:13. > :09:18.ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to welcome my colleague, my
:09:19. > :09:24.friend, our deputy leader of the party, Angus Robertson.
:09:25. > :09:54.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE thank you. Thank you. Thank you very
:09:55. > :10:05.much, friends. And welcome to the manifesto launch of the real
:10:06. > :10:09.opposition. Our strong and effective SNP group has a proven record of
:10:10. > :10:13.standing up for Scotland at Westminster, leaving the real
:10:14. > :10:19.opposition to the Tory government. And in this election, only the SNP
:10:20. > :10:24.can provide a strong, progressive voice to protect the Scottish people
:10:25. > :10:29.and Scottish jobs against the dangers of an unopposed hardline
:10:30. > :10:35.Tory government. That's why now more than ever before, it is essential we
:10:36. > :10:39.have a strong group of SNP MPs standing up against Tory cuts. And a
:10:40. > :10:44.manifesto that will represent progressive values and an
:10:45. > :10:49.alternative to austerity. We will provide that effective voice, we
:10:50. > :10:59.will provide strong opposition, we will provide a real agenda for
:11:00. > :11:12.change. So ladies and gentlemen... APPLAUSE Ladies and gentlemen, it --
:11:13. > :11:15.to present our plan, please welcome the leader of the SNP, the First
:11:16. > :11:21.Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon.
:11:22. > :11:56.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Thank you very much, thank you,
:11:57. > :12:02.Angus. A very warm welcome to the launch of the SNP's manifesto for
:12:03. > :12:12.the general election. This manifesto sets out a clear plan to end Tory
:12:13. > :12:18.cuts, protect Scottish jobs, and strengthen Scotland's hand. It is a
:12:19. > :12:24.manifesto with fairness, opportunity, and democracy at its
:12:25. > :12:28.heart. The manifesto for a country that is welcoming and outward
:12:29. > :12:34.looking. A manifesto that reflects our belief in the infinite
:12:35. > :12:38.possibilities open to the people of Scotland if we work together in the
:12:39. > :12:41.common good to build the kind of country we know we can be.
:12:42. > :13:03.APPLAUSE A pledge that this election is that
:13:04. > :13:07.SNP MPs will work every day to make Scotland's voice heard and build a
:13:08. > :13:13.better country. We know that decisions taken at Westminster in
:13:14. > :13:20.the years ahead will shape our country, so now more than ever it is
:13:21. > :13:23.vital to have strong SNP voices standing up for Scotland. With
:13:24. > :13:30.Labour... APPLAUSE
:13:31. > :13:38.With Labour in disarray the Tories saw a chance to tighten their grip
:13:39. > :13:44.on the whole of the UK, for many years to come. But with their true
:13:45. > :13:50.colours being exposed in this campaign, we have a real chance to
:13:51. > :13:56.keep them in check. And let's be clear - Labour isn't strong enough
:13:57. > :14:04.to do that. Voting Labour simply risks letting in Tory MPs. In
:14:05. > :14:06.Scotland, only the SNP can keep the Tories in check.
:14:07. > :14:26.APPLAUSE In this election, it is vital that
:14:27. > :14:32.we strengthen Scotland's hand, not Theresa May's. Otherwise, so much of
:14:33. > :14:37.what we cherish and value would be under threat. The dismantling of the
:14:38. > :14:42.post-war welfare state, already under way, will pick up pace.
:14:43. > :14:48.Experts are already predicting the biggest rise in inequality since the
:14:49. > :14:53.1980s. They say the incomes of the poorest third of working age
:14:54. > :14:58.households will fall by 10% over the next four years, and that Tory
:14:59. > :15:08.policy will drive 1 million more children across the UK into poverty.
:15:09. > :15:16.By 2021 they could be more than 5 million children across the UK, a
:15:17. > :15:18.number equivalent to the total published of Scotland, living in
:15:19. > :15:20.poverty in one of the richest countries in the world. That is
:15:21. > :15:39.shameful. That is shameful. Our manifesto puts
:15:40. > :15:44.it at the very heart of this election. Jobs will be lost as the
:15:45. > :15:51.Tories threaten to turn their backs not just on the EU but on the single
:15:52. > :15:55.market as well. That is why more than ever before we need strong SNP
:15:56. > :15:58.voices at Westminster to stand up to the Tories and to stand up for
:15:59. > :16:16.Scotland. As a country we face big challenges
:16:17. > :16:22.but we have made so much progress. We must not let Westminster
:16:23. > :16:29.government struggles backwards. In this manifesto we set out how strong
:16:30. > :16:34.SNP MPs will help to build a fairer and more equal Scotland. That starts
:16:35. > :16:40.with a clear alternative to continued austerity. For the Tories
:16:41. > :16:44.austerity cuts are not simply a policy response to a particular
:16:45. > :16:50.economic situation, they are political dogma. An ideology. As
:16:51. > :16:54.well as damaging our public services they hold back our economy. That's
:16:55. > :17:00.why the current government has consistently failed to meet all of
:17:01. > :17:08.its fiscal targets. We are setting out a different approach. Our plan
:17:09. > :17:11.has three key aims. Firstly to balance the UK budget for day-to-day
:17:12. > :17:16.spending by the end of the parliament and after that borrowing
:17:17. > :17:22.only to invest. Secondly to return the deficit to its pre-crash
:17:23. > :17:27.long-term average. Thirdly to set debt on a downward path. These
:17:28. > :17:30.responsible targets will return the UK's finances to a stable and
:17:31. > :17:36.sustainable position and crucially they will also free up an additional
:17:37. > :17:42.?180 billion of public investment over the next Parliament to grow the
:17:43. > :17:48.economy, safeguard public services and protect household incomes. A
:17:49. > :17:54.clear alternative to five more years of austerity. Hope and investment
:17:55. > :18:12.for the future, not a destroying cycle of cuts. That is the SNP plan.
