Had scotlands first minister, Nicola Sturgeon. For the scottish conservatives, Ruth Davidson. For the Scottish Labour party, Kezia Dugdale. Representing the scottish liberal democrats, Willie Rennie. This Ukip David Coburn and for the scottish greens, Patrick Harvie. Applause we also want all of you to join in at home. You can argue along with the debate using social media. The hashtag is Leaders Debate. We will come back shortly and take opening state m e nts come back shortly and take Opening Statements from all of our panel, but first jackie bird statements from all of our panel, but Firstjackie Bird is statements from all of our panel, but first jackie bird is with the watching press. Thank you. From the majesty of the Debating Hall to be more modest surroundings of the press room or the so called spin room. Its here that the journalists and bloggers and Party Politicians will be scrutinising the performances of their Party Leaders and crafting tamaras headlines. I feel a their Party Leaders and crafting tamaras headlines. Ifeel a bit like the headteacher. I will be gauging their reaction and quizzing the commentators through the programme. First to our Political Editor brian taylor. Debates like this are still pretty new in the uk. How much can they influence what happens at the ballot box . M how much can they influence what happens at the ballot box . If you look at it this way, we are in the middle of manifesto season, the parties are putting out lists of policies. If you like, the election at one level is about voters choosing from those list of policies. That is a tick box, like ordering a book online. Elections and politics are about far more than that. They are about the unforeseen, the unexpected and coping with the unforeseen and unexpected. That ta Kes Unforeseen and unexpected. That takes leadership and character. In a way, tv debates get to the root of that, the offer of character and the offer of leadership, the offer of confidence that those politicians and parties are able to cope with. What they cant foresee but what might arise. How will the politicians have prepared . In two ways, attack and defence. Defending what they might expect their opponents will see as weak points in their own armoury, weaknesses in their own armoury, weaknesses in their Policy Framework but im sure they will have also prepared attack lines are having a go at their rivals, wounding them and bringing them down. It is gladder tutorial. We look forward to it. Fingers poised over many keyboards. Das mag it is gladiatorial. We will have a look later at how the headlines my mac. We will begin with the Opening Statements. We have asked all of the Party Leaders to prepare one and hold them strictly they only have 45 seconds to do it. First up, leader of the snp, Nicola Sturgeon. 0n the 8th ofjune you will elect mps to represent scotland at westminster. You can choose mps who will do what theresa may once or snp mps who will stand up for scotland. In the years ahead it will be vital to have strong voices for scotland at westminster. Mps who will keep a tory government in check. A tory government that we know from long experience, will not had scotlands best interests at heart. A vote for the snp will back our plan to end the snp will back our plan to end the tory cuts that are holding our economy back, is damaging our Public Services and pushing more people into poverty. A vote for the snp will strengthen scotlands and againstan will strengthen scotlands and against an Extreme Brexit and will protect scotlands right to make our own decisions. Now, more than ever, it is vital to have strong snp voices standing up for scotland. Nicola sturgeon, thank you very much for that. Applause next we have Kezia Dugdale, leader of the Scottish Labour party. I voted to remain in the European Union and against independence. Like hundreds of thousands of you. But what we have this had brexit and the snp hell bent on what we have this had brexit and the snp hell bent on a second Independence Referendum. You are worried about yourjob, about your familys finances, their future and the rising cost of living. I want a Labour Government. The tories will be back and there will be more destructive than ever before. So who do you want to stand up to the tories . Labour mps who understand your life, because theyve lived it . 0r your life, because theyve lived it . Orsnp your life, because theyve lived it . 0rsnp mps who your life, because theyve lived it . 