scotland. i m here to serve you all. i m here to work hard to win your trust and your confidence. i m here to give everything i have to secure the best future for our country. applause that process starts with listening, and this is what most people in scotland are telling us. they want to rid of this disastrous, chaotic tory government. they want a party thatis tory government. they want a party that is laser focused on their concerns, a party that is going to help them and their families live happier, healthier lives. in other words, they want a party that puts their interests first. they want a party that puts scotland s interests first. and for the snp, as the party of independence, there is a clear task they have set for us. to demonstrate why achieving independence is relevant and indeed vital to their core concerns. so let me take each of those in turn. removing the tory government, putting scotland s interests first and winning the decision making powers that come wit
welcome to the programme. we start this hour with the latest on the uk general election. the leader of the scottish national party, john swinney, has launched his party s campaign ahead of the vote onjuly the 4th. at an election rally in glasgow, mr swinney pushed for independence, celebrated his party s record on fighting the cost of living as well as attacking both the conservatives and labour. he said people in scotland wanted rid of a disastrous tory government, and he accused labour of giving an awfully good impression of them. let s take a listen to some of what the snp leader said. look, there are some people telling me to forget about independence at this election. but you know what? after looking at sir keir starmer s serial u turns in the pursuit of power, i think people are crying out for political leadership that sticks to its principles. applause ..for leaders who argue for what they believe in. and i passionately believe independence is the best opportunity
this is row that has been ongoing for months but has really, really been ongoing for the past few days, and this all goes back to a letter diane abbott wrote to the observer newspaper 1a months ago now. after that letter, she was accused of anti semitism and she said in the letter thatjewish people along with irish and traveller people didn t face racism all their lives and after that was published she apologised very quickly and she was suspended from the parliamentary labour party pending an investigation. now, if you are someone who has been suspended, if you are suspended when an election is happening, you can t run again as a labour candidate so we didn t hear anything about the investigation or the outcome of it for a long, long time. then, when the general election was called, we suddenly needed an answer, needed to know whether or not dianne abbott would be allowed to run. and several days ago, the bbc s newsnight programme reported that investigation concluded five m
let s get more on the scottish first minister launching the snp s election campaign and speak to katie hunter who listen to his speech and it was a tax on both labour and the conservatives and the independence message as well. message as well. yes, there were some key themes message as well. yes, there were some key themes to message as well. yes, there were some key themes to john - message as well. yes, there were i some key themes to john swinney s some key themes tojohn swinney s speech this afternoon, firstly talking about the snp s record in government and the snp has in been in power in holyrood for 17 years and he wants to talk up their achievements in holyrood but attacks there on the conservatives records in westminster and he at once point described them as a disastrous and chaotic tory government but he also took a swipe at labour and said that
scotland. i m here to serve you all. i m here to work hard to win your trust and your confidence. i m here to give everything i have to secure the best future for our country. applause that process starts with listening, and this is what most people in scotland are telling us. they want to rid of this disastrous, chaotic tory government. they want a party thatis tory government. they want a party that is laser focused on their concerns, a party that is going to help them and their families live happier, healthier lives. in other words, they want a party that puts