:18:13. > :18:20.SNP MPs will also back their tax. In government we have frozen the basic
:18:21. > :18:26.rate of income tax to help low and middle earners. That is the right
:18:27. > :18:30.approach at a time when rising inflation is making it harder for
:18:31. > :18:38.many families to make ends meet. We have also opted not to cut tax for
:18:39. > :18:42.higher rate taxpayers. A tax cut for the top 10% of income murders at a
:18:43. > :18:48.time when public spending is under pressure is the wrong priority. We
:18:49. > :19:02.choose investment in our public services instead.
:19:03. > :19:08.SNP MPs will also support an increase across the UK in the
:19:09. > :19:15.additional rate of income tax. For those earning more than ?150,000
:19:16. > :19:21.from 45p to 50p. The difference between the SNP and the Tories is
:19:22. > :19:25.this. The Tories plans will give tax cuts to the wealthiest while pushing
:19:26. > :19:30.more hard-working people and families in the poverty. Our plans
:19:31. > :19:35.are there to all and will lift people out of poverty. Not just
:19:36. > :19:39.cause it is the right thing to do but because we know that greater
:19:40. > :19:46.inequality helps our economy as well. One of the biggest scandals in
:19:47. > :19:56.recent years and it is a scandal has been the rise and of people living
:19:57. > :20:01.in poverty despite having a job. 70% of children growing up in poverty
:20:02. > :20:05.live in a household with at least one person is working. Scotland
:20:06. > :20:11.already has the highest proportion of workers, paid the real living
:20:12. > :20:18.wage, of any UK country and that is positive. But we need to do more to
:20:19. > :20:23.tackle low pay, falling wages and reduce support for those on low
:20:24. > :20:27.incomes. That is why today I am setting out a 3-point plan to tackle
:20:28. > :20:33.poverty and inequality and increase the incomes and the living standards
:20:34. > :20:37.of families across the UK. Firstly we will support moves over the next
:20:38. > :20:39.Parliament working with business to increase the minimum wage to the
:20:40. > :20:56.level of the real living wage. That means a living wage by the end of
:20:57. > :21:04.the next Parliament that will be slightly more than ?10 power.
:21:05. > :21:09.Secondly, here in Scotland we will take a different approach to public
:21:10. > :21:12.sector pay. The 1% take-up was designed to protect jobs at the time
:21:13. > :21:20.of spending cuts imposed by Westminster. The SNP has taken
:21:21. > :21:24.action to soften its impact in shoring for example that many nurses
:21:25. > :21:28.in Scotland are paid more than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK.
:21:29. > :21:34.There is no doubt it has been hard for public sector workers and at a
:21:35. > :21:38.time of rising inflation it is increasingly unsustainable. Of
:21:39. > :21:43.course pay rises must be affordable but they must also reflect the real
:21:44. > :21:48.life circumstances people face and enable us to attract and retain
:21:49. > :21:51.staff in our public services. For next year and in future years we
:21:52. > :22:16.will not assume a 1% pay cap. Instead we will set a remote for
:22:17. > :22:19.discussions with trade unions based on a proper consideration of the
:22:20. > :22:22.part of inflation with a view to reaching their outcomes which strike
:22:23. > :22:28.the right balance between affordability and the cost of
:22:29. > :22:33.living. Thirdly, policies in this manifesto will restore fairness to
:22:34. > :22:39.our social security system. Make no mistake, the Tories have sought to
:22:40. > :22:45.undermine faith in the welfare state itself. They have set out very
:22:46. > :22:52.deliberately to stigmatise those on benefits. No one should be allowed
:22:53. > :22:56.to blues the system but their rhetoric as cover for the hardship
:22:57. > :23:02.they are causing to those who work hard and struggle to get like
:23:03. > :23:07.ongoing comes. Children, the elderly, women, the disabled, even
:23:08. > :23:12.the bereaved are bearing the brunt. There are around ?9 billion of
:23:13. > :23:15.Social Security cuts still to come over the next four years. Not
:23:16. > :23:23.surprisingly the Tories want to press ahead with every single penny.
