John Swinney urged people to “vote the SNP to put Scotland’s interests first” as he officially launched the party’s general election campaign.
Mr Swinney told campaigners and candidates at a rally in Glasgow that Westminster’s decision meant “austerity, Brexit and the cost of living crisis we are dealing with in Scotland”.
Scotland’s first minister reiterated his belief in independence as a way to ensure decisions about Scotland are made in Scotland.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said John Swinney’s “relaunch of the shambolic campaign” proves that he is more interested in the party than the people.
Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross accused Mr Swinney of “pandering to Nationalist language and pitting Scot against Scot in a bid to break up the UK”.
Meanwhile, Scottish Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton also criticized the SNP’s continued push for a second independence referendum – insisting voters just “don’t care”.
However, Mr Swinney urged the public to support the party’s indy stance in the July 4 general election and use the vote as a direct way to remove the Conservatives from government.
He said: “The combination of Westminster cuts and Brexit has reduced the money available for the NHS, public services and other housing.
“Brexit alone has taken billions out of the Scottish economy compared to other EU members.
“With the UK moving so badly in the wrong direction, I would be failing in my duty if I did not set out what I believe is a better future for Scotland.”
After his election as first minister last month, Mr Swinney called for more respect in Scottish politics.
Looking ahead to the UK general election, he said he believed in “the politics of persuasion or, failing that, respectful dissent”.
He told those at the rally that “in our beautiful, diverse, inspiring country” everyone should have a chance to live.
“That’s why I strongly believe in eradicating child poverty,” said the first minister.
“In this election, principles will guide my approach. So I’m asking people to vote SNP to remove the Tories from government.
“I am asking people to vote SNP to put Scotland’s interests first. I am asking people to vote for a future made in Scotland, for Scotland.”
Mr Swinney also highlighted what the SNP has said in government, including:
- free recipe
- abolition of university tuition fees
- free bus travel for under-22s
- Scottish Child Payment
Analysis by Phil Sim, BBC Scotland’s political correspondent
John Swinney’s calculation is that Labor has won for many in this election.
At the launch event, he predicted that “the Tories are on course for a massive defeat, a wipeout”.
In that field the Tories are toast anyway, and Labor will have a big majority – so Scotland does not really have to vote for Labor to get that. Indeed, he said he had to vote SNP to keep Labor honest – to keep his feet to the fire.
He pictured himself satisfied – “he thought Scotland was in the bag”.
The question is whether this message – that people can have a Labor government without voting Labor – will cut through with voters, compared to the “change” narrative that Sir Keir Starmer is selling.
Speaking on BBC Scotland Sunday eventScottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the party did not talk about independence during this campaign “because literally nobody on the doorstep is talking about it – they don’t care”.
He added: “We don’t believe in a second referendum – it’s not important to people now.
“People want to talk about getting access to a GP when they first ask, or an NHS dentist in their area.
“They want to talk about taking sewage out of our rivers and raising Scottish education wherever it goes.”
‘journey together’
Speaking on the campaign trail in Renfrew, Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar said the SNP had spent the entire campaign so far attacking Labor when the real opportunity was to “get rid of this rotten Tory government”.
He said: “That’s what we’re focused on – getting rid of Rishi Sunak, Suella Braverman and all the rot.
“People across Scotland are realizing after 14 years of corruption, chaos, lies and sleaze from the Conservative Party that this is Scotland’s chance to get rid of them.
Mr Sarwar said he believed previous SNP supporters would switch to Labor on July 4.
“I don’t care how you voted in the past. I don’t care how you voted in the referendum. I don’t care how you might vote in the future referendum.
“What I want to do now is get rid of this rotten Tory government, so let’s go on this journey together and change our country.”
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said Mr Swinney had been “trying desperately” to relaunch the SNP’s election campaign “following the scandalous mishandling of Michael Matheson”.
Mr Matheson – a former health secretary – was given the go-ahead last week record ban from parliament for breach of Holyrood expenses policy.
And the police are now evaluating it new complaint over iPad data roaming bill SNP MSP £11,000.
Douglas Ross said: “As such, he (Mr Swinney) used to double down on the independence obsession of the SNP, instead of focusing on the real priorities of the people – fixing our ailing public services and improving the economy.
“As shown in the Matheson scandal, John Swinney will always put the party before the state.”
Mr Ross added: “Voters who have had enough of the SNP’s incompetence and endlessly spreading division have a chance to punish them on July 4.
“In key seats across the country, only the Scottish Conservatives can defeat the SNP and focus on the issues that matter.”
