Holyrood election 2026: John Swinney to argue 'trusted leadership' as SNP manifesto revealed
SNP leader John Swinney will unveil his manifesto in Glasgow today.
John Swinney will pledge to “make our NHS fit for the future” and claim re-electing him as first minister is a choice for “experienced and trusted leadership” as he unveils the SNP’s manifesto today.
The SNP leader has told The Scotsman that his government’s management of public finances means his blueprint for the next five years has the “scope to act” to help people through the cost of living crisis, reduce child poverty and improve the NHS.
But he has been accused of “20 years of broken promises” after it was revealed that of the 90 headline manifesto pledges made in 2021, the SNP has failed to deliver on 57 of them.
The SNP manifesto, to be launched by Mr Swinney in Glasgow today, will commit funding to the NHS with a vow to pass on every penny of NHS budget resource consequentials from Westminster to health and care services.
The first minister will also argue that he is seeking a mandate to serve Scotland and will pledge to “offer experienced and trusted leadership”.
Mr Swinney is expected to say: “The NHS is our most important public service. We have a plan to make our NHS fit for the future – with three parts. Investment, protection and renewal.
“Investment that will see the NHS get the resources it needs to deliver progress and keep cutting waiting times.
The first minister is expected to stress that “at this election, I offer experienced and trusted leadership to help Scotland through these tough days”.
He will add: “In this election, I am asking people to give me the mandate to always act with, and for, the people who live here.”
Speaking to The Scotsman in Ayrshire yesterday, Mr Swinney argued that the SNP, if re-elected, will have “the scope to act” to combat the cost-of-living crisis and to continue his commitment to reduce child poverty.
But Mr Swinney warned that the next Scottish government will have to “operate in the financial context we have in front of us”.
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He added: “There will be proposals set out in relation to the assistance of provision of cost of living measures for people in Scotland, building on measures that we've taken already - such as the abolition of peak fares, the preservation of free prescriptions, free eye tests and free tuition.”
But Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, has warned that around two thirds of the SNP’s key pledges in the party’s 2021 Holyrood manifesto have not been delivered.
The failed promises include plans for a national care service, a failure to deliver promised NHS national treatment centres, increase investment in mental health services or deliver free dental charges, a failure to meet affordable homes targets, a broken vow not to hike income tax and a failure to roll out free wraparound childcare.
Mr Sarwar said: “The SNP has broken two-thirds of its key promises from the last election – bungling the national care service, driving our NHS deeper into crisis, betraying the next generation and hiking taxes on working people.
“Now it is election season again, John Swinney and co are once again trying to dupe voters with another round of half-baked policy ideas they will ditch the first chance they get.
“After 20 years of broken promises, no-one believes a word these fraudsters have to say.
“John Swinney is insulting the intelligence of voters by pretending the SNP is going to break the habit of a lifetime and start sticking to its pledges.”
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