:23:24. > :23:31.What is surprising is that Labour is pledging to reverse less than a
:23:32. > :23:35.quarter of those cuts. Let me be clear today, SNP MPs will stand
:23:36. > :23:53.against all of the further planned cuts to social security.
:23:54. > :24:02.We will do so because we punish the disabled and those who work hard to
:24:03. > :24:04.make ends meet. We also support the reversal of the two child cap on tax
:24:05. > :24:28.credits. And we will campaign tirelessly
:24:29. > :24:40.against the immoral cause that goes with it.
:24:41. > :24:43.The rape clause, a policy that shames every Tory candidate who
:24:44. > :24:56.supports it. We will demand reversal of the cuts
:24:57. > :25:01.to employment support allowance removing ?30 per week in vital
:25:02. > :25:07.support from disabled people. We will oppose the freeze for working
:25:08. > :25:14.age benefits. The policy that is set to reduce the incomes of the poorest
:25:15. > :25:20.in our society by 6%. The reason we stand against the Tory assault on
:25:21. > :25:25.Social Security on the poor, disabled and vulnerable as this,
:25:26. > :25:31.these cats strike at the very heart of how we see ourselves as a nation
:25:32. > :25:47.and our shared ambition for the future of our nation.
:25:48. > :25:53.They are unfair and designed to divide. Of course, growing gap
:25:54. > :25:59.between rich and poor is not the only divide the Tory policy will
:26:00. > :26:06.create. Their manifesto seeks to set young against older. The utter chaos
:26:07. > :26:13.that engulfs Theresa May's plans for a so-called dementia tax makes me
:26:14. > :26:14.prouder than ever that the Scottish Parliament introduced free personal
:26:15. > :26:38.nursing care for our belief. Those needing nursing care in
:26:39. > :26:43.Scotland receives two wooden ?49 a week towards the cost of their care.
:26:44. > :26:46.That significantly reduces the burden on the personal assets of
:26:47. > :26:53.someone who has to fund their own care. Let me make clear today, the
:26:54. > :26:54.SNP will always protect free personal and nursing care for our
:26:55. > :27:14.elderly. Of course it is concern for fairness
:27:15. > :27:18.and old age which drives this policy and SNP MPs will be strong voices
:27:19. > :27:27.for their pensions. The Tory manifesto is nothing short of an
:27:28. > :27:31.assault on pensioners. From the dementia tax to the removal of the
:27:32. > :27:36.winter fuel allowance. To every older person in Scotland I say this,
:27:37. > :27:40.it is very clear that the Tories think they can take the votes of
:27:41. > :27:43.many older people for granted and their manifesto makes clear what
:27:44. > :27:48.they will do if given the chance. If you don't want them to have a free
:27:49. > :27:51.hand to remove your hard-won protections, make sure you elect
:27:52. > :28:06.strong voices who will stand up for you.
:28:07. > :28:12.The SNP will protect the winter fuel allowance and with pensioner poverty
:28:13. > :28:18.once again on the rise you will oppose the removal of the pensions
:28:19. > :28:23.triple lock. We will also be strong voices for the women who have been
:28:24. > :28:27.short-changed due to the accelerated timetable for increases in the
:28:28. > :28:31.women's state pension age. SNP MPs will continue to give full support
:28:32. > :28:50.in their efforts to secure that. It seems clear that the Tories are
:28:51. > :28:54.planning to cut deeper to cover the impact of their planned extreme
:28:55. > :28:59.Brexit but these cats are hurting the low paid and pensioners and they
:29:00. > :29:05.are damaging our public services. That is why we will stand against
:29:06. > :29:07.them. Over the past ten years the SNP has prioritised the health
:29:08. > :29:17.service and we will continue to do so. Our NHS faces real challenges
:29:18. > :29:21.but patient satisfaction is at record levels in our hospital A is
:29:22. > :29:36.the best performing anywhere in the UK.
:29:37. > :29:42.Many nurses in Scotland are better paid than anywhere else in the UK
:29:43. > :29:48.and we have integrated health and social care. We already have a
:29:49. > :29:52.pledge to increase the NHS budget by ?2 billion by the end of this
:29:53. > :29:56.Scottish parliament, but our alternative plan for the public
:29:57. > :30:02.finances would allow a further increase of front line health
:30:03. > :30:06.spending across the UK. SNP MPs will call on the new UK Government to
:30:07. > :30:13.increase health spending per head of population in England to the current
:30:14. > :30:25.Scottish level, which is 7% higher. APPLAUSE
:30:26. > :30:34.That would increase the health budget in England by ?11 billion
:30:35. > :30:38.more than inflation by 2022, and it would deliver a consequential
:30:39. > :30:42.funding to support additional investment in Scotland's NHS of up
:30:43. > :30:55.to ?1 billion over and above our current commitment.
:30:56. > :31:11.The SNP standing up for Scotland's NHS now and always.
