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 with independence. firstly... applause firstly, getting rid of the tories. never has a party demonstrated why they should be removed from office more than rishi sunak�*s tory party. applause the latest wheeze in their desperate struggle to survival is to bring back national service. the national service the snp is going to perform for scotland is to remove this tory government from office. cheering in scotland, the snp is the challenger in every single tory held seat, so the electoral maths is clear. if you want to rishi sunak out of downing street, vote for the scottish national party. to put it bluntly, across the uk, the tories are on course for a huge defeat, wipe out. voters in england are going to send them packing. that is not in doubt. and that begs the question, what kind of change, if any, is that going to mean at westminster? now, i'm not saying that labour are exactly the same as the tories. i'm not. but they are giving an awfully good impression of them. applause the only substantive change labour seem to be offering is to change their own principles. let me give you one really telling and worrying example. there are health spokesman, wes streeting, the man who in a few weeks�* time will be the uk government�*s health secretary, last week set out his plans for the nhs. he criticised the tories on the issue of the nhs and the private sector. fair enough, you might say. bad news. he was not criticising the tories for using the private sector too much. he was criticising the tories for not using the private sector enough. he went on to say he wanted to go further than tony blair�*s new labour, and he wrote, i want the nhs to form partnerships with the private sector that goes beyond just hospitals. that sounds an awful lot like creeping privatisation of the nhs to me. let me be absolutely crystal clear. the snp rejects privatisation of the nhs, whether that is tory privatisation or labour privatisation. cheering and this is why it matters to scotland. in another interview, the very same spokesman also said this. all roads lead back to westminster, because even though this is devolved, decisions taken in westminster have an impact on the nhs across the country. if there is creeping privatisation of the nhs, or if labour do not increase investment in the nhs in england, our precious national health service faces a very bleak future. that�*s why i�*m asking people in scotland to unite onjuly the 4th and vote snp to protect scotland�*s national health service. cheering labour�*s tack to the right is designed to win votes in england. they don�*t seem to care too much about scotland. they think scotland is in the bag. what other exclamation could there be to allow candidates say this about people smugglers? why don�*t you send the smugglers? why don�*t you send the smuggler gangs and put them on the barge that has been set aside for asylum seekers, and ship the barge up asylum seekers, and ship the barge up to the north of scotland? who cares? well, i tell you who cares. the snp cares. that is who cares. with labour certain to enter office with mps who don�*t care about scotland, people in this country no, and they know this for absolute certainty, snp mps will always put the interest of the people of scotland first. applause so let me now set out what putting scotland�*s interests first actually means. in the few weeks i�*ve been first minister, i�*ve made it pretty plain. we must be focused on people�*s top concerns. i�*m proud of what we have done in government. we�*re helping with the cost of living through free prescriptions, the abolition of university tuition fees, free bus travel for under 22s. in our nhs, scotland has the best performing a&e units in the united kingdom. on the economy, under the snp, scotland has had faster economic growth per head for the rest of the uk. in housing, under the snp, scotland has 40% more affordable homes per head than england, and over 70% more than in wales. we have introduced the scottish trial payment, and there are record levels of literacy and numeracy in primary schools. we have massively increased renewable energy and are already almost half to net zero. your snp government has transformed lives in scotland, and we have a record to be proud of. so, yes, we have been working hard, but i would be the first to recognise we have got to do more to re—earn trust. that means more action. that is the task i have set my government, to help more with the cost of living extending all the off—peak rail fares. cost of living extending all the off—peak railfares. in cost of living extending all the off—peak rail fares. in the health service, we are investing £300 million over the next three years to drive down waiting times. through our social security powers, we are keeping an estimated 100,000 children in scotland out of poverty. and asjunior children in scotland out of poverty. and as junior doctors children in scotland out of poverty. and asjunior doctors in england call another strike, scotland is the only part of the united kingdom to avoid nhs strike action by investing in pay deals for staff. so at this election, i�*m asking you to vote for the snp because we are progressed on your top priorities, like the cost of living and the national health service. i ask you to vote snp because we will always put scotland�*s interests first. and that brings me to independence. people want us to demonstrate the relevance of independence to their lives. if we don�*t, we are not likely to get much of a hearing in a cost of living crisis, and to be frank, norwould cost of living crisis, and to be frank, nor would we deserve to. so when we talk about independence, we need to demonstrate again and again and again that we are talking about people�*s core concerns like raising living standards and protecting the national health service. that laser—like focus on the daily concerns of people is our guiding star. now, there are some people telling me to forget about independence at this election. but you