First Minister Humza Yousaf Time has flown since I became First Minister twelve months ago. Every hour of every day in the
Job is a privilege; an opportunity to make a positive difference for all who live here. Government is always about tough choices, and I hope I’ve shown that we have made good choices in the toughest of times, based on clear values. In my first budget, I didn’t prioritise tax cuts for higher earners like the Tories did at Westminster – I chose instead to prioritise investment in our NHS , education and other public services. That record investment is reaping rewards. Just this week it was announced that there are more Junior Doctors joining the NHS than ever before, with GP training programmes filled at 100% for the first time. And with more than a million operations cancelled in
England due to ongoing strike action, we’ve given a fair pay deal to Scotland’s hard-working doctors, nurses and other NHS staff to ensure we haven’t lost a single day to strikes. No other
UK nation can say that. Read More Related Articles 'Disgusting' sewage dumps into Scotland's rivers increase - with 21,660 found last year Read More Related Articles
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election, predicts John Curtice We’ve worked with councils to deliver a fully-funded council tax freeze next year – keeping money in your pocket when you need it in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. We’ve increased invested in the game-changing Scottish Child Payment, which is helping families in every part of Scotland. Recent analysis estimates that around 100,000 children will be kept out of poverty thanks to this policy – a significant achievement at any time, but even more so when so many children are being pushed into poverty thanks to cruel Westminster policies such as the two-child benefit cap. I’ve also worked hard to reset relations with our business community, agreeing a New Deal for Business to boost opportunities in Scotland. Private sector employment growth in
Scotland last month was higher than any other part of the UK, and I am determined we build on Scotland’s strengths. That’s why I announced major investment in Scotland’s offshore renewable supply chain, as well as our innovative Techscaler network of incubators for start-up businesses. It’s my firm belief that we will only reach our own potential as a nation when every single one of our citizens is reaching their potential. That means prioritising their health and their happiness alongside economic growth. A core value that guides me is that tackling poverty and boosting our
economy go hand in hand. For instance, we have chosen to boost social security spending by more than £1bn to fund policies like the child payment. That investment is not only lifting people out of poverty - analysis published this week by the Scottish Government shows that, by increasing people’s spending power, this additional welfare spending could provide a boost to Scottish GDP of £300 million. That’s why – in stark contrast to the Tory government at Westminster – the SNP government will continue to invest in people and make the right long-term decisions for our country. On a more personal level, I am determined to use my time in office to be a role model. I want to show young people from all backgrounds that no job should be off-limits to them. And I want to be a positive role model to young men, to counter-balance the negative male role models that are all-too-pervasive in our culture, by leading work on promoting positive masculinity. I’ve also been very upfront in talking about my own mental health challenges in the past, in the hope that it encourages people who may be struggling to reach out to their family and
Friends, and to the help that is available. Being First Minister is a privilege, which I try to balance by building in time for my family – which is about to grow with a new baby arriving in the summer. We had an extraordinarily difficult few months with family members trapped in
Gaza – with sleepless nights not knowing if they would still be alive in the morning. The whole experience has made me even more determined than ever to do anything I can as a leader to help build a safer, more peaceful world for everyone. Scottish politics Health boards blow millions on taxis Labour conference braced for
protests SNP lost thousands of members in 2023 Matheson urged to reject pay-out The SNP has shown consistent clarity and moral leadership on the dreadful events in the
Middle East, and we have been instrumental in securing Westminster’s support for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Thinking about my kids’ future, I try and imagine what kind of country I’d like my generation to pass on to them. The more I’ve seen of Scotland - the more I’ve seen of our talented people, our immense natural resources, our cutting edge industries, our world-leading universities and our huge economic strengths – the more convinced I am that we would thrive and prosper as an independent nation. That’s why I’ll continue to make the case for the immense opportunities of independence – and building the fairer, more prosperous nation we all want to see. To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here . Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow Daily Record
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