:31:12. > :31:20.And for our police and Fire Services who have served us so well over this
:31:21. > :31:27.past week as they always do, SNP MPs will demand that a Tory government
:31:28. > :31:46.returns the ?140 million of VAT that it has so unfairly taken.
:31:47. > :31:49.APPLAUSE Money that the Tories have unfairly taken away from our
:31:50. > :31:53.emergency services. For Scotland's young people and
:31:54. > :31:58.families we will continue to extend free childcare. We are investing
:31:59. > :32:04.?750 million in a special fund to raise standards in our schools and
:32:05. > :32:04.the SNP is committed to always protecting free university
:32:05. > :32:19.education. In this election, we are also
:32:20. > :32:23.campaigning to restore the post study work freezer so we can
:32:24. > :32:28.continue to attract the best and brightest from around the world to
:32:29. > :32:32.our country here in Scotland. We are working to ensure that our
:32:33. > :32:43.universities don't lose out on vital European funding.
:32:44. > :32:47.APPLAUSE Policies like expanding free childcare, closing the
:32:48. > :32:51.attainment gap in our schools, and free university tuition are designed
:32:52. > :32:55.to help young people achieve their goals and create a fairer society.
:32:56. > :33:03.Making sure we have a strong economy is also vital to the futures of our
:33:04. > :33:08.young people. Jobs and the economy are central to this manifesto. These
:33:09. > :33:11.have been really challenging economic times, particularly given
:33:12. > :33:17.the fall in the oil price, but at the end of last year, Scotland's GDP
:33:18. > :33:22.per head was above its prerecession level. Productivity has been growing
:33:23. > :33:28.faster than the UK, and unemployment is lower than the UK average. On the
:33:29. > :33:32.greatest economic issue facing Scotland, reversing population
:33:33. > :33:36.decline and growing the number of working age people who live here,
:33:37. > :33:42.real progress has been made, progress that is now put at risk by
:33:43. > :33:46.Brexit. In Government we have a ?6 billion infrastructure programme and
:33:47. > :33:48.we are taking 100,000 business premises out of paying business
:33:49. > :33:58.rates altogether. APPLAUSE
:33:59. > :34:05.In this election, we will not support further reductions to the
:34:06. > :34:10.headline rate of corporation tax, that is not the right priority at
:34:11. > :34:13.this time, but we will support targeted reductions in national
:34:14. > :34:18.insurance to bring down the costs and lawyers face when taking on new
:34:19. > :34:22.workers, and to help boost productivity we will support an
:34:23. > :34:26.increase in the investment allowance to encourage businesses to invest
:34:27. > :34:32.more in plant and machinery. Supporting our economy is vital to
:34:33. > :34:35.everything we do. We live in a world where technological and economic
:34:36. > :34:40.transformation is happening at a pace we haven't seen before. We have
:34:41. > :34:45.the potential in Scotland, more than most countries on earth, to take
:34:46. > :34:51.advantage of the opportunity this change presents. Our food and drink
:34:52. > :34:56.industry is a multi-billion pound success story. We have unrivalled
:34:57. > :35:01.energy resources. Our universities are among the best in the world. We
:35:02. > :35:07.are world leaders in the industries of the future, like life sciences,
:35:08. > :35:12.financial services and financial technology, creative industry, space
:35:13. > :35:16.technology and sustainable tourism. Our natural resources, a
:35:17. > :35:19.long-standing reputation for innovation, are educated workforce
:35:20. > :35:25.and internationally recognised brand gives Scotland a head start. The
:35:26. > :35:32.European single market, already the worlds biggest, represents a massive
:35:33. > :35:37.opportunity for areas of Scottish strength. In the digital economy,
:35:38. > :35:41.energy, retail, the green and knowledge economy, the single market
:35:42. > :35:47.is still a work in progress with huge potential still to be unlocked.
:35:48. > :35:54.That means a huge potential economic prize for Scotland. It means a world
:35:55. > :35:58.of opportunity for our young people, but Brexit, especially an extreme
:35:59. > :36:03.Brexit, puts all of that at risk and that's why I believe so strongly
:36:04. > :36:07.that at the end of the Brexit process, not now but when the terms
:36:08. > :36:14.of the deal are known, Scotland must have a choice about our future. The
:36:15. > :36:16.choice between following the UK down the Brexit path or becoming an
:36:17. > :36:45.independent country. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
:36:46. > :36:51.there is just too much at stake for Brexit simply to be imposed on
:36:52. > :36:58.Scotland, no matter how damaging it turns out to be. Our future must be
:36:59. > :37:10.decided by us not for us. APPLAUSE
:37:11. > :37:15.Last year's election delivered the democratic mandate for Scotland
:37:16. > :37:18.having such a choice and the recent vote of the Scottish Parliament
:37:19. > :37:21.underlie it. If the SNP wins the majority of
:37:22. > :37:26.Scottish seats in this election that will further reinforce our mandate,
:37:27. > :37:29.and in these circumstances any continued Tory attempts to block
:37:30. > :37:33.Scotland having a choice when the time is right and the options are
:37:34. > :37:35.clear would be democratically unsustainable.