know what? after looking at sir keir starmer�*s u—turns in the pursuit of power, i think people are crying out for political leadership that sticks to its principles. for leaders who argue for what they actually believe in, and i passionately believe independence is the best opportunity we have to build a more prosperous and a fairer country. my belief of course is not nearly enough. people are rightly looking for evidence. the evidence that independence will boost living standards, protect the nhs, help us to build more houses and to tackle the climate emergency. so here is the climate emergency. so here is the evidence. westminster decision—making has meant austerity, brexit and a cost of living crisis being imposed in scotland. posterity from the conservative government has been a curse that is inflicting significant damage on the nhs, on housing and on other public services. brexit alone, a product of westminster decision—making, has wiped billions from the scottish economy compared to eu membership, and it has pushed up food, mortgages and it has pushed up food, mortgages and other household costs. labour knows all of this, sir keir starmer is an intelligent man. he knows the effects of austerity and brexit, but he is still willing to impose all that damage in scotland whatever the cost so that he can win power. i�*m sorry, but that�*s quite simply unforgivable. it doesn�*t have to be that way. i have set out the benefits of taking decisions in scotland for scotland with the current powers of the scottish parliament. if we look at independent european countries and it�*s got like denmark, norway and ireland with full powers, we can see what is possible. those countries are wealthier than the uk. they are fairer, with greater equality. they have higher productivity and lower poverty. with all scotland�*s resources, all our incredible renewables potential, all our brilliant universities, our industries, and above all, our people with all their talents, then why not scotland? ican no i can no more turn my back on that evidence than i can on my core political beliefs. no one is suggesting that we can match that performance overnight. but given the uk is moving so badly in the wrong direction, i would uk is moving so badly in the wrong direction, iwould be uk is moving so badly in the wrong direction, i would be failing uk is moving so badly in the wrong direction, iwould be failing in uk is moving so badly in the wrong direction, i would be failing in my duty to guide and nurture our country if i did not set out what i believe is a better future for scotland. so at this election, my priority is to protect scotland. let�*s ensure the decade of destructive decisions that westminster is never again visited upon the scottish people. i ask people to vote snp so that decisions can be made in scotland for scotland. let me finish by setting out what my leadership is all about. i believe in bringing people together. three weeks in, i have already done that in this wonderful party of ours. i believe... i believe in a politics of persuasion. if that is not possible, a politics of respectful disagreement. i believe in our wonderful, diverse, inspiring country, where everyone should have a chance to get on in life. that we will achieve more for the common good if we draw together the talent that lives in all of our communities. at this election, it is those principles that will guide my approach. so i�*m asking people to vote snp to remove the tories from government. i�*m asking people to vote snp to put scotland�*s interests first. i�*m asking you to work with me in a strong, unified team to encourage people to vote for a future made in scotland for scotland. thank you very much. cheering thank you all very much. thank you all very much. now, we are going to, as at these events where we set out our stall, i will be open to questions from the media, so we are going to take some questions from media organisations that are here, so we willjust take them one by one. given the lights here, i�*m not sure where the media are, but i will read out these names. first of all, james cook from bbc network. thank you very much, first minister. the answer is, you have put us right at the back! i am over here. you�*ve said that leaving a 50—year—old union with the eu has wiped billions from the economy. why would leaving a 300—year—old union with england not to be even worse? booing no, no, no, no, before we go any further. ijust said i believe in open debate and respectful disagreement, right? applause so for this bit of the gathering, no questions are to be applauded or heckled, and none of my answers are to be applauded or heckled. ok? fare rules for everybody. james, would you start again, please, and you will be heard in silence. qm. you start again, please, and you will be heard in silence. ok, that's kind of you. _ will be heard in silence. ok, that's kind of you, first _ will be heard in silence. ok, that's kind of you, first minister. - will be heard in silence. ok, that's kind of you, first minister. it - kind of you, first minister. it struck me as quite a reasonable question, if i�*m honest with you, that this seems an obvious logic, and i�*m interested to hear your answer, so let me just repeat it. you have said that leaving a 15—year—old union with the eu has wiped billions from the economy. why would leaving a 300—year—old union with england not be worse? the answer is that _ with england not be worse? the answer is that what independence enables us to do is to take the decisions that are important and relevant to enhancing the lives of people in scotland. and part of that involves taking sensible decisions about how you cooperate with your neighbours. so if i make the comparison with brexit, i can�*t speak to a company in scotland today that tells me the trading arrangements between the united kingdom and brexit have been enhanced by the negotiations that have been undertaken. they have in fact been damaged. so it is not actually the process of taking that decision to establish scotland as an independent country. it is the decisions you take as a consequence. if you are interested in having an outward facing economy that trains with your neighbours effectively and openly, that seeks cooperation and collaboration with your neighbours as countless european countries do already. the european union trades freely and happily with all sorts of cooperation over the many borders that exist between individual european countries. i don�*t see why that opportunity does not exist for an independent scotland in relation to our next nearest neighbour, and also our trading partners in the european union with whom we would want to be associated linked as a full member of the european union. phil, new scotland? i full member of the european union. phil, new scotland?