0r snp mps who will use every bit of tory cruelty to exploit the case for independence . You can reject the tories and a second Independence Referendum by voting labour on the 8th ofjune. Kezia dugdale, thank you. Applause now lets hear from the scottish conservative leader, Ruth Davidson. Thank you. This election offers a major opportunity for scotland, giving us to move on from the divisions of the past and face the challenges ahead together. Improving scotlands schools, boosting our economy and getting the best deal possible as we leave the European Union. I say, we can meet those challenges but we cant do it if were divided. Nicola sturgeon said she is putting independence at the heart of hercampaign. She is putting independence at the heart of her campaign. I said, enough. Fix our schools, dont split up enough. Fix our schools, dont split up our country. Champion our business, dont put a boarder at berwick. At this election we can send the snp a message they cant ignore, and with your help, we can stop them, and in so doing we can get back to the issues that really matter. Thank you. Ruth davidson, thank you. Applause now going to invite the scottish liberal democrat leader Willie Rennie to give his Opening Statement. This is a chance to change the direction of the country, to build a brighterfuture, to direction of the country, to build a brighter future, to turn away from another divisive Independence Referendum and a damaging hard brexit. Instead, with our modest penny on tax we can invest in our people. To get Scottish Education back to the best in the world again. So that people can have the skills to drive our economy. To get people the Mental Health treatment that they need, so that they can contribute as well. In so many seats across the country, it is a straight choice between the liberal democrats and the snp. We can win those seats. We can change the direction of the country. We can have that brighter future. Willie rennie, thank you very much. Applause now it is the turn of ukips leader in scotland, david coburn. Ukip is the party brexit. We must elect ukip to the commons to ensure brexit means exit. Ukip wants to expand the economy by creating new and exciting Free Trade Agreements with growing economies around the world. This is the only any possible for out of the eu Single Market. Trust us to bring us out of the eu and brighouse on to scotland and england. Tories, labour, snp and the greens all remain as macro and got it wrong. Ukip want sovereignty over british laws to british hands. Ukip isa over british laws to british hands. Ukip is a party of the british union. We are completely opposed to a second Scottish Independence referendum. Taxes in scotland should be no higher than the rest of the uk. If possible, make them lower. We must be able to compete. Scotland has decided, we voted to remain british and british we remain. Thank you. Thank you, david coburn. Applause and finally, for the scottish greens, Patrick Harvie. Thank you, sarah. Scotland needs a green voice at westminster. We have achieved a huge number of social and environmental protections in europe. This will be in the hands of a Hard Right Tory Government Hell bent on a bonfire of the regulations, that will literally put peoples lives on the line. We also need to oppose their cuts agenda, its destroying peoples lives but its also a failure to invest in the Sustainable Future our economy needs. All these other parties have voted for subsidies and tax breaks to the big polluters. We need to be investing and have a plan to invest in generating over 200,000 newjobs in the sustainable economy. Finally, we need a Social Security system worthy of the name, based on a universal basic income. That will enable eve ryo ne basic income. That will enable everyone to live dignity, free from the pierfear of everyone to live dignity, free from the pier fear of poverty. Everyone to live dignity, free from the pierfear of poverty. Everyone has a right to that decent future and greens will stand up for that if you put the first green voice of scotla nd you put the first green voice of scotland into westminster. Applause thank you very much Patrick Harvie and to all of our panellists for that. Lets pick up on some of what you had to say. Everyone mentioned brexit, unsurprisingly. Nicola sturgeon, you were warning of an Extreme Brexit. You know a million scots voted to leave the European Union. You talk about trying to stay in the eu Single Market. Should people who voted for brexit not vote snp at this election . people who voted for brexit not vote snp at this election . I think whether people voted leave or remain at the Eu Referendum, at this election they should vote snp for the reason it will strengthen scotlands hand in this brexit negotiations. We know that the tories are now no longerjust pursuing brexit. They are in hock to ukip, so they are now pursuing the most extreme form of brexit. We also know that will put Tens Of Thousands of scottish jobs on the line, it will lower scottish Living Standards, it will make it harder for our produce and exports to get to market. So however you voted last year, if you want to make sure that scotlands voice cant be ignored in these negotiations and strengthen this scottish hand so that we can make sure scottish interests are absolutely at the heart of the talks over the next few months. How does a vote for the do that . Snp theresa may has dismissed the plan for keeping scotland in a Single Market and said there