:37:36. > :37:53.APPLAUSE However, that will be a choice for
:37:54. > :37:58.the end of the Brexit process. I want to be clear today that this
:37:59. > :38:02.election also presents Scotland with a more immediate opportunity. In the
:38:03. > :38:07.months ahead we must make sure our interests are not ignored in the
:38:08. > :38:13.Brexit negotiations. A vote for the SNP will make sure Scotland's voice
:38:14. > :38:17.is heard. The majority of people in Scotland voted to remain in the EU
:38:18. > :38:19.but even many of those who voted to leave have real concerns about the
:38:20. > :38:36.extreme Brexit being pursued by the Prime Minister. To be taken out
:38:37. > :38:39.not just of the EU but also the single market ports 80,000 Scottish
:38:40. > :38:41.jobs at risk. It poses a real danger to our farmers and fishermen,
:38:42. > :38:43.universities, food and drink businesses, almost every sector of
:38:44. > :38:45.our economy. That's why the Scottish Government published compromised
:38:46. > :38:48.proposals that would keep Scotland and the single market. These
:38:49. > :38:52.proposals were brushed aside by the Prime Minister, but this election
:38:53. > :38:56.offers people the opportunity to give them democratic legitimacy and
:38:57. > :39:00.make it impossible for the Prime Minister to continue to ignore
:39:01. > :39:11.Scotland's voice. APPLAUSE
:39:12. > :39:22.So my message today to all voters in Scotland is this...
:39:23. > :39:27.Whether you voted to leave or remain last year, vote SNP on the 8th of
:39:28. > :39:32.June to give me a mandate to demand a place for Scotland at the Brexit
:39:33. > :39:35.negotiating table so we can work to keep Scotland in the single market.
:39:36. > :40:03.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE now more than ever, it is vital to
:40:04. > :40:08.have strong SNP voices standing up for Scotland at Westminster. A vote
:40:09. > :40:11.for the SNP on June the 8th will strengthen Scotland's hand against
:40:12. > :40:16.Tory cuts, it will strengthen Scotland's hand against an extreme
:40:17. > :40:21.Brexit, and it will strengthen Scotland's right to make our own
:40:22. > :40:28.decisions. The fact is we cannot afford a Tory government with a free
:40:29. > :40:32.hand to do whatever it likes. We must have strong voices, standing up
:40:33. > :40:37.for our interests and defending the values we hold dear. You know that
:40:38. > :40:44.Tory MPs will be a rubber stamp for whatever Theresa May wants am just
:40:45. > :40:51.as you know that in Scotland, voting Labour risks letting in Tory MPs.
:40:52. > :40:57.Only the SNP is strong enough to keep the Tories in check and only
:40:58. > :41:00.SNP MPs will always stand up for Scotland.
:41:01. > :41:26.APPLAUSE Weather on Brexit, austerity or the
:41:27. > :41:29.future of our public services, this is a manifesto to make Scotland's
:41:30. > :41:35.voice heard. It's a manifesto for prosperity and
:41:36. > :41:41.opportunity, a manifesto to tackle inequality, a manifesto to protect
:41:42. > :41:45.jobs and build a fair society we know is within our grasp, and a
:41:46. > :41:49.manifesto to ensure Scotland's future will always be in Scotland's
:41:50. > :41:59.hands. I'm proud to present it to the Scottish people today.
:42:00. > :43:35.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Thank you very much indeed. Thank
:43:36. > :43:41.you! I'm now going to take some questions from the media so please
:43:42. > :43:53.listen quietly and carefully to media. Questions are here to hold us
:43:54. > :43:58.to account. Brian Taylor? Your entire launch, entire speech is
:43:59. > :44:02.predicated on the return of the majority Conservative government.
