Thread by @theSNP

🏡 100,000 new affordable homes
📲 £20 million Rural Entrepreneur Fund
💻 £100 million Digital Boost scheme boost
💷 £50m Women’s Business Centre

📺 Watch @_KateForbes set out our progressive vision for Scotland's post-Covid recovery. #SNP21

pscp.tv/w/1YqxoyLEppaGv

📣 Finance Secretary @_KateForbes: “This week we marked a somber anniversary, a year since we entered lockdown.

It was an unprecedented act of collective sacrifice for collective wellbeing & we know the impact the pandemic has had on ourselves and on our fellow citizens.” #SNP21

KF: “It has touched every aspect of our lives. So many lives lost. So many important moments forgone. So many businesses are impacted. But there is hope on the horizon.” #SNP21

KF: “Vaccines, developed at record speed by global teams of scientists, are being deployed at a phenomenal rate by our NHS.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is getting brighter and brighter every day with every vaccine.” #SNP21

KF: “But as we emerge from lockdown, we face choices – choices about the kind of country we want to be.

Choices about who we trust to lead our recovery, and choices about the values that should underpin our decisions.” #SNP21

KF: “We’ve come through the most challenging of times – together – and we must rebuild together.

Looking ahead, with a shared ambition to use all that we have and all that we are to be a more just country, a fairer country, a more prosperous country.” #SNP21

KF: “Our economic recovery lies at the heart of our ambitions.

It is the strength of our economy, the wealth of our natural resources and the ingenuity of our people that will power Scotland’s recovery.” #SNP21

KF: “In the last year, we’ve used all our resources, and more, to support businesses, from the small fishing boat in Kyle, to the hotel in Dumfries.” #SNP21

KF: “Small and Medium Sized enterprises are the backbone of the Scottish economy. They create the jobs and keep communities going.

They are the entrepreneurs and pioneers. They are the drivers of economic prosperity.” #SNP21

KF: “That’s why we put in place £3 billion of financial support in Scotland to act as a lifeline, much of it unavailable elsewhere.” #SNP21

KF: “We tried to reach as many of the excluded groups as possible – the newly self-employed and the sole traders, the hairdressers and driving instructors, the soft play centres and the brewers.” #SNP21

KF: “These businesses display the best of Scotland, and we have used every penny at our disposal to reach as many as possible, so that none are forgotten who could have been supported.” #SNP21

KF: “As we emerge from lockdown, we won’t stop offering support - as the only Government in the four nations to offer 100% Non Domestic rates reliefs for a full year, and reducing the rates poundage, so that businesses can protect jobs and recover.” #SNP21

KF: “A re-elected SNP Government will put the creation and protection of good, green jobs right at the heart of our economic policy.” #SNP21

KF: “We will continue the National Transition Training fund - providing support to anyone facing redundancy or in unemployment to retrain in areas of growth in the economy.” #SNP21

KF: “Just as responding to Covid has been a collective effort, so economic recovery must also be a national endeavour, empowering everybody to play their part.

There's been a disproportionate impact on women and young people, and our election commitments recognise that.” #SNP21

KF: “Too few women get the help they need to start out in business.

And so, we will create a Women’s Business Centre, backed by £50 million of investment over the next parliament, to help create, grow and develop the next generation of women led businesses.” #SNP21

KF: “We know the pandemic has had a stark impact on the job prospects of our young people.” #SNP21

KF: “Through our Young Person’s Guarantee, we will ensure that every 18-24 is given an opportunity of a job, apprenticeship, education, training or volunteering.” #SNP21

KF: “We will make it easier and more affordable for them to get to work by expanding concessionary travel to everyone under the age of 22.” #SNP21

KF: “And in recognition of the impact Covid has had on lives and opportunities for young people, particularly those entering the jobs market for the first time, we will increase the age at which young people become eligible for council tax - raising it from 18 to 21.” #SNP21

KF: “For a young person living alone in a Band B property that will mean an annual saving of around £750.” #SNP21

KF: “In a few short weeks the people of Scotland will go to the polls to choose their government.

The next session of the Scottish Parliament will be crucial to Scotland’s recovery.” #SNP21

KF: “Some people might say we should put economic recovery before independence. But you can’t have one without the other.

For a strong, robust, green recovery, we need independence.” #SNP21

KF: “Why? Because quite simply, we know what happened last time the Tories were in charge of economic recovery.” #SNP21

KF: “After the crash of 2008, the Tories embarked on a decade of austerity – balancing the books on the backs of the most vulnerable in our society.” #SNP21

KF: “In fact, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak is on record as saying that austerity was absolutely right – austerity that delivered the bedroom tax, the undignified welfare system, the painfully slow economic growth and low levels of productivity.” #SNP21

KF: “And Labour offer no hope for a change in direction at Westminster. Austerity will undermine economic recovery, and deepen inequalities.” #SNP21

KF: “And the thing is - it doesn’t have to be that way. Scotland has all the natural wealth, the talent and ingenuity and the resilience to do things better.” #SNP21

KF: “Our ambitions should be bigger than just mitigating the Tories’ economic incompetence and brutal welfare policies.