is no seat at the Negotiating Table for you. How will the assembly change that . This election gives us the opportunity to send a message to theresa may that says scotland will not be ignored in these talks. As you rightly say, we put forward compromise proposals, proposals that would have accepted that scotland, with the rest of the uk, was leaving the eu but that would have kept us in the Single Market. Stayed within the Single Market. Stayed within the Single Market is so important to jobs and to investment and to Living Standards in scotland. Thats why the week after the referendum, Ruth Davidson in the Scottish Parliament challenged me to do everything i could to protect our place in the Single Market. Unfortunately she now no longer supports our place in the Single Market. My message, however people voted last year in the referendum, strengthen my hand to make sure scotlands voice is heard and proposals to protect scottish jobs are at the centre of these negotiations. Lets not allowed jobs and our economy to be sacrificed on the altar of a tory party trying to curry favour with ukip voters. Ruth davidson, you were a passionate remainer in the referendum and after the referendum result you said you wa nted the referendum result you said you wanted the uk to stay in the eu Single Market. Have you changed your mind about that . The reason for that isi mind about that . The reason for that is i want scottish businesses to be able to trade freely abroad. We have heard the Prime Ministers plan of how she will conduct brexit negotiations that include a Free Trade Deal with the other 27. We can quibble about the framework that as long as scottish businesses have free access to that, im on board with that. I cant honestly believe what im hearing from my right hand side. Nicola sturgeon, the very morning the brexit result was announced, said she had already instructed Civil Servants in scotland to draw up Civil Servants in scotland to draw up the necessary legislation for an Independence Referendum. She says if you voted for or against leave or remain, alli you voted for or against leave or remain, all i have seen his her ignoring the votes of levers and taking remain votes. This is a serious issue and we need serious people run the table. There will only be two people leading this negotiation, it will be theresa may orjeremy corbyn. Negotiation, it will be theresa may or jeremy corbyn. That is negotiation, it will be theresa may orjeremy corbyn. That is alive. Ruth davidson said in an interview, i think the bbc, if she would take pa rt i think the bbc, if she would take part in these negotiations, she said scotlands voice should be represented by the Scottish Government. The first minister should play her full part. It seems to me Ruth Davidson started out Opposing Brexit but then saying we should stay in the Single Market. Now she opposes staying in the Single Market. She used a sake we should have a seat at the Negotiating Table and now she has changed her mind. It seems to me Ruth Davidson does everything theresa may tells her to do, which is why we need strong snp voices at westminster. Applause Nicola Sturgeon says she wants a seat at the brexit table, but She Wa Nt Seat at the brexit table, but she want scotland to be out of the uk and into europe. I asked want scotland to be out of the uk and into europe. Iasked myself want scotland to be out of the uk and into europe. I asked myself over which side of the table does she wa nt which side of the table does she want to be sat on . When it comes to withhold it and talking about what we want to achieve here, the issue, this Compromise Agreement she said she wanted to put on the table would have ended the uk internal market. Thats why it was rejected. You cant have half of the state in the eu Single Market and the other half. This is studded up the uk market is worth four times more in trade and five times more in terms of. If you talk over each other nobody can hear you. We heard from you, first minister. Kezia dugdale, youre Campaigning Forjeremy Corbyn to be elected Prime Minister in less than three weeks time. Do you think it was if it was him in brussels negotiating brexit it would be better than theresa may . |j negotiating brexit it would be better than theresa may . I want a Labour Government and labour Prime Minister but i cant let these two get away with what theyre saying about price cut. Brexit isjust the excuse the first minister was looking for to have a second Independence Referendum. After the Eu Referendum she told us if we had a referendum, scotland would get to stay in the European Union. Now she tells us we might have to reapply or she might settle for the norwegian option. She doesnt about this. Shes all over the place. Whatever gets us independence is the one thing she will go for at the end of the day. Applause moderator lets takes some questions from the audience. The gentleman in the checked shirt appear. I just gentleman in the checked shirt appear