:44:03. > :44:05.You have called that highly likely, you have discounted Labour's
:44:06. > :44:10.prospects but in those circumstances, wooden power reside
:44:11. > :44:15.in numbers ten and 11 Downing St? What evidence is there that even a
:44:16. > :44:19.vast SNP presence at Westminster whereby simple arithmetic you cannot
:44:20. > :44:22.form the majority, that even that vast presence can constrain the
:44:23. > :44:46.Conservatives? Making Scotland's voice heard week
:44:47. > :44:52.in week out and raising issues which are important for the whole of the
:44:53. > :44:57.UK at prime ministers questions, it was the SNP that was the first to
:44:58. > :45:04.spot and pick up on the National Insurance increases in the budget
:45:05. > :45:10.and that led to a U-turn. It has been the SNP making sure Scotland's
:45:11. > :45:15.voice is heard. Over a period where we may have another Tory government
:45:16. > :45:21.with a bigger majority that will be even more important. In politics,
:45:22. > :45:24.who wins elections matters in terms of who has the authority to stand up
:45:25. > :45:31.and speak for those they represent and if the SNP win this election
:45:32. > :45:34.week on Thursday I take nothing for granted but if we win this election
:45:35. > :45:47.yet again the people of Scotland will have put their trust in the SNP
:45:48. > :45:55.to stand up for Scotland. And that is exactly what we will do. The
:45:56. > :46:05.final point is I think we have seen in the last two weeks that in
:46:06. > :46:10.Theresa May we face the turn of the -- the Queen of the U-turns. The
:46:11. > :46:19.more U-turns we can force her into the better. James Matthews from Sky
:46:20. > :46:24.News. You talk about addressing an independent referendum at the end of
:46:25. > :46:29.the Brexit process. Is the end of the Brexit process still spring 2019
:46:30. > :46:34.or in circumstances do you regard it as later than that? And for the
:46:35. > :46:42.Tories to block a referendum would be democratically unsustainable but
:46:43. > :46:46.what would you do? We should let people have their say on June the
:46:47. > :46:58.8th and that is the great opportunity to Theresa May has given
:46:59. > :47:03.us in calling this election. I am very clear that Scotland's choice,
:47:04. > :47:09.Scotland must have a choice. We cannot have our future imposed on
:47:10. > :47:12.us. We hear Theresa May today talk about the damage that Brexit could
:47:13. > :47:16.do with it goes wrong. We cannot find ourselves in a position where
:47:17. > :47:23.we have no alternative but to accept the damaging Brexit. That is why a
:47:24. > :47:29.choice at the right time is important. I said at the end of the
:47:30. > :47:32.process and I said that the reason because it is important that people
:47:33. > :47:41.of clarity about Brexit and what it means. Then they were loved clarity
:47:42. > :47:44.about the options. I said Autumn 2018 to spring 2019 for a reason
:47:45. > :47:54.because that is when Theresa May is saying the Brexit process will end.
:47:55. > :47:57.If that changes then I have said this on the day I set up the plans,
:47:58. > :48:01.if it's changes we will have to consider our timing in light of
:48:02. > :48:07.that. The keypad of principle for me is clarity at the end of the process
:48:08. > :48:09.to allow people to make a genuinely informed choice about the future of
:48:10. > :48:27.our country. You talk about a win in this
:48:28. > :48:30.election reinforcing the case for another independence referendum. If
:48:31. > :48:45.you lose seats does that week in your case? Journalists are here to
:48:46. > :48:51.do the job. They are here to hold me and other politicians to account.
:48:52. > :48:57.Maybe I'm old-fashioned but the person who gets more votes and more
:48:58. > :49:10.seats than any other party wins the election. That is democracy. What I
:49:11. > :49:13.am also seeing clearly, we're talking about the choice for the end
:49:14. > :49:19.of the Brexit process. This election also gives us immediate
:49:20. > :49:26.opportunities to make sure that our voices in the House of Commons, it
:49:27. > :49:35.makes sure we have SNP voices against an extreme Brexit. That is
:49:36. > :49:38.why I am saying to people across Scotland, no matter how you voted in
:49:39. > :49:42.the referendum last year or two years ago, this is our opportunity
:49:43. > :49:49.to make Scotland's voice heard and we know the only way to make our
:49:50. > :49:51.voice heard is to vote SNP and that is what I'm asking everyone to do on
:49:52. > :50:29.June the 8th. The Conservatives are running this
:50:30. > :50:31.general election campaign in Scotland on one message wishes
:50:32. > :50:47.they'd don't want another independence referendum. Really? !
:50:48. > :50:51.There is some evidence that it is working and that some of your
:50:52. > :51:00.colleagues could lose their seats. Do you worry about that? Also can
:51:01. > :51:08.they ask if the SNP would support the Labour proposals on income tax
:51:09. > :51:15.for 45% rate at ?80,000 and 50% at ?123,000 and if not why? We will
:51:16. > :51:26.support a 50p tax rate for those earning ?150,000 or more. We oppose
:51:27. > :51:29.tax cuts for the higher rate and we support a freeze on the basic rate
:51:30. > :51:40.of income tax because inflation is rising.
:51:41. > :51:51.In terms of your next question, I am confident that all of my colleagues
:51:52. > :51:53.has been a strong voice the Scotland. Get out and vote for them
:51:54. > :52:11.on June the 8th. Angus Robertson has been the voice
:52:12. > :52:15.of opposition, standing up to Theresa May and standing up to the
:52:16. > :52:20.Tories. Not only putting her on the spot week in week out but pudding
:52:21. > :52:32.Jeremy Corbyn to shame as he does it. So let's make sure that fall in
:52:33. > :52:39.the side of the Tories is still there. On the point of the Tory
:52:40. > :52:44.campaign, you may have heard me say this last week but Ruth Davidson is
:52:45. > :52:51.going around Scotland saying I talk about nothing other than
:52:52. > :53:01.independence. But she talks about it so much I don't get the chance to
:53:02. > :53:06.talk about it. What I am talking about in this election is how we put
:53:07. > :53:13.an end to Tory austerity. How we get rid of policies like the rape close
:53:14. > :53:25.and Ruth Davidson's support for that close readers shame her. -- readers.
