Alex Salmond threw the constitution back into the election campaign today but Holyrood’s political leaders had promises of their own to make.
The Alba leader claimed a pro-independence chamber would get down to the job of negotiating out of the UK on “week one”.
Meanwhile, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon promised more cash for unpaid carers in a shake of social security.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross called for a “faster road to recovery” with an eye on the vaccine scheme.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar outlined an “ambitious” £1.2bn plan to give everyone a job. Lib Dems called for sweeping reforms of the way Holyrood operates, including potential powers to appoint the chief civil servant. Greens said they could get 17,000 jobs in Scotland by upgrading the country’s railways.
We also brought you more analysis and all the latest on our new Election Hub Live. Today, the Lib Dems’s Beatrice Wishart raised the stubborn problem of access to high speed internet in rural communities.
Here’s what caught our eye on the campaign trail.
Good day
Nicola Sturgeon appears to have dodged the tricky prospect of sharing a leaders’ debate stage with her former SNP mentor Alex Salmond. STV have not added his Alba party to the guests.
Bad day
Conservative leader Douglas Ross appealed to voters not to “flirt” with George Galloway’s All for Unity. He’s worried support for the single-issue unionist party could actually increase pro-independence MSPs because of Holyrood’s complex voting system.
Quote of the day
“On week one of the Scottish Parliament elected with an independence supermajority, the Scottish Government should seek an instruction from the Parliament to begin independence negotiations with the Westminster government.”
– Alex Salmond delivers another controversial pitch for the focus of Holyrood.
Tweet of the day
Green candidate Ross Greer was not alone in trying to cope with the four-seasons-in-one-day weather…
When it simultaneously snowing 🌨 and really sunny 🌞, freezing 🥶 and really warm 🥵 but you've got leaflets to deliver #activeSGP pic.twitter.com/Cgv7gVTXqe
— Ross Greer (@Ross_Greer) April 6, 2021
Number of the day
86. That’s what the Scotland Act states is a supermajority of MSPs – a figure Alex Salmond did not want to set as the benchmark.
What’s happening on April 7?
- Finance Secretary Kate Forbes is on our Election Hub Live at 2pm.
- Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross outlines his “rebuilding roadmap”.
- Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar sets out his party’s plan to tackle holiday hunger.
- SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon will announce plans for the NHS.
- Lib Dem Willie Rennie will campaign on opposition to vaccine passports.
- Scottish Greens will make a policy commitment for victims of sexual violence.
- George Galloway formally launches his All for Unity party campaign.