Swinney vows to create conditions ‘for everyone in Scotland to thrive’
John Swinney will pledge this week to create the conditions “for everyone in Scotland to thrive” ahead of the Budget in December.
In a speech ahead of St Andrew’s Day, the First Minister will urge the country to pull together to remove the barriers to economic and social progress.
Mr Swinney will tell a group of representatives from the public and private sectors that the nation’s challenges must be “understood and solved from the bottom up”.
His speech will take place the week before Finance Secretary Shona Robison delivers the Scottish Budget on December 4.
The minority Scottish Government is currently engaged in talks with opposition parties to pass its tax and spending plans.
It will be Mr Swinney’s first Budget since taking over in the top job from Humza Yousaf in May.
When he won the SNP leadership contest, he pledged to govern Scotland from the centre-left and set out four priorities for his Government: eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency, and improving public services.
Mr Swinney will say he is “here to do the hard work” to meet those challenges.
The First Minister is expected to say: “Every single day, I meet inspirational people from all walks of life – people who are doing their bit to make their community, their business or their country that wee bit better today than it was yesterday.
“When added together, those efforts form the engine of progress that is driving our country forward.
“For me, unlocking that potential is what government is about – it is about creating the conditions for every person in Scotland to thrive.
I am here to do the hard work, to lay the foundations for lasting improvements to our country, our economy, and our society
“I do not believe in trying to solve problems from the top down. Rather, I believe they need to be understood and solved from the bottom up.”
The SNP leader will pledge not to “dictate from on high to those on the front line”
He will add: “I am prepared to roll my sleeves up every single day to properly understand barriers to their progress and to find solutions.
“In identifying those solutions, I am not looking for quick fixes or sticking plasters.
“I am here to do the hard work, to lay the foundations for lasting improvements to our country, our economy, and our society.
“I do not pretend that this style of government is always headline-grabbing, but I do believe it is effective.
“And, in the long run, I know the results will speak for themselves.”
Conservative MSP Craig Hoy said: “John Swinney is delusional if he thinks his Government is creating the conditions for Scots to thrive.
“The SNP have made Scotland the highest-taxed part of the UK, held back growth and hammered businesses.
“Through a massive increase in public sector pay and soaring welfare bills they have created a financial black hole that endangers public services and has left the country worse off.
“Scotland needs a government that will cut taxes and costs for households, promote growth and protect public services.
“Only the Scottish Conservatives are taking that common-sense approach and standing up to the left-wing consensus among the other parties at Holyrood.”