:53:26. > :53:28.The reason the Tories want to talk about independence, if you look at
:53:29. > :53:34.any of their leaflets there is no mention of welfare or education or
:53:35. > :53:37.health. The reason for that is this, they don't want to talk about the
:53:38. > :53:43.record and they don't want to talk about their policies. They know the
:53:44. > :53:51.Tory record and Tory policies harm our public services, and people
:53:52. > :53:54.across this country. I will let Ruth Davidson talk about anything she
:53:55. > :53:57.wants to and I will continue to talk about how we put an end to the Tory
:53:58. > :54:14.policies that are doing so much damage.
:54:15. > :54:31.Little do they -- little birdie tells me it's your birthday. Happy
:54:32. > :54:36.birthday. Thank you. We might have gone from one extreme to the other
:54:37. > :54:43.with the media. A happy medium is what we should try for. You see in
:54:44. > :54:46.the manifesto you want to balance the budget by the end of Parliament
:54:47. > :54:52.that there is a lot of extra spending here and not very much in
:54:53. > :54:57.the way of tax rises. Do you have a detailed plan about costings and can
:54:58. > :55:02.you give us an idea how you plan to balance the budget? What we have
:55:03. > :55:08.said in terms of our alternative fiscal plan by balancing day-to-day
:55:09. > :55:11.spending by the end of the Parliament, reducing the deficit to
:55:12. > :55:17.its long-term pre-crash average and getting debt on Adobe would
:55:18. > :55:23.trajectory, that will compare to the Tory plans free up ?118 billion over
:55:24. > :55:29.the life of the Parliament. In addition there are tax rises
:55:30. > :55:36.involved in this manifesto. The 45 to 50p on additional rate of income
:55:37. > :55:42.tax. The removal of the marriage allowance and also reversing the cat
:55:43. > :55:46.in the bank levy. Those tax increases will raise an additional
:55:47. > :55:53.?10 billion over the life of the Parliament. The spending commitments
:55:54. > :56:00.in the manifesto add up to around ?80 billion over the life of the
:56:01. > :56:04.Parliament. They also leave some headroom if for example there needs
:56:05. > :56:09.to be investment to deal with some of the impacts of Brexit. This is a
:56:10. > :56:17.fully thought out and affordable plan. How we balance the budget is
:56:18. > :56:23.to take sensible steps towards balancing the budget but not doing
:56:24. > :56:29.it through aggressive cuts on the backs of those who can least afford
:56:30. > :56:34.them. This is moderating what the Tories are already planning and it
:56:35. > :56:37.allows us to invest more in our NHS, halt the welfare cuts that are
:56:38. > :56:42.driving more people into poverty and it allows us to invest properly in
:56:43. > :56:45.our economy. One of the really stupid things about Tory economic
:56:46. > :56:51.policy over the past them of years has been that there will austerity
:56:52. > :56:56.has made it harder for them to meet their fiscal targets. I invest in we
:56:57. > :57:03.can grow our economy faster and meet those targets. This is common sense
:57:04. > :57:08.and in this election we are the only party putting forward a credible
:57:09. > :57:12.alternative to austerity that gets finances back on to a sustainable
:57:13. > :57:30.footing and I am proud to put forward today.
:57:31. > :57:46.I will take Tom and then Kathleen. The manifesto covers in 2015 were
:57:47. > :57:53.pictures of you but you are not on the cover of this manifesto. Do you
:57:54. > :58:00.accept that you personally, I know you are on page two, do you accept
:58:01. > :58:17.that you have become more divisive person on the for voters? This is a
:58:18. > :58:22.great example. It's a great example of how for all politicians you are
:58:23. > :58:30.dammed if you'd do and dammed if you don't. In our manifesto launch last
:58:31. > :58:39.year they all said it was the cult of personality. This year they are
:58:40. > :58:59.criticising. That baby is much cuter than me, come on! So that's why.
:59:00. > :59:12.There is a picture of me holding up a Scottish love heart on page to
:59:13. > :59:30.which I think is a great image. Theresa
:59:31. > :59:41.May has said no to independence referendum before Brexit is played
:59:42. > :59:48.out and Ruth Davidson has said she does not want a second independence
:59:49. > :59:54.referendum for 35 years. If Theresa May is returned to power what can
:59:55. > :00:02.you do to make sure that Scotland can have a referendum before Brexit?
:00:03. > :00:09.I want Scotland to have a choice at the end of the Brexit process so
:00:10. > :00:13.there is not much difference between what I am saying and Theresa May is
:00:14. > :00:20.saying in that regard. I don't want people to choose now, that would be
:00:21. > :00:23.wrong, but when we can judge what Brexit means for us, people can make
:00:24. > :00:31.an informed choice. The alternative to that is we have to accept Brexit
:00:32. > :00:35.no matter how damaging it might be. We heard Theresa May today talk
:00:36. > :00:39.about the dangers of Brexit going wrong. She is spelling out the
:00:40. > :00:50.dangers to our economy, to public services. I believe that our future
:00:51. > :00:56.should be decided for us, not time -- not now but when the time is
:00:57. > :01:00.right. Every vote for the SNP a week on Thursday is a vote to strengthen
:01:01. > :01:04.my hand to make sure Scotland's voice is heard in these vital
:01:05. > :01:04.negotiations over the next few months.