— phil, new scotland? i know you refer phil, new scotland? i know you - refer to phil, new scotland? i know you prefer to speak _ phil, new scotland? i know you prefer to speak about - phil, new scotland? i know you prefer to speak about the - phil, new scotland? i know you - prefer to speak about the principles of independence rather than the process, — of independence rather than the process, but your party has put it front _ process, but your party has put it front and — process, but your party has put it front and centre in successful election— front and centre in successful election campaigns and won no seats but come _ election campaigns and won no seats but come no — election campaigns and won no seats but come no closer to actually delivering. so i'm just wondering what _ delivering. so i'm just wondering what is _ delivering. so i'm just wondering what is different this time and how you can _ what is different this time and how you can naturally move things closet — you can naturally move things closet i — you can naturally move things closer. ~ ., closer. i think the whole thing comes down _ closer. i think the whole thing comes down to _ closer. i think the whole thing comes down to what - closer. i think the whole thing comes down to what is - closer. i think the whole thing comes down to what is the . closer. i think the whole thing - comes down to what is the outcome and what is the result of the election? to what extent do people in scotland empower the scottish national party to deliver independence? because that is essential in forcing democratic decision—making within the united kingdom. currently we have an impasse. we have got a united kingdom government that is sitting impervious to the democratic wishes and aspirations of the people of scotland, and i don�*t think that is sustainable in a democracy that that should be enabled. so the united kingdom government is the government that has got the problem here, because they are acting in an anti—democratic fashion, and the people of scotland can take that posturing out of the hands of the uk government by empowering the scottish national party and empowering the people of scotland to make progress on the agenda for independence. we will come to sky now. darren mccaffery? goad now. darren mccaffery? good afternoon- — now. darren mccaffery? good afternoon. thank _ now. darren mccaffery? good afternoon. thank you. - now. darren mccaffery? good afternoon. thank you. todayl now. darren mccaffery? good i afternoon. thank you. today the now. darren mccaffery? (emf. afternoon. thank you. today the snp accused keir starmer of directly harming scotland with his pledge to reduce migration. but surely as the scottish national party, you would agree with the sentiment that businesses should put the priority of hiring scots first, that scots should be front of the queue when it comes tojobs here in scotland? and second of all, you have been quite honest and frank about some of the difficulties the snp are going to face during this election. but what does winning look like for the snp in this election? are you as stewart hosie suggested going to be the largest political party by a country mile still onjuly largest political party by a country mile still on july the largest political party by a country mile still onjuly the 4th? fin largest political party by a country mile still on july the 4th?- mile still on july the 4th? on the first question _ mile still on july the 4th? on the first question about _ mile still on july the 4th? on the first question about migration, i mile still on july the 4th? on the l first question about migration, one of the other that crops up in all conversations with business is that they are short of people. the unemployment data in scotland today is very low. it has been low for some considerable number of years. we are in a situation where businesses are struggling to find employees to fill vacancies they have got. we have in our country a significant issue about reducing the number of delayed discharges in our hospitals, but to do that you need to have enough people providing social care packages in the community, and we are short of social care workers in our community. we lost tens of thousands of these good people when brexit came along and they all went back to their own countries in their own homes, and they were helping us out here in the scottish economy. the biggest economic threat to scotland is the current hostility towards migration that we have in the united kingdom. that is absolutely... applause i said no applause! laughter oti mac however much you like it. we can have applause at the end. if you look at any analysis of economic growth and economic opportunity, population growth is one of the most significant drivers of economic growth, so we are literally turning off economic opportunity. in relation to the second part of your question about what is the outcome like the snp, i want the snp to be the largest party in scotland after this election, and i want to make sure as many of these fine people behind me are elected to do exactly that. right, alex thompson from channel 4. that. right, alex thompson from channello. that. right, alex thompson from channel 4-— channello. good afternoon, first minister. channel4. good