But be in no doubt: without the powers of independence, it will be a Tory government that undermines our recovery.” #SNP21

KF: "Our country is rich with natural resources, which drives economic growth and raises revenue for our public services.” #SNP21

KF: “Take our international renowned food and drink sectors, grown by our farmers and crofters, caught by our fishermen and distilled by experts. From whisky to seafood – we are home to world class produce.” #SNP21

KF: “In the last ten years we’ve seen exponential growth in our exports, valued at £6.3 billion. Yet, exports have been stymied, and seafood has rotted as it waited to cross the Channel to European customers.” #SNP21

KF: “Scotland didn’t vote for a Brexit that is harming our global exports, creating layers of bureaucracy and costing us jobs.” #SNP21

KF: “Take our wind and rain, which is powering Scotland. Just this week it was announced that our renewable energy met 97% of Scotland’s electricity demand last year.

That compares with only 25% in 2010. Our wind and water are keeping the lights on.” #SNP21

KF: “Our renewable energy output has quadrupled in the last ten years – that’s enough power for the equivalent of nearly nine million households.

Alongside the energy benefits, there are the financial benefits too.” #SNP21

KF: “Alongside the energy benefits, there are the financial benefits too. Onshore revenues continue to grow in Scotland, rising by over a billion pounds in 19/20.” #SNP21

KF: “With the need to decarbonise the way we travel and heat our homes, there is potential to unleash even more of Scotland’s immense renewables potential – driving green growth and creating thousands of jobs.” #SNP21

KF: “But that potential is being curtailed by Westminster energy policy.

Where a wind farm in Scotland will face a hefty bill for each unit of power exported to the grid, similar producers elsewhere in the UK are paid for the privilege.” #SNP21

KF: “We’ve got the resources, but our potential is thwarted.

Westminster rule working against the creation of jobs and investment in the renewables sector in Scotland.

Holding us back.” #SNP21

KF: “When you hear the Tories talk about the broad shoulders of the union, remember this: it isn’t international aid.

Scots pay tax too - but we only get it back when the Tories decide to spend it.” #SNP21

KF: “So every time, they crow about how much they are spending in Scotland, remember that we have a right to see our taxes spent in Scotland on priorities that are important to the people of Scotland – not the priorities of Boris Johnson.” #SNP21

KF: “Infrastructure investment is one of the key levers at our disposal - and we will use our spending power to drive a robust, green recovery.” #SNP21

KF: “Central to this will be continuing the delivery of the National Infrastructure mission - our plan to boost annual infrastructure by 1% of GDP by the end of the next parliament.” #SNP21

KF: “This will deliver a total investment value of over £33 billion in the next five years, supporting 45,000 jobs in that period, and providing benefits right across Scottish supply chains.” #SNP21

KF: “Our capital spending review published in February set our plans for infrastructure - including £2 billion for new schools, £1.2 billion in major rail improvements and over half a billion in our City and Region Deal programme.” #SNP21

KF: “And if re-elected we will go further. To inject confidence in our economy, create jobs and deliver infrastructure that works for households and businesses, we are committing to an ambitious programme of investment.” #SNP21

KF: “Firstly, we will embark on a ten year programme to deliver 100,000 affordable homes, with 70,000 for social rent – ensuring everybody has a safe, warm home.” #SNP21

KF: “Secondly, we’ll establish a £100 million Digital Boost scheme to support small businesses to become fully digitalised and access the benefits and productivity gains of the digital economy.” #SNP21

KF: “Thirdly, we will launch a National Challenge competition, providing funding of up to £50 million to the project with the greatest potential to transform Scotland’s economy.” #SNP21

KF: “Fourthly, we will invest an additional £500 million over the next parliament to create new, good, green jobs, support people to start and grow a business and re-skill for the jobs of the future.” #SNP21

KF: “And lastly, in my part of the world, jobs go hand in hand with population retention.

And so, to encourage people to move to the Highlands and to support entrepreneurs that are here already...” #SNP21

KF: “...we will create a new, £20 million Rural Entrepreneur Fund – providing grants of up to £10,000 to support the creation of 2,000 new businesses.” #SNP21

KF: “I said at the outset, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. That light is getting brighter and we will face choices.” #SNP21

KF: “As we emerge from lockdown, I am sure that each of us is dreaming about hugging our family, visiting friends and reopening our business.

As a country, we should be ambitious about our collective future too.” #SNP21

KF: “Scotland’s economic recovery is at the heart of our ambitions.

We will commit to using every penny and every power to invest in this country and to support businesses to create jobs.” #SNP21

KF: “But the bottom line is this - despite all the many strengths of the Scottish economy, we need the full levers of control, if we really want to be more prosperous, more just and fairer.” #SNP21

KF: “On the 6th of May, the people of Scotland have a choice.

With #BothVotesSNP, you can elect a government that will put economic recovery and job creation at the heart of everything we do.” #SNP21

KF: “A government that will reject austerity and invest in our economy, our NHS and our public services.

And it will give the people the opportunity to choose independence and put Scotland’s future -Scotland’s recovery - in Scotland’s hands.” #SNP21 #BothVotesSNP

KF: “Scotland, we’ve got the people, we’ve got the resources - the only thing we don’t have is the independence to deliver our ambitions.”

#SNP21 #BothVotesSNP