:01:05. > :01:21.APPLAUSE I have got the choice of Telegraph
:01:22. > :01:36.journalists, which want to take? -- which one to take? Any meaning
:01:37. > :01:41.mine e-mail. Go on, Simon. Thank you. Jeremy Corbyn said yesterday he
:01:42. > :01:45.would open discussions with you over a second independence referendum if
:01:46. > :01:48.he becomes Prime Minister so I wanted your thoughts on that.
:01:49. > :01:52.Secondly I wondered if you had been a bit quick to write him off given
:01:53. > :02:00.the polls suggest he is winning the campaign in England? I watched some
:02:01. > :02:06.of the debate but it wasn't a debate because they didn't interact with
:02:07. > :02:14.each other but I'm not sure it would have been hard to come off better
:02:15. > :02:18.than Theresa May in that Sky programme last night. And this is a
:02:19. > :02:22.serious point, there are older people all over the country now
:02:23. > :02:26.wondering what the Tory government means for the care when they get
:02:27. > :02:30.older, and the House they will be able to leave to their children.
:02:31. > :02:36.There are older people wondering whether they will still have a
:02:37. > :02:39.Winter fuel payment. I think it is outrageous the Tories are not
:02:40. > :02:43.answering any of these questions in the election, and anyone watching
:02:44. > :02:46.the Prime Minister last night would suddenly have seen very clearly why
:02:47. > :02:59.she has dodged any direct leaders debates in this election.
:03:00. > :03:05.APPLAUSE The polls, even though the polls are narrowing, I think
:03:06. > :03:10.everything suggests we are still facing another Tory government, but
:03:11. > :03:16.it's a Tory government that has been exposed over this campaign, and that
:03:17. > :03:20.presents us here with an opportunity and that's an opportunity to make
:03:21. > :03:25.sure we keep a Tory government in check, that we don't face a Tory
:03:26. > :03:31.government without a strong Scottish boys standing up for our interests.
:03:32. > :03:35.It's a fundamentally important point at this election because we know
:03:36. > :03:42.that Labour is no longer strong enough in Scotland to stand up to
:03:43. > :03:46.the Tories, so voting Labour in constituencies across Scotland would
:03:47. > :03:50.only run the risk of letting a Tory MP in the back door and that's a
:03:51. > :03:56.risk people should think carefully about. Only the SNP has the strength
:03:57. > :04:02.in Scotland to stand up to the Tories, so we face, I think, another
:04:03. > :04:06.Tory government but it is a Tory government that has had its
:04:07. > :04:10.vulnerabilities exposed in this campaign so let's grasp this
:04:11. > :04:15.opportunity to send strong Scottish voices to keep that government in
:04:16. > :04:20.check. Tory MPs, and we know this beyond a shadow of a doubt, we only
:04:21. > :04:24.had to watch Ruth Davidson defend the rate clause, we know Tory MPs
:04:25. > :04:33.would be a rubber stamp for anything Theresa May wants to do. -- rape
:04:34. > :04:38.clause. If we want strong Scottish voices standing up for Scotland, in
:04:39. > :04:43.Scotland that can only come from the SNP so make sure on June the 8th
:04:44. > :04:55.youth vote SNP to get those strong voices.
:04:56. > :04:59.APPLAUSE OK, thank you all very much indeed.
:05:00. > :05:04.Before we end today, we will do I'm sure some more photographs here. Can
:05:05. > :05:09.I thank all of you for coming here today, but more importantly can I
:05:10. > :05:13.ask each and every one of you now to leave this hall and get out there
:05:14. > :05:22.and campaign for your local SNP candidate. Before you leave Perth
:05:23. > :05:28.today, campaign for Pete Wishaw, and then campaign as hard as you can.
:05:29. > :05:32.There are big challenges ahead for all of us. The decision is taken by
:05:33. > :05:37.Westminster governments over the next few years will shape our
:05:38. > :05:41.country, let's make sure SNP voices are in there standing up for
:05:42. > :05:43.Scotland. Let's get out, let's win this election.
:05:44. > :06:45.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE the people are in work but still
:06:46. > :06:49.struggle to make ends meet to find enough money to pay those bills at
:06:50. > :06:53.the end of the week. How will they make up their minds how to vote? We
:06:54. > :07:27.have come here to the suburbs of south London to Eltham to find out.
:07:28. > :07:30.Well, it's fish and chips for the latest of my election takeaways.
:07:31. > :07:32.We are in the suburbs of south London in Eltham
:07:33. > :07:38.who are going to tell us how they are making up their minds