afternoon, first minister. why are _ channel4. good afternoon, first minister. why are labour- channel4. good afternoon, first minister. why are labour doing i channel4. good afternoon, first. minister. why are labour doing so well in _ minister. why are labour doing so well in scotland? laughter well, there is clearly... i think there is two things probably kicking aboutjust now. the snp has faced its difficulties, that is why i�*m here. we are getting out of those difficulties and we are on the front foot. i have had a fabulous couple of weeks around the country with a very energetic campaign team, i visited the six of them yesterday, all of them in the north—east of scotland, all of them very dynamic in taking forward the message. in the second thing that has happened, i think people have not really been engaged in the hard choices of this election. i was raising one of these on friday. we have had prolonged austerity from the conservative government, and that needs to come to an end. i made it clear on friday that there has to come to an end. as i look at the labour party, it has committed not to increase income tax, not to increase corporation tax, not to increase corporation tax, not to increase corporation tax, not to increase national insurance, not to increase vat. they have committed to tight borrowing limits, and they have committed to tight fiscal spending envelopes, and the institute for fiscal studies tells us that for all that to happen, £18 billion worth of public spending cuts need to happen. i want everybody in scotland to know that that will be the consequence of a labour government on the 11th of july, because we can�*t cope with any more austerity. so my answer on the second part of the question is that people don�*t quite know what the labour party is actually promising, but i�*m going to make sure they do on the 11th ofjuly. scattered applause. now, remember... ! applause stewart hosie. what would you say to supporters of alex salmond�*s par to say that is not true. i alex salmond's par to say that is not true. ~ , , , not true. i think it is pretty obvious. — not true. i think it is pretty obvious, and _ not true. i think it is pretty obvious, and history - not true. i think it is pretty obvious, and history tells i not true. i think it is pretty l obvious, and history tells us not true. i think it is pretty - obvious, and history tells us this, that scotland only does well when the snp does well. if you are interested in scottish independence, don�*t be distracted, vote for the snp, because we are the party of independence and we will deliver it. paul hutcheon from the daily record. first minister, two things. what is your reaction to the sunday times story— your reaction to the sunday times story this — your reaction to the sunday times story this morning on £450 million of funds_ story this morning on £450 million of funds that has to go back to the eu, and _ of funds that has to go back to the eu, and secondly, the former snp chief_ eu, and secondly, the former snp chief executive peter murrell was charged — chief executive peter murrell was charged recently in connection with embezzlement of party funds. how can a party— embezzlement of party funds. how can a party members and snp donors have faith and _ a party members and snp donors have faith and confidence that the money they give _ faith and confidence that the money they give to the snp, their hard earned — they give to the snp, their hard earned money, is spent properly? firstly, _ earned money, is spent properly? firstly, paul, on the sunday times story. clearly the eu funding programmes have not reached their conclusion. they will reach their conclusion. they will reach their conclusion over probably the next 12-18 conclusion over probably the next 12—18 months. my expectation would be that almost all of that funding that you�*re talking about will be spent, and essentially delivered as a consequence of the eu programme so that the sunday times story this morning takes a snapshot of a programme that has not reached its completion yet, and my expectation would be when it reaches its completion almost all of that expenditure will be spent. on the second point about party funding, all i would say to party members and to donors is that i will give them my personal assurance that every penny raised for the scottish national party will be spent effectively and appropriately on the scottish national party election campaign, and on winning independence. from the financial times. . , ., independence. from the financial times. ., , , times. can you please clarify the snp's position — times. can you please clarify the snp's position regarding - times. can you please clarify the snp's position regarding north i times. can you please clarify the l snp's position regarding north sea snp�*s position regarding north sea oil and gas? snp�*s position regarding north sea oiland gas? do snp�*s position regarding north sea oil and gas? do you think that there should be new, fresh exploration, or is that actually inconsistent with your long term net zero goals? i think what we've got to do is we've think what we�*ve got to do is we�*ve got to take an approach that ensures that we work with the oil and gas sector on ourjourney towards net zero. that we consider the implications of any long—term fossil fuel on our future activities. i recognise the north sea oil and gas sector has to be fiscally stable for two reasons. one is to support itself in the current context, but also to deliver the transition to net zero where we need the oil and gas sector to be part of that process of transition. so the scottish national party wants to work closely with the oil and gas sector to ensure that we take an approach on oil and gas activity thatis approach on oil and gas activity that is compatible with ourjourney to net zero, but we do it in a fashion that delivers sustainability for the sector. libby brooks from the guardian. thank you. when keir starmer was visiting greenock last

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