Ms Robison has also called for a huge increase in capital spending, particularly on affordable housing, arguing this would stimulate economic growth.
Among their other spending proposals to help families with the cost of living are reintroducing mortgage interest tax relief, capping supermarket food prices, and copying the £25-per-week Scottish Child Payment for poorer families across the UK.
- Independence would result in better economic performance
- Highlight growth rates in other small countries in Europe
The manifesto will likely point to the economic crisis that occurred during Liz Truss’s short-lived government, and the UK’s sluggish growth rates over recent years.
It is expected to argue that Scotland would perform much better after independence, highlighting growth rates in other small countries in Europe.
- Call for £15 billion increase in health spending in England
- Extra £1.5 billion funding generated through the Barnett formula
Although control of the Scottish NHS is devolved to the SNP government, expect the party’s manifesto to call for a massive increase in health spending in England. Ahead of March’s Spring Budget, the Nationalists called for a £15 billion increase.
This would generate an extra £1.5 billion funding for the Scottish Government through the Barnett formula, which could be used on Scotland’s struggling NHS.
- Removal of UK’s Trident nuclear deterrent from Faslane
- Immediate ceasefire in Gaza
- Creation of separate Palestinian state
The SNP has long called for the removal of Britain’s Trident nuclear deterrent from its Faslane base on the Clyde. Before the 2019 election, Nicola Sturgeon said it would be a red line for the SNP if it were to back any Labour government.
The SNP has generally supported the UK Government’s stance on the Ukraine conflict but has taken a much more pro-Palestine stance about the Gaza crisis. Mr Yousaf, whose wife is Palestinian, has accused the Israelis of inflicting a “collective punishment” on the people of Gaza in response to the Hamas terror attack.
Expect the manifesto to include demands for an immediate ceasefire and the creation of a separate Palestinian state.
- Vote SNP to ‘exit Brexit’
- EU single market benefits from independence
Mr Yousaf recently urged Scots to vote SNP to “exit Brexit”, in a rehash of the 2017 and 2019 election campaigns. More than six out of 10 Scots voted Remain in the EU referendum and more recent polling on the issue has suggested this stance has not changed.
With neither the Tories or Labour planning to rerun the referendum, expect the SNP manifesto to argue that the only way for Scotland to be part of the EU and to gain the benefits of the single market is to become independent.
- Return of free movement from the EU
- Powers to issue work permits to foreigners
- Introduce post-study and family visas
- More welcome regime for asylum seekers
Scotland’s working age population is expected to shrink over the coming decades, creating a demographic timebomb with fewer working people to pay for services for a larger number of elderly pensioners.
The SNP favours a much more liberal immigration policy than the UK Government, including the return of free movement from the EU.
It also wants Holyrood to have powers to issue work permits to foreigners, based on the distinctive needs of the Scottish economy. New working visas, five-year post-study visas and family visas with much lower barriers than the UK currently uses would be introduced.
The SNP has called for a much more welcome regime for asylum seekers and his government has argued that an independent Scotland would allow them to work and claim benefits.
- Expansion in onshore and offshore wind turbines
- £400 annual energy bill discount for households
- Scrap electricity and gas standing charges
- Social energy tariff to assist households with disabled people
The party has a difficult political tightrope to walk over the future of North Sea oil and gas, which is responsible for around 90,000 highly paid jobs in Scotland.
As part of the SNP’s environmental agenda, it has argued for a presumption against further exploration being allowed. Mr Yousaf attacked the UK Government’s decision last September to give the green light to Rosebank, the UK’s largest untapped field.
But the Nationalists are facing a difficult fight to hold their seats in the north east of Scotland, where most of the oil jobs are based.
Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader and Aberdeen South MP, is expected to exert pressure on Mr Yousaf to tone down some of the party’s anti